SACRAMENTO — California has completed 34 of the forest-thinning projects it rushed to finish in the past year as a way to buffer 200 communities at high risk from wildfires, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday. His office said two of the projects helped protect Santa Barbara residents during a fire...
Fires Set Stage for Irreversible Forest Losses in Australia
Australia’s forests are burning at a rate unmatched in modern times and scientists say the landscape is being permanently altered as a warming climate brings profound changes to the island continent. Heat waves and drought have fueled bigger and more frequent fires in parts of Australia, so far this season torching...
Calif. Cities Devastated by Wildfires Face New Challenge: Benzene in Water
Last year, the Camp Fire tore across California, devouring forests and incinerating entire neighborhoods. Residents fled the flames, returning to find empty streets where their neighborhoods had been. It came only a year after the Tubbs Fire set records as it destroyed thousands of homes outside Santa Rosa. Now that...
My Turn: We Must Reduce Fire Risk. Here Are Steps California Must Take
Winter rain cannot wash away the tragedy of the 2018 fire season for Northern California, the deadliest in state history. If the fires of 2017 were a wakeup call, the 2018 megafires were an air raid siren. We must take immediate steps to reduce fire risk, protect our rural communities, and ensure...
Croak to Croon: City Frogs Sing More Alluring Love Songs
WASHINGTON — City frogs and rainforest frogs don't sing the same tune, researchers have found. A study released Monday examined why Panama's tiny tungara frogs adapt their mating calls in urban areas — an unexpected example of how animals change communication strategies when cities encroach on forests. These frogs take...