Climate Change

"When that smoke does mix down back closer to the surface, like we’re seeing today, the pollutants and particulate matter in the smoke coming down close to the surface will degrade the air quality."

The fires burn so hot and so thoroughly that they’ve altered the nature of New Mexico's forests, burning stands of trees and creating more of a forest of shrub fields and grasslands and leading to more fuel for fires.

Other states involved include: Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Carolina, Montana and Idaho. More than a dozen Louisiana parishes and flood control districts are also listed as plaintiffs.

The return of what used to be the largest lake west of the Mississippi has captured our attention as one of the most dramatic climatic events of 2023. Yet the flooded crops and tenuous levees at Tulare Lake represent only a fraction of the statewide and nationwide landscape.

For those living in hotter areas of the city and where there are fewer shade trees and for those with little money to pay for air conditioning, the condition will only worsen with climate change.

"The current disaster recovery system is as useful as a screen door during a hurricane. Our bipartisan legislation changes the status quo and empowers states to tailor response to the communities based on the disaster at hand."

Just as homeowners are realizing the increased risks of going without flood coverage, FEMA has released data showing that coverage costs are exploding for properties in coastal areas most vulnerable to flooding.

The Casa Romantica landslide is the latest in a season of crumbling cliffs in California following a winter of remarkably wet and powerful storms. More than 700 landslides were reported statewide in January alone, according to the California Geological Survey.

Once the state confirms the numbers, it will go through a process, including submitting the report to Gov. Janet Mills to see whether the state applies for a federal disaster declaration.

At the 42nd National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Weekend, U.S. Fire Administrator Lori Moore-Merrell spoke alongside Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about the increasing risk of fire on homeland security.

In case either medical center does flood, a plan has been put in place for other local hospitals to take in patients who might have to be evacuated, said the county's director of emergency services.

Tsunami preparedness in Washington has grown in recent years, and for good reason. Washington state has more than 3,000 miles of coastline that is home to 58 coastal communities and sees millions of visitors annually.

Washington's Department of Natural Resources will deploy 21 “stations” to monitor for smoke and heat in a two-year pilot. Each station has two cameras that continuously rotate 360 degrees.

The Marin County Fire Department and the College of Marin will collaborate initially on designing the project, which uses a renovated building, as well as a new facility for housing firefighters and equipment.

The local EMA works year-round with the state and federal counterparts to update evacuation plans, response plans and to update the county's website with all of the most up-to-date information so the public can be informed.

“We saw the circulation starting to form, starting to show some signs of rotation as it approached Virginia Beach from the south. As it got toward the Kempsville area, it started to tighten up.”

"What we're trying to do is make sure things are stable, protect the utilities and roadways on the other side. There's no doubt that the changing climate is accelerating things."

In the weeks since the flooding from April 12 to April 14, residents who cannot afford home repairs or new housing have waited anxiously for the money, some of them still living in homes where mold is growing inside.