Wildfires /tags/wildfires Wildfires en-US Copyright KUNC/Community Radio for Northern Colorado 2020 Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:49:33 GMT After another extension of temporary raises, wildland firefighters still see a path to permanent pay fix /2024-12-23/wildland-firefighters-pay-raise-us-congress-mike-simpson Wildland firefighters and their advocates pushed hard for permanent pay raises before Congress’ holiday recess. What firefighters got instead was yet another last-minute extension of temporary raises. Mon, 23 Dec 2024 23:49:33 GMT /2024-12-23/wildland-firefighters-pay-raise-us-congress-mike-simpson Murphy Woodhouse Study: Wildland firefighters are exposed to 31 carcinogens on the job /2024-12-16/wildland-firefighters-cancer-asbestos-benzene-vocs Researchers pored over roughly four dozen papers that assessed exposure to various carcinogens on the fireline. They identified 31 carcinogens – including asbestos, volatile organic compounds like benzene and crystalline silica. Mon, 16 Dec 2024 22:08:57 GMT /2024-12-16/wildland-firefighters-cancer-asbestos-benzene-vocs Murphy Woodhouse Study: Particle pollution from wildfires has ‘markedly stronger’ link to dementia than other sources /2024-12-06/particulate-pollution-wildfires-dementia Researchers were looking at PM 2.5 pollution, made up of particles with diameters at least 30 times smaller than human hair. They found that for every additional microgram from wildfires per cubic meter of air on average over rolling 3-year periods, patients faced an 18% increase in the odds of a dementia diagnosis. The figure for non-wildfire PM 2.5 was just 1%. Fri, 06 Dec 2024 23:34:43 GMT /2024-12-06/particulate-pollution-wildfires-dementia Murphy Woodhouse Study: Fast-moving wildfires are often the most destructive – and they’re getting faster /2024-11-01/wildfires-marshall-camp-fire-climate-change Wildfires are often talked about in terms of the acres they burn, or the number of structures they destroy. New research is bringing attention to their speed – and evidence that they’re accelerating. Fri, 01 Nov 2024 22:21:45 GMT /2024-11-01/wildfires-marshall-camp-fire-climate-change Murphy Woodhouse During a natural disaster, not everyone can evacuate. A CU researcher wants to understand why /podcast/inthenoco/2024-10-31/during-a-natural-disaster-not-everyone-can-evacuate-a-cu-researcher-wants-to-understand-why When a natural disaster forces people to evacuate, not everyone gets the message – or is physically or financially able to get out of harm’s way. On today's In The NoCo, we talk with a researcher who studies how communication during emergencies works... and how it can be improved to help keep people safe. Thu, 31 Oct 2024 09:35:00 GMT /podcast/inthenoco/2024-10-31/during-a-natural-disaster-not-everyone-can-evacuate-a-cu-researcher-wants-to-understand-why In The NoCo, Brad Turner, Erin O'Toole, Ariel Lavery October is typically when fire season starts to wind down; this year, the month has seen ‘unprecedented’ activity /2024-10-24/wildfire-season-preparedness-level-nifc-october For 10 straight days this month, the country was at a preparedness level of 5 (PL5), the highest on the scale used to measure wildfire activity and resource availability. Since 1990, there is only a single past instance of a PL5 day in October, which came in 2020. Thu, 24 Oct 2024 22:24:33 GMT /2024-10-24/wildfire-season-preparedness-level-nifc-october Murphy Woodhouse Research shows that plants 'hold their breath' in smoky environments /regional-news/2024-10-19/research-shows-that-plants-hold-their-breath-in-smoky-environments Recent research from Colorado State University shows that plants will pause photosynthesis in smoky and polluted environments. Sat, 19 Oct 2024 12:00:00 GMT /regional-news/2024-10-19/research-shows-that-plants-hold-their-breath-in-smoky-environments Caroline Long, Utah Public Radio Yes, wildfires can devastate communities – but they can also help strengthen them, this CU researcher says /podcast/inthenoco/2024-10-18/yes-wildfires-can-devastate-communities-but-they-can-also-help-strengthen-them-this-cu-researcher-says Wildfires in Colorado can devastate communities. But there’s research that shows wildfires and other natural disasters can also make communities stronger. Today on In The NoCo, a CU Boulder researcher looks at surprising ways that catastrophes can strengthen bonds between neighbors. Fri, 18 Oct 2024 11:30:00 GMT /podcast/inthenoco/2024-10-18/yes-wildfires-can-devastate-communities-but-they-can-also-help-strengthen-them-this-cu-researcher-says In The NoCo, Erin O'Toole, Brad Turner As hurricanes hit the Southeast, wildfires continue to burn in the West and Midwest /regional-news/2024-10-09/as-hurricanes-hit-the-southeast-wildfires-continue-to-burn-in-the-west-and-midwest Hundreds of workers for state and federal forests in the Southeast have pivoted to helping with hurricane response. Wed, 09 Oct 2024 21:05:01 GMT /regional-news/2024-10-09/as-hurricanes-hit-the-southeast-wildfires-continue-to-burn-in-the-west-and-midwest Rachel Cohen As many forests fail to recover from wildfires, replanting efforts face huge odds — and obstacles /news/2024-09-27/as-many-forests-fail-to-recover-from-wildfires-replanting-efforts-face-huge-odds-and-obstacles The U.S. is struggling to replant forests destroyed by increasingly destructive wildfires, with some areas unlikely to recover. Researchers are studying which species are likely to survive — and where — as climate change makes it difficult or impossible for many forests to regrow. Fri, 27 Sep 2024 16:33:21 GMT /news/2024-09-27/as-many-forests-fail-to-recover-from-wildfires-replanting-efforts-face-huge-odds-and-obstacles Tammy Webber, Brittany Peterson, and Camille Fassett, Associated Press