Can Scientists Harness the Magic of Mushrooms to Clean Up Polluted Landscapes?
Researchers and grassroots activists are working with fungi to restore damaged environments
Looking Back on the L.A. Wildfires Through the Lens of Two Photographers
As wildfire becomes an increasingly lethal force that’s remaking broad swaths of California, people and animals alike are in the hot seat
Authorities Snipe Hundreds of Koalas From Helicopters in Controversial ‘Aerial Cull’ in Australia
Between 600 and 700 of the marsupials were killed from the air, likely for the first time in the country’s history. Officials say the decision, which has prompted backlash, was made to minimize the animals’ suffering after a bushfire
Nearly Half of Americans Still Live With High Levels of Air Pollution, Posing Serious Health Risks, Report Finds
The most recent State of the Air report by the American Lung Association found that more than 150 million Americans breathe air with unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution
Destinations Hit by Natural Disasters Need Tourists Back—but Maybe Not in the Same Way as Before
Places like Maui and Asheville, North Carolina, rebuilding after wildfires and hurricanes, are doing so with a mind to sustainable tourism
South Korea’s Worst Ever Wildfires Ravage Ancient Buddhist Temples and Menace Historic Villages
One monk said his old temple was ‘reduced to heaps of ashes,’ as the fires continue to rage across the country
Here’s How the Los Angeles Wildfires Are Affecting Animals, From Fish to Snakes to Birds
While scientists were able to save and move some creatures in the aftermath, researchers are worried about the prospects for other species
How A.I. Can Help Humans Battle Wildfires, From Advanced Camera Systems to Forecasting Models
A variety of new technologies aim to improve wildfire detection and help map the spread of blazes
Welcome to the Pyrocene
Human use of fire has produced an era of uncontrolled burning
A Los Angeles Photographer Captures the Devastating Fires Threatening His Beloved Community
Ivan Kashinsky has traveled the world for Smithsonian magazine, but when disaster struck earlier this month, he rushed home to point his lens at his own neighborhood
Hawaiian Observatory Clocks Highest Annual Jump in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Since Its Records Began 67 Years Ago
The change measured by the Mauna Loa Observatory was likely driven by wildfires and continued burning of fossil fuels, scientists say
L.A. Fire-Fueling Winds Slow Down, Offering a Short Reprieve. What Are the Santa Ana Winds, and Why Do They Fan the Flames?
The seasonal gusts have exacerbated the deadly fires, and they’re expected to pick back up next week
Music History and Contemporary Art Destroyed in the Deadly Los Angeles Wildfires
An archive of scores by composer Arnold Schoenberg and the collections of countless contemporary artists have been lost in the blaze
The Historic Landmarks Razed By Los Angeles’ Deadly Fires
Among the destroyed structures are the ranch established by comedian Will Rogers and a motel owned by notorious publisher William Randolph Hearst
Researchers Uncover the Oldest Record of Humans Using Fire in Tasmania, Almost 2,000 Years Earlier Than Previously Known
A new paper reveals how Aboriginal people changed the landscape by burning, demonstrating how similar practices could help manage modern bushfires
Is Wildfire Smoke Causing Birds to Tend to Empty Nests?
New studies suggest smoke from western megafires may be damaging bird health and leading to strange behavior
One Year After a Devastating Fire, Lahaina’s 151-Year-Old Banyan Tree Is Healing
Arborists didn’t know if the historic tree would survive, but they’ve been working to give it the best possible odds
‘We Have a Rattlesnake Problem’: Wildland Firefighters in the West Must Also Face a Slithering, Venomous Foe
Nearly 100 large fires are burning in the United States right now, including some in rattlesnake territory
California Faces a Brutal Wildfire Season, With More Land Burned to Date Than in Recent Years
The state’s fires have burned more than 11 times as much land so far in 2024 than they had at this point last year, according to the most recent numbers from Cal Fire
Extreme Wildfires Became Twice as Frequent and Intense in 20 Years, Study Finds
As measured by satellites, wildfires have markedly increased in boreal and temperate conifer forests, and rising nighttime temperatures allow flames to keep burning intensely after dark
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