Wildfires

Environment

'Scorched earth, as far as the eye can see.' How Washington wildfires are devastating human and animal communities

Since Labor Day, more than 600,000 acres have burned across Washington State. Wildfires have burned an area more than 10 times the size of Seattle. In the city of Bridgeport, in North Central Washington, the wildfires wiped out homes and structures. It's also threatening a key species there.

Politics

Wild fires, Russian hackers and the arrival of e-scooters, this week

Ross Reynolds reviews the week's news with tech reporter for the New York Times Karen Weise, journalist with The C is for Crank, Erica C Barnett, and publisher of The Washington State Wire, DJ Wilson.

Environment

Onshore winds could bring more wildfire smoke back to Seattle area

A shift in the winds over Puget Sound is coming ... but that might not blow away the wildfire smoke lingering over the region. And that’s because of fires far to the south.

Wildfire smoke exacerbates Covid-related respiratory concerns

‘The best thing to do is to stay indoors with windows closed.’

Environment

Wildfire smoke billows into Seattle area with flurry of 911 calls

Smoke from wildfires east of the Cascades flowed into the Puget Sound region on late Monday afternoon.

Health

The plan if wildfire smoke descends on Seattle during a pandemic? There is none

The plume of smoke we’ve seen in past years hasn’t descended on Seattle, but if it does, researchers fear worse health effects than in normal years, because of the pandemic. Officials in the Puget Sound area don't have a plan for protecting residents if the air gets smoky — beyond telling people to just stay home.

Environment

NW wildfire season made worse by Covid-19 pandemic

Washington state officials expected to be hit with a heavy wildfire season this year. Now it seems the pandemic has made conditions worse.