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U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a new $1 billion grant program this week to help communities facing wildfire risks. Grants for wildfire protection planning or outreach can be up to $250,000. Affiliated infrastructure and resilience projects can get grants of up to $10 million.
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Much of the Mountain West is in the midst of a heat wave, but what does that mean for wildfires? The National Interagency Fire Center forecasters say it depends on what happens next. Extreme heat can dry out fuels, starting with grass and brush and then drying out trees. If that’s followed by more hot, windy weather and thunderstorms, that’s a recipe for more wildfires.
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The Marshall Fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Colorado, and left a smoky taste and smell in the water for months after it was extinguished. That meant an expensive fix as the town of Superior tries to improve water quality.
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A new study shows that many Americans living in wildfire-prone areas have homes that are not built with wildfire in mind.
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With wildfire seasons growing longer and stronger across the Mountain West, companies that do prevention work are staying busy.
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The Western Fire Chiefs Association launched an interactive, mobile-friendly map this week to provide the latest information on wildfires across the region.
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The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for parts of Nevada, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona this weekend. These warnings usually last one to three days, and mean that any new wildfires could exhibit extreme behavior. If you see these warnings, take extra precautions to prevent wildfires, like make sure campfires are completely out and stop smoking.
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The National Weather Service released its June outlook today. It doesn’t look great for Utah, Nevada, Colorado or New Mexico. Part of all of those states are expected to have higher than normal temperatures and lower than normal precipitation. Parts of northern Idaho and Wyoming are expected to stay cooler in June with more precipitation, but heat up later in the summer.
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People facing high wildfire risks are more likely to be white, live in pricier homes and have higher incomes. That’s according to new research published in Environmental Research Letters. It suggests that this wealthier group is more likely to face wildfire threats because many of them seek the beautiful views and amenities on the outskirts of bigger cities in the West.
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This fire year is on track to be as extreme as the last few. At the same time, some Forest Service areas have had a hard time hiring enough wildland firefighters.