PNW Pasture Conditions Struggling In Heat – PNW AG Network
USDA Meteorologist, Brad Rippey, said much like the small grains, pasture and rangeland across the region have been hit hard by the drought and hot temperatures.
Brisk Winds Hamper Firefighting Efforts, Even As Temperatures Are Expected To Cool | Spokane Public Radio
The region's hot, dry conditions are hampering efforts to put out wildfires. One of those is burning in Stevens County. It started in a building near Ford yesterday afternoon.
BLM, Reclamation extend fire restrictions | Free | omakchronicle.com
SPOKANE – Fire restrictions are being extended on public lands administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management Spokane District and the Bureau of Reclamation in eastern Washington.
The temporary ban was renewed Aug. 7 in Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman, and Yakima counties.
Bootleg fire demonstrates efficacy of Indigenous forest management | The Optimist Daily
Last September, we shared an article about the benefits of controlled burns and other Indigenous practices for wildfire management and mitigation. Now, the Bootleg fire in Oregon is offering up some more evidence to support that Indigenous practices could be lifesaving in a climate change-fueled fire future.
NOAA: La Nina likely to bring relief to Northwest farmers this winter | Water | capitalpress.com
Portions of the Pacific Ocean cooled considerably in July, affirming that a La Nina weather system likely will form this fall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center pegged the odds of a La Nina prevailing in November, December and January at 69%.
Most likely, the La Nina will be weak, according to NOAA, though the agency estimated the chances of a moderate La Nina at 1-in-3 and a strong La Nina at 1-in-10.
First live ‘murder hornet’ sighting confirmed in Whatcom, WA | The Olympian
The first live Asian giant hornet sighted in 2021 in Washington state was found attacking a paper wasp nest in a rural area of northern Whatcom County earlier this week.
According to a Washington State Department of Agriculture news release Thursday, Aug. 12, the report was confirmed as being an Asian giant hornet, which are popularly known as “murder hornets.”
Nason Fire at Lake Wenatchee Growing, Smoke Visible in Leavenworth – NewsRadio 560 KPQ
Smoke visible in the Leavenworth area reported by KPQ listeners is being linked to the Nasom Fire at Lake Wenatchee.
Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue says ash has been falling on homes along the south shore as the fire is growing on the west end of Nason Ridge, above Rainy Pass.
It’s still seven miles from homes along the lake and is being managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Wildfire bears down on Montana towns as West burns
LAME DEER, Mont. (AP) — A wildfire bore down on rural southeastern Montana towns Thursday as continuing hot, dry weather throughout the West drove flames through more than a dozen states.
Several thousand people in Montana remained under evacuation orders as the Richard Spring Fire advanced across the sparsely-populated Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.
Hopping Into The Wild: Endangered Frog Release Could Help Boost Only Known Population In Washington | Northwest Public Broadcasting
Northern leopard frogs are rapidly disappearing in the Northwest. Biologists hope this effort will help the population in Washington. The release last week was an effort to help boost this genetically important population. The frogs are bellwethers for ecosystem health. Now that they’ve grown to roughly six centimeters long, the frogs are ready to join the state’s only known population at Central Washington’s Columbia National Wildlife Refuge.
U.S. Senate Infrastructure Package Could ‘Significantly Improve’ Salmon Habitat | Northwest Public Broadcasting
Pacific Northwest salmon could get some help from the proposed federal infrastructure package.
Some of the funding in the U.S. Senate’s version of the bill could help remove barriers to salmon habitat – just not the same barriers on the Snake River that Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, had hoped to eventually include.
Cliff Mass Weather Blog: Major Heat Wave Coming This Week
A major heat event will occur over the region this week.
But let me make it clear at the outset, it won't be nearly as warm or lengthy as June's event. Seattle and northwest Washington will have a far easier time. The Willamette Valley will fry and some places in eastern Washington will get near 110F.
North Cascades Highway reopens after weeks-long closure due to wildfires | king5.com
OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash. — Both directions of State Route 20, also known as the North Cascades Highway, fully reopened to traffic Monday after a section of the roadway was closed for weeks due to wildfire activity in the area. A 20-mile stretch of the highway closed in mid-July and was extended multiple times.
While drivers can now use SR 20 to travel between Skagit and Methow valleys, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said fire response crews are still using parts of the highway for staging and work.
Snohomish County issues mask directive as delta variant continues to spread | KOMO
Snohomish County held a briefing Tuesday, where it announced a mask directive for anyone indoors older than five. This includes both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
The reported cases have doubled in the county over the past month, from 651 over a period of one week to about 1,300 this past week.
Sacred Heart, Holy Family stop elective surgeries as hospitals face spike in COVID-19 patients | The Spokesman-Review
Facing a new onslaught of patients with COVID-19, Providence Health Care officials announced Tuesday that all non-emergency surgeries and procedures will be halted at Sacred Heart Medical Center and Holy Family Hospital.
The pause is “effective immediately,” according a Providence news release.
Making Strategic Planning (Relatively) Painless - Blue Avocado
Here is how we accomplished our successful strategic planning process. I hope that you can find some useful ideas to help you get through your next process with as little pain—and as much gain—as possible.
Wildfire explodes to third-largest in California history
GREENVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A wildfire raging in Northern California exploded in size overnight, becoming the third-largest wildfire in state history amid high temperatures and strong winds. Better weather conditions were expected to aid the firefight on Friday.
The Dixie Fire grew by 110 square miles (285 square kilometers) between Thursday night and Friday morning, making the blaze the largest wildfire currently raging in the nation.