Environment

Wildfires And Public Health Concerns

8:02am November 18, 2018

by Kirk Siegler

The smoke and ash from California's wildfires are making it difficult for some people to breathe. But there are other health risks, including burned up cars and lead paint from older burned homes.

A firefighter searches a trailer park destroyed in the Camp Fire on Friday Paradise, Calif.

California Offers Safe Space For Firefighters To Work Through Stress And Trauma

6:26pm November 17, 2018

by Alyssa Jeong Perry

Now that wildfires are a year-round problem in California, officials are adding emotional support to the services they provide to firefighters in the field.

How Santa Rosa, Calif., Is Rebuilding A Year After The Destructive Tubbs Fire

6:08pm November 15, 2018

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with David Guhin, assistant city manager for Santa Rosa, Calif., about how the city is rebuilding after the 2017 Tubbs Fire, which destroyed 5,636 buildings.

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Housing Crisis Concerns Grow As Camp Fire Continues To Burn

6:08pm November 15, 2018

by Eric Westervelt

Butte County is among the poorest in California. Residents whose homes were destroyed are now in a tough spot as the county doesn't have enough existing housing for the thousands who are displaced.

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A search and rescue worker, looking for Camp Fire victims, carries Susie Q. to safety after the cadaver dog fell through rubble at the Holly Hills Mobile Estates on Wednesday in Paradise, Calif.

Camp Fire Missing-Persons List Grows To More Than 300 Names

6:08pm November 15, 2018

by Emily Sullivan

At least 56 people have died in the Northern California blaze, which has destroyed entire neighborhoods and continues to burn. Meanwhile, Butte County says about 300 people are missing.

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Downtown Houston flooded by rain from Hurricane Harvey on Aug. 29, 2017. The buildings in the region exacerbated rainfall from the storm, according to a new study.

Houston Got Hammered By Hurricane Harvey — And Its Buildings Are Partly To Blame

9:43pm November 14, 2018

by Rebecca Hersher

The city itself — skyscrapers, homes and factories — snagged the moist air of Hurricane Harvey and caused more rain to fall. Two new studies detail how humans are making hurricane flooding worse.

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Smoke From California Wildfires Affecting Millions Of People Far From Fire Zones

5:55pm November 14, 2018

by Raquel Dillon

The massive wildfires in California have raised concerns about air quality for vulnerable populations, such as children and people with heart or lung conditions.

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California's Largest Utility Providers Face Pressure As Wildfires Continue To Burn

4:39pm November 14, 2018

by Ted Goldberg

Wildfires ravaging California have led to intense scrutiny of the state's largest utility companies. PG&E and SoCal Edison say their infrastructure may be tied to some of the biggest blazes.

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Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke Visits California To See Destruction From Wildfires

4:24pm November 14, 2018

by Kirk Siegler

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke visited two wildfire areas in California on Wednesday. The administration and the state have clashed over the reasons behind the fires and the state's fire management.

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Are There Ways To Make Towns Less Vulnerable To Wildfires?

4:24pm November 14, 2018

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Los Angeles Times reporter Paige St. John about how Paradise, Calif., residents practiced fire evacuation drills, but given a population boom, the plans were inadequate.

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