Seattle skyline turned orange with wildfire smoke.

Climate change-linked wildfire smoke blamed for thousands of U.S. deaths and billions in damages

Smoke from wildfires intensified by climate change caused an estimated 15,000 deaths and $160 billion in damages in the U.S. over a 15-year span, according to new research.

Dorany Pineda reports for The Associated Press.

In short:

A study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment attributes about 10% of wildfire-related particulate matter deaths between 2006 and 2020 to climate change, with Western states like California and Oregon hit hardest.
Researchers estimated the toll by comparing real-world wildfire data with a climate change-free scenario, isolating the specific contribution of global warming to deaths from fine particulate pollution (PM2.5).
Experts not involved in the research say the study’s methods are innovative, but some raised concerns about downplaying other wildfire drivers and warned against overrelying on emissions reductions as the sole solution.

Key quote:

“We’re seeing a lot more of these wildfire smoke events. What does it really mean in a changing environment for things like mortality, which is kind of the worst possible health outcome?”

— Nicholas Nassikas, physician and professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School and an author of the study

Why this matters:

Wildfire smoke is a growing public health crisis. The fine particles in smoke, known as PM2.5, are small enough to penetrate deep into lungs and even enter the bloodstream. Long-term exposure is linked to heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory illnesses, especially in vulnerable groups like children, pregnant people, seniors, and outdoor workers. As climate change drives hotter, drier conditions across the American West, wildfire seasons are becoming longer and more intense, pushing toxic smoke far beyond burn zones. Urban areas downwind from fires face poor air quality for days or weeks. And when fires burn buildings and cars, the smoke can carry heavy metals and synthetic chemicals, compounding the health risks. Smoke doesn't stop at state borders. Its effects are national, even global.

apnews.com

Credit: Antonio Garcia/Unsplash

California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

In California’s Mojave Desert, a mining plant is turning to solar thermal energy to replace one of its coal-fired generators, but a second unit may run for years due to the intense heat and 24-hour power it needs.

Ivan Penn reports for The New York Times.

In short:

Searles Valley Minerals, a mining company in Trona, Calif., is replacing one of its two coal plants with a solar thermal system but says the other may need to stay online for the foreseeable future due to operational demands.
The company will use a concentrating solar power system from start-up GlassPoint, which uses mirrors to generate high heat, a solution that works well in hot, sunny areas but requires a large land footprint and remains rare in the U.S.
Despite California’s push to phase out coal and President Trump’s efforts to revive it, economic and geographic constraints continue to complicate full industrial transitions away from fossil fuels.

Key quote:

“We just think coal is going to be a problem. We’re going to have a hard time sourcing it. We need to be ready to pivot.”

— Dennis Cruise, president of Searles Valley Minerals

Why this matters:

Industrial heat — the kind used in mining, chemical production, and heavy manufacturing — accounts for about half of global energy use, yet it’s rarely mentioned in public climate debates. Unlike home heating or car travel, generating this level of heat without fossil fuels is still tough. Most renewable energy technologies don’t deliver the extreme, continuous heat these facilities need. That leaves industries like the one in Trona stuck with coal, even as it becomes harder to source and politically unpopular. As the U.S. attempts to decarbonize, industrial energy needs present one of the biggest hurdles.

Read the Full Article on

www.nytimes.com

Climate change-linked wildfire smoke blamed for thousands of U.S. deaths and billions in damages

Steelmaker retreats from clean energy plans as hydrogen costs and politics shift

California mining company turns to solar heat but can’t quit coal just yet

New gas plant approved in Newark despite community objections over health and pollution

New research links stalled jet stream to rising summer weather extremes

Brazil moves to auction vast oil blocks despite climate and Indigenous concerns

South African coal town struggles to see benefits of clean energy shift

World climate talks resume without U.S. as global negotiators assess new path forward

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.