1 Billion Acres At Risk For Catastrophic Wildfires, U.S. Forest Service Warns Chief Vicki Christiansen says the danger is now year-round, thanks to hazardous conditions in forests, rampant home development and the changing climate. Kirk Siegler
How Extreme Weather Is Affecting People's Opinions Of Climate Change An increasing body of research finds people's beliefs about climate change can be changed by big disasters, like the current flooding across America's heartland. Nathan Rott
The 'Great Dying' Nearly Erased Life On Earth. Scientists See Similarities To Today It was the biggest extinction in Earth's history. A new Smithsonian exhibit notes that some of the same things that killed 90 percent of life 250 million years ago are happening now. Christopher Joyce
Carnival Cruise Lines Hit With $20 Million Penalty For Environmental Crimes The company has a long history of dumping plastic trash and oily waste from its ships, with violations dating back to 1993. In 2016, its Princess subsidiary agreed to pay $40 million for pollution. Merrit Kennedy
Carnival Corp. Agrees To $20 Million Fine For Pollution Violations Executives with Carnival Corporation, the world's largest cruise line, were in court explaining why its ships continue to dump plastics and oily water into waters in the Caribbean and Alaska. Greg Allen
Bombs, guns and sea lions on the Columbia River I take a journey up the Columbia River, where people, sea lions, orcas and salmon have a complicated relationship. Chris Morgan
Deaths of 75 West Coast gray whales declared 'unusual mortality event' Scientists have recorded 75 gray whales washing up dead from California to Alaska this year, with 25 of those in Washington state. John Ryan
To Some Solar Users, Power Company Fees Are An Unfair Charge Alabama has some of highest solar fees in the U.S. and critics say it's hurting solar customers. It's one of several states where utilities are proposing or raising fees for homes with rooftop solar. Julia Simon
Outlook: above-normal temps, below-normal precipitation. Washington state’s snowpack is down to less than a third its normal levels for this time of year. The early meltdown leaves the state's main storehouse of water for the summer a shadow of its usual self. John Ryan
It's a calf! New baby orca seen in endangered pod Whale watchers spotted a new orca calf in the J pod of the endangered southern resident killer whale population Thursday. Caroline Chamberlain Gomez
