Southern Spain Battles Deadly Wildfires as Toll Climbs to 12
Hundreds of firefighters, aided by helicopters and air support, battled deadly wildfires in southern Spain, where at least 12 people were killed.
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Climate And Environment
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ESA rollback could imperil California wildlife as development expands
The administration redefined 'harm' under the Endangered Species Act, removing habitat destruction from illegal actions and clearing the way for drilling, mining and development in protected areas; California—home to hundreds of endangered species and key recoveries like the California condor—could bear the heaviest impact, risking habitat loss as environmental groups vow lawsuits against the rollback.
Strong El Niño poised to reshape California winter
Federal forecasters say a strong El Niño is virtually certain to develop this year, with a 97% chance of a strong or very strong event by December and an 81% likelihood it’ll be very strong. For California, that means a higher chance of above‑average winter rainfall in Southern California and increased risks of flash floods and landslides, along with a greater potential for heat waves and a persistent marine heat wave as oceans continue to warm.
European Hospitals Brace for Next Heat Wave, Applying Last Summer's Lessons
European hospitals are bracing for another heat wave, using lessons from the last one to bolster patient monitoring, cooling capacity, staffing, and cross-border coordination, with a focus on protecting the elderly and chronically ill as temperatures rise.
Trump reboots bold-fire suppression plan with new Wildland Fire Service as wildfires surge
The Trump administration launches a US Wildland Fire Service and revives a historically controversial policy to stomp out all fires quickly, a move critics say repeats a discredited approach that can lead to larger fires and ecological harm even as wildfires intensify.
Algae Rebounds in DC's Reflecting Pool After Renovations
Algae blooms have returned to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., just after renovations that altered its color; the calm, nutrient-rich waters fed by the Potomac River and warm temperatures create ideal conditions for algae. Officials are temporarily fighting the bloom with hydrogen peroxide and ozone nanobubble technology, but long-term control will require addressing nutrient inputs and the pool’s design.
Trump pays $765 million to end California offshore wind and fund gas/geothermal
The Trump administration will reimburse Invenergy $765 million to terminate four offshore wind leases, including the Morro Bay lease off California, and redirect investments to natural-gas-fired power and geothermal projects. The move marks a continued effort to wind down the U.S. offshore wind program and faces criticism from California officials and environmental groups who argue it undermines clean-energy goals and could invite legal challenges over taxpayer funds; only three California offshore wind leases remain, underscoring a shift driven by policy and market dynamics toward gas and geothermal.
Puerto Rico battles widespread water outages as relief efforts scale up
More than 40,000 Puerto Ricans faced water outages over the first weekend of June, with the National Guard distributing water via four trucks and the Tourism Company adding capacity for hotels; even milk trucks were repurposed to deliver potable water. While authorities commit $217 million to fix infrastructure and a judge orders experts to investigate the chronic shortages, many residents still receive bills for water they cannot access amid public frustration and leadership changes at the island’s Water and Sewer Authority.
El Niño Arrives: SoCal Prepares for a Potentially Wet and Ocean-Changing Winter
El Niño has arrived with a 63% chance of a very strong event later this year, increasing the odds of a wetter-than-normal California winter. Past very strong El Niños brought heavy rain and damage, though rainfall isn’t guaranteed and coastal hazards like large waves and rip currents can accompany wetter years. Beyond weather, warmer Pacific waters and marine heat waves linked to El Niño may affect ocean life—with more jellyfish and sharks, kelp loss, and stress to other species—likely keeping ocean conditions unsettled into next winter.
El Niño forms in Pacific, raising risk of record heat and costly weather
Forecasters say El Niño has formed in the Pacific and could become one of the strongest on record, likely bringing hotter global temperatures, more extreme rainfall and floods in some regions, droughts in others, and substantial economic costs that could last through multiple seasons.
Trump backs Oakland coal export terminal with Defense Production Act funds
Trump says he will invoke the Defense Production Act to invest nearly $700 million in upgrading 13 coal plants, build two new plants in Alaska and West Virginia, restart a shuttered Maryland plant, and fund a West Coast coal export terminal in Oakland to move U.S. coal overseas, arguing it strengthens national energy security; environmental and local groups warn it will raise electricity costs, worsen pollution, and undermine climate goals, and opponents vow to challenge the plan in court.
Google plans 64 million sterile mosquitoes to curb dengue in California and Florida
Google seeks EPA approval to release up to 64 million Wolbachia-infected sterile male Aedes aegypti in California and Florida over two years to reduce disease-carrying mosquito populations. The effort would involve advanced sex-sorting tech, monitoring tools, and strategic releases, building on earlier trials that showed substantial drops in female mosquitoes, though cost and expansion hurdles remain as California faces ongoing dengue risk.
Wind-Fueled Sandy Fire Forces LA-Area Evacuations
A wind-driven brush fire near Simi Valley, the Sandy Fire, expanded rapidly to over 830 acres and forced about 28,000 residents to evacuate as firefighters battled the blaze from the ground and air; shifting winds have at times slowed its spread.
US outlines 10-year Colorado River cuts to stabilize dwindling supplies
The Trump administration is drafting a 10-year framework that would mandate water reductions along the Colorado River—potentially up to 3 million acre-feet annually across California, Arizona, and Nevada—reassessed every two years. The plan, discussed with state leaders in Phoenix, aims to stabilize shrinking reservoir levels at Lake Mead and other bases amid ongoing drought and climate-change impacts, with a federal decision expected in the summer.
California flags acrolein and ethylene oxide as cancer risks far higher than benzene
California officials say two common ambient air contaminants, acrolein and ethylene oxide, may pose cancer risks more than 10 times benzene (about 800 in 1 million), prompting a 45‑day public comment period as OEHHA updates risk values; the finding emerges amid federal rollbacks on ethylene oxide and ongoing concerns about California’s air quality.