Natural Resources & Energy

The Mullen Fire continues to be very active with increasing smoke in southern Wyoming and northern Colorado. 

As the Mullen Fire continues to burn throughout southern Wyoming, the rest of the state is still in the midst of fire season.

"We've had an incredibly active fire season," Wyoming State Forester Bill Crapser said.

University of Wyoming researchers are exploring the wake that is produced by wind turbines.

A federal judge has ruled against a proposed joint venture between the two largest coal producers in the nation. District Judge Sarah Pitlyk found that consolidating seven of Arch Resources Inc. and Peabody Energy Corp's mines in the Powder River Basin and Colorado wouldn't bode well for the region's market.

University of Wyoming researchers have created a computer model that can identify animals in images taken by camera traps.

Cattle ranching is a costly endeavor, and one little fly can have a huge impact on that cost. Horn flies only bite cattle and some animals are more susceptible to them than others. Knowing why could reduce the costs associated with these pests.

The Mullen Fire in Medicine Bow National Forest doubled in size Saturday, reaching nearly 70,000 acres - and has since surpassed 80,000 acres.

The Mullen Fire in Medicine Bow National Forest doubled in size Saturday, reaching nearly 70,000 acres.

Communities near the Colorado border in Albany County have been evacuated as the more than 400 firefighters on-site prioritize protecting homes and structures.

The Shoshone National Forest Travel Management plan is facing criticism just as the public comment period comes to a close.

The Mullen Fire continues to burn in Medicine Bow National Forest as upcoming windy conditions threaten to make the situation worse.

It's a bit like CSI - if the cops suspect someone has been there, they check for DNA, take it back to the lab, and figure out who it belongs to. Only these researchers aren't looking for crooks - they're looking for endangered or invasive species, using environmental DNA (eDNA).

Denialism isn't just for climate change anymore.

A new paper published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution calls attention to "the creeping rise of extinction denial."

A small community ski slope west of Cody is in the process of moving into private hands after a tumultuous winter season. 

Last spring, Sleeping Giant announced it would be unlikely for the mountain to re-open for the next ski season. The news came after more than ten years of running a deficit. But after community outcry, the nonprofit said they would figure out a way to make it work.

The National Solar Tour will give Wyomingites an opportunity to learn about solar power from their own neighbors.

A small portion of the Pilot Hill parcel is now open to the public. The parcel, located on the eastern edge of Laramie, is part of a collaborative effort to protect nearly 4,344 acres for nonmotorized recreation and wildlife habitat.

Clean Coal Technologies, Inc. (CCTI) signed an agreement with a neighboring organization in Gillette, confirming the groups will cooperate down the line. The memorandum of understanding with Energy Capital Economic Development comes as CCTI leaders say the company is nearing commercialization.

As part of a statewide disease monitoring plan, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is asking hunters in certain areas to submit their animals for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing.

In 1988, Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas experienced a huge wildfire. And only a couple of decades later, some of those areas burned again. 

Nathan Gill, an assistant professor of fire ecology at Texas Tech University, has been studying how this affects trees' seeds dispersal. It turns out more frequent fires don't allow enough time for the tree to grow back and spread its seeds. 

The University of Wyoming is part of a collaboration that has identified 65 extinct plants in North America.

Last week's unusual September snowstorm wasn't great for plants.

Assistant Extension Educator for Horticulture at University of Wyoming Donna Hoffman said there are a lot of broken branches on trees, and flowers that were not protected are probably done growing for the season.

How the unique topography of places like Sinks Canyon State Park in Wyoming formed has puzzled researchers for a long time. But researchers at New York University published research last week that gave some insight into the process.

The Sheridan Community Land Trust has received two grants that will go towards building more trails and parking areas in the Bighorn National Forest.

The two grants from the U.S. Forest Service and the Wyoming Business Council total nearly $600,000. The funds will go to building 15 miles of trail and three parking areas in the existing Red Grade trail system.