wildfires

The team, led by a Boise State University civil engineering researcher, looked at half a million wildfire starts, and hundreds of attributes about them. Beyond the obvious weather variables like wind speed, temperature and humidity, they also considered human factors like density of development.

A new report finds 2025 brought widespread drought, massive wildfires and destructive windstorms across several Mountain West states — and underscores how closely connected those disasters have become.

Wildfires are a top concern across the region. But certain parts also fall within "hail alley" — the part of the country that sees the most hailstorms. It's driving up insurance costs in unexpected places.

The House Draw, Flat Rock and Constitution fires burned more than a quarter of a million acres, hundreds of miles of fence and rangeland that supports local cattle and sheep ranchers.

The Wyoming state forester says a slew of bills will help the state be more competitive and help with retention and recruitment.

The 11 senators and representatives - all Democrats - said that the consolidation of four Department of Interior agencies’ wildfire programs is being done “without adequate analysis, transparency, or planning to prevent disruption during what is expected to be a significant fire season or to safeguard long-term wildfire preparedness.”

The power grid across Western states is under growing strain. Now, a new report argues the region’s governments and utilities need to work together to keep the lights on and costs down.

At less than 140,000 square miles, snow cover across the region was the lowest ever recorded on February 1 in the satellite record, which goes back to 2001. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) call it the “worst snowpack on record.”

The idea of a linear fuel break, or LFB, is pretty straightforward: by clearing grass or other fuel along fire-prone roads, or planting fire-resistant vegetation, you can slow the spread of wildfire. New research suggests they may save more money than they cost to install and maintain.

A new law allows for this carve out in Nevada.