LEO Network

About the LEO Network
The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Alaska seeks federal air quality waiver due to wildfire smoke impact
Alaska's Department of Environmental Conservation seeks a waiver to exclude 2022-2023 wildfire smoke from EPA air quality assessments, citing these as "exceptional events."
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Vulnerable residents flown out of St. Mary’s as major tundra fire closes in
The City of St. Mary’s and its two tribes, the Yupiit of Andreakfsiy and the Algaaciq Tribe, held a community meeting on June 9. There, resident Geraldine Beans said that community leaders chose an optional evacuation for elders and people who are considered vulnerable. Other residents will have to wait. The fire is the largest in the history of the Lower Yukon valley. It’s been burning for a week and a half, since May 31, and has grown to about 50,000 acres.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Are seagull eggs dangerous to harvest due to bird flu?
It is egg hunting season in many rural Alaska communities, and harvesters want to know if they should be concerned about eating eggs from wild birds. According to guidance from the State of Alaska and USFWS, the risk from avian flu for people is very low.
King's Cove, Alaska, United States
Dana Diehl, Louisa Castrodale, Nadine Kochuten, Michael Bruce, Karen Pletnikoff

Borough climate change planning effort gears up
A survey is out and an open house is planned on May 14 for the Fairbanks North Star Borough's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. A public survey is out, and an open house is planned for 4 p.m. May 14 at J.P. Jones Community Center in South Fairbanks.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

As permafrost thaws, a Biden-supported drilling plan is on unstable ground
ConocoPhillips' massive Willow project would emit 284 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over its 30-year lifetime.
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States
Grist

Weather year 2021
In 2021, the average temperature in Norway was normal, while precipitation was 10 percent below normal. The year is nevertheless marked by great contrasts. The summary of the weather in 2021 was presented at the Meteorological Institute's annual event Climate Status on 5 January. Here you can see video footage of Climate Status (Vimeo)
Norway
Meteorologisk institutt

Canadian military sets up water purification units for Iqaluit at the Sylvia Grinnell River
The Canadian Armed Forces has begun setting up two water purification units at the Sylvia Grinnell River on Monday morning to help Nunavut’s capital with its ongoing water emergency. The military had been waiting for the City of Iqaluit’s approval before setting up the units. The two parties agreed on the location Sunday night, said
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
ArcticToday

Aggressive behaviour leads to Coyote Cull in Stanley Park
Coyotes in Stanley Park are displaying novel aggressive behaviour towards humans. Rates of aggressive encounters prompted park management to call for the cull of up to 35 coyotes and a temporary nighttime closure of the park.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Climate change is endangering sacred land. For these Native women, it threatens ‘everything we are.’
Wildfires in Western states have razed structures, displaced residents and altered air quality - and fundamentally changed the relationship between Native women and the land they have historically stewarded.
Newell, California, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Water and sanitation deficiencies worsened the COVID pandemic in rural Alaska, a study finds
A lack of adequate water and sewer service and overcrowded housing combined to make the COVID-19 pandemic more severe in rural Alaska, a new study confirms.
Alaska, United States
ArcticToday

B.C. Wildfires 2021: Hundreds of properties on evacuation order or alert as wildfire between Oliver and Osoyoos spreads
As of Tuesday, there were 299 wildfires burning in B.C., with 40 evacuation orders affecting approximately 5,724 people (2,862 properties), in addition to 69 evacuation alerts impacting approximately 32,076 people (16,038 properties).
Osoyoos, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Are non-native mule deer a threat? Fish and Game wants to find out.
Reports of groups of up to 10 mule deer in Southeast Alaska near Skagway have been received by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and there is evidence that fawns are being born here. Studies show that nearby populations harbor a variety of diseases that have biologists concerned.
Skagway, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Hundreds who died from heat exposure in B.C. were mostly seniors found alone in unventilated suites, says coroner
B.C. Liberals label Premier John Horgan's "level of personal responsibility" comment as callous, given the grand scale of heat wave deaths reported Wednesday
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
vancouversun

Alaska research on wildfire smoke's impact on health paints clearer picture
Micah Hahn, an assistant professor of environmental health at the University of Alaska Anchorage, says while it might seem obvious that wildfire smoke causes health impacts, there had actually never been a nuanced, scientific look at those impacts. The biggest impact was for asthma-related emergency department visits. This was really across the board and across age groups and in geographic areas.
Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

‘He took a small bite and then ... a second bite’: Surveyor survives bear mauling near Glennallen
The mauling left the man with a crushed jaw, a puncture wound in his scalp so deep the doctor told him he could see bone, lacerations and many stitches after a 4 1/2-hour surgery.
Glennallen, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Trans Mountain tree cutting can continue as stop-work order on pipeline route lifts
A federal regulator has lifted a stop-work order on tree cutting and grass mowing along the route of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project.
Agassiz, British Columbia, Canada
Global News

Canada: hummingbirds succeed in halting controversial pipeline construction
Work will stop until 21 August after the discovery of an Anna’s hummingbird nest during construction of TransMountain pipeline
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
the Guardian

St Vincent volcano erupts again, spewing more gas and ash
Experts raise concerns about residents who refuse to evacuate as ‘huge explosion’ reported at La Soufriere volcano. The volcano, which last erupted in 1979, began spewing copious amounts of ash on Friday.
La Soufriere, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Al Jazeera

Kalamazoo River Oil Spill: Facts and Environmental Impact
Learn about the Kalamazoo River oil spill, its environmental impact, and what made it one of the worst inland oil spills in US history.
Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States
Treehugger

Plastic pollution threatens the Mekong, a wildlife wonderland
Plastic pollution is threatening the wildlife in the Mekong River Basin.
Mekong River
UNEP

Russian scientists find microplastics in Siberian snow and rainwater
Scientists have discovered microplastics in rainwater and snow, in remote parts of Russia. The researchers first started looking into the pollution in 2020, and they have determined that the small fibers were carried to the remote wilderness by air currents.
Siberia, Russia
CGTN

Bird flu detected in Estonia
The particularly dangerous strain of avian influenza virus H5N8 has been detected in a mute swan found on the Kopli peninsula in Tallinn.
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
ERR

Group accidentally encountered a brown bear den before one of them was mauled near Haines
The man pretended to play dead during the attack and the bear ran away, a wildlife biologist said. He sustained injuries to his head and arms but troopers said he was in stable condition Monday.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Uttarakhand glacier avalanche raises alarm for similar devastation for Nepal sooner or later
On Sunday torrents of water, rock and dust hurtled down a mountain valley in the Uttarakhand state of Northern India. A Himalayan glacier broke below 7,816-metre Nanda Devi, India’s second-highest peak, sweeping away a small hydroelectric project and damaging a bigger one further downstream. One hundred to 150 people were feared dead.
Nanda Devi
Katmandu Post

– Me er ein kommune i kneståande som har ein lang veg opp
Barnehage, sjukeheim, rådhus, legesenter, barneskule, vass- og avløpssystem, eit bustadfelt og ei av hovudfartsårene inn til Gjerdrum er sett ut av spel.
Ask, Akershus, Norway
NRK

How the climate affects mountain passes – 33 times closed in December 2019, zero in December 2020
Mildvær har holdt de mest utsatt fjellovergangene i Finnmark åpne for trafikk hele desember. – Man må bare nyte det, sier trafikkoperatør.
Sennalandet, Hammerfest, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK

Dozens of Haines residents evacuated from their homes as rain and landslides continue
Dozens more homes in Haines were evacuated Thursday night as rain continued to saturate the mountainsides near residential neighborhoods.
Haines, Alaska, United States
KHNS Haines

Changing climate means more landslides in future, scientists say in wake of Haines disaster
The region is prime landslide territory and a changing climate - trending toward warmer, rainier winters - is likely to increase the frequency of slides in the future.
Haines, Alaska, United States
Chilkat Valley News

Pebble Mine Denied Permit in Victory for Tribes, Waterways and Planet
Environmental campaigners stressed the need for the incoming Biden White House to put in place permanent protections for Alaska's Bristol Bay after the Trump administration on Wednesday denied a permit for the proposed Pebble Mine that threatened "lasting harm to this phenomenally productive ecosystem" and death to the area's Indigenous culture.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
EcoWatch

Coronavirus: Denmark shaken by cull of millions of mink
Why the "Cluster 5" coronavirus mutation in fur farms has led to a nationwide cull and a political outcry.
Denmark
BBC News

Surfers ask Vladimir Putin to take closer look at rocket fuel version of Kamchatka eco disaster
The appeal was sent to president Putin on 30 October on behalf of Moscow and St Petersburg surfing federations, pointing his attention to the fact that traces of rocket fuel were found in samples from the polluted area. It means that the anthropogenic version of the recent environmental catastrophe mustn’t be brushed aside, the surfers say.
Siberian Times

Death of Sea Life Off Russia Peninsula 'Caused By Algae'
The event caused a die off of up to 95% of marine life along the seabed. The Russia's Academy of Sciences announced that the mass death was due to the effects of toxins from single-cell algae. Environmentalists are conducting their own inquiries and were not yet able to confirm the official probe's findings.
Environmental campaigners said they were conducting their own inquiries and were not yet able to confirm the official probe's findings.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
The Moscow Times

Massive marine die-off in Russia could threaten endangered sea otters, other vulnerable species
Now believed to be caused by an unprecedented algae bloom, the decimation of bottom-dwelling sea life may have devastating ripple effects.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
National Geographic

Russian rocket fuel leak likely cause of marine animal deaths
Injured surfers and large number of dead sea creatures reported in Kamchatka region. Some experts have suggested highly toxic rocket fuel could have leaked into the sea. The first test site, Radygino, is about six miles (10km) from the sea.
Петропавловск-Камчатский, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
the Guardian

One of the sources of toxic emissions was closed down in Omsk.
In Omsk, court enforcement officers suspended the operation of an asphalt mixing plant, which emits harmful substances into the air.
Omsk, Omsk, Russia
Russian newspaper

‘What choice do we have?’ As the Arctic warms, Alaska Inupiat adapt.
“People assume that we’re entering this new Arctic, when in reality we have faced adversity for thousands of years. We’ve always been able to adapt and be resilient.
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Heat Wave Brings Higher Ozone Levels To Riverside County
Unhealthful air quality is plaguing the region.
Anaheim, California, United States
Patch

‘Murder Hornets’ in the U.S.: The Rush to Stop the Asian Giant Hornet
Sightings of the Asian giant hornet have prompted fears that the vicious insect could establish itself in the United States and devastate bee populations.
Blaine, Washington, United States
New York Times

Anchorage isn’t a ghost town yet. But it’s not the same.
In big and small ways, a pandemic has altered what Anchorage feels like to live in, from coffee to court to riding the bus.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Roundup of COVID-19 responses around the Arctic
With the number of COVID-19 cases outside of China increasing 13-fold, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global pandemic on Thursday, urging governments “to take urgent and aggressive action” to stop its spread.
Eye on the Arctic • Special Reports

On land, Australia's rising heat is 'apocalyptic'; in the ocean, it's even worse
BRUNY ISLAND, TASMANIA (WASHINGTON POST) - Even before the ocean caught fever and reached temperatures no one had ever seen, Australia's ancient giant kelp was cooked.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Australia
The Straits Times

Extraordinarily warm fall a big problem in Canadian Arctic
Temperatures across the Arctic have been warmer than usual this fall, with one community in the Northwest Territories recording above-average temperatures for 72 days in a row.
Canadian Arctic
CTVNews

Study finds marine mammal viruses are traveling between oceans as sea ice recedes
As sea ice in the Arctic decreases due to climate change, it’s opening the way for more than cruise ship travel. Scientists have found evidence that links the decline of sea ice to the emergence of a virus in Arctic marine mammals that has killed thousands of seals in European waters.
KOTZ Radio 720 AM

One of the world's thickest mountain glaciers is melting because of global warming
For half a century, Taku had been the one known Alaskan glacier to withstand the effects of climate change – until now.
Taku Glacier, Alaska USA
USA TODAY

Climate change and overfishing are boosting toxic mercury levels in fish
Regulations have lowered mercury emissions globally, but the risks to ocean ecosystems and human health may be getting worse.
Canada's Pacific marine ecosystems
The Conversation

California Sinking
For more than a century farmers in California's Central Valley have been pumping water out of the ground — so much so that the land is slowly sinking, a process known as subsidence. In fewer than 100 years, it's dropped 8½ metres.
Corcoran, California, United States
CBC

It was the warmest ever Arctic summer
The top of the world saw record-beating average temperatures flashing through all three summer months.
The Independent Barents Observer

Warm August with record-late tropical heat
The monthly temperature for the entire country was 1.7 degrees above normal.
Åndalsnes, Møre og Romsdal, Norway
Meteorologisk institutt

Fight for survival in Norway's Arctic as climate warms
Climate change is making life difficult for the indigenous people - and wildlife - of the Sami region.
Finnmark, Norway
BBC News, Norway

Europe Is Warming Much Faster Than Science Predicted
This summer saw two unbearable heat waves blanket Europe. The second set new records for high temperature when the mercury hit 114.8 degrees Fahrenheit in Southern France. As the climate crisis worsens, Europe can expect extreme heat more frequently and with increased intensity, the researchers said in a press release put out by the American Geophysical Union.
Europe
Ecowatch

Canada's Pollution Problem Is So Bad That It's Currently Raining Plastic
Microplastics from the breakdown of plastics and from microbeads used in toothpaste and exfoliants, are so small, they are able to travel in the atmosphere.
Canada

Wildfire smoke drifts back into Anchorage area
The intensity of the smoke this week will be “hit or miss” depending on winds and fire behavior.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States

As crews fight destructive Susitna Valley wildfire, evacuees prepare for recovery
A fire management official said more concrete information about the structures damaged by the fire will be available after emergency managers go in to survey the area on Tuesday.
Willow, Alaska, United States

Alaska records warmest month ever in July with coastline barren of sea ice
Average temperature for month amid Arctic heatwave was 58.1F (14.5C), nearly 1F above previous high set in July 2004
Alaska, United States
the Guardian

More than 150 great white sharks sightings logged off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, since June
A total of 161 great white sharks have been spotted off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, since June. Experts say attacks on people are unlikely as the sharks are looking for seals.
Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States
NBC News

Salal’s Worrisome Die-Off
This ubiquitous shrub of the Pacific Northwest is dying. Some scientists theorize that a disease or fungus could be the culprit, while others point to this past winter’s unusually dry weather.
Coastal British Columbia to Oregon
Hakai Magazine

Toxic Blue-Green Algae Is Taking Over Canada This Summer
Cities around Canada are urging swimmers to take caution as toxic blue-green algae warnings are in effect throughout the nation. This algae, if in contact with humans and pets, can be extremely harmful.
Canada
narcity.com

Bat flew into hand of B.C. man who died of rabies infection
Nick Major, a martial arts instructor, died Saturday after he had a random brush with a bat on Vancouver Island in May.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

As polar bears encroach on this Alaska village, feds charge whaling captain with illegally shooting one
As Arctic sea ice melts, polar bears are spending more time near the Alaska North Slope village of Kaktovik. Now, federal prosecutors have charging a whaling captain there with killing one in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Kaktovik, Alaska, United States

NTSB: Smoke limited visibility in area of Kenai Peninsula plane crash that killed 3
An Anchorage couple and a Virginia woman died in the crash above Tern Lake. Another woman survived.
Seward, Alaska, United States

Sharks on Cape Cod: Just how scared should we be?
The odds of an attack are low, experts say, yet their advice today is not to go into the ocean above your waist. Are our carefree swimming days over?
Truro, Massachusetts, United States
BostonGlobe.com

Anchorage usually loves warm weather, but this heat wave is something else
With ice shortages and hardly a fan to be found, the high temperatures this week have pushed some Alaskans to their limit.

Dramatic and hot days
In recent decades, Norway has seen a clear increase in the number of days that are warmer than normal. Here you can check the development 42 locations in the country.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
NRK Norsk Rikskringkasting

"Flesh Eating" Bacteria May Be Spreading to Beaches Once Thought Off-Limits
Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.
Delaware Bay
Scientific American

Glowing 'Blue Tears' in China's Seas are Incredibly Toxic and Growing
The glowing algae is suffocating sea life.
Matsu Islands, Taiwan, East China Sea
Live Science

Guatemala migrants: Climate change driving exodus
Average daytime temperatures in Guatemala have risen over the past decade, while crop-damaging frosts are more common.
Guatemala
Al Jazeera

Extreme weather has made half of America look like Tornado Alley
A melting Arctic may be confounding the jet stream and making trouble for everyone.
Dayton, Ohio, United States
Washington Post

Prime growing areas for B.C. oysters contain alarmingly high concentrations of plastic microbeads
Baynes Sound, British Columbia
SFU News

Wild pigs are a big problem. Here’s how they kill ’em in Texas
'There's nothing good about them.' They carry disease and cause billions in damage
Canada
National Post

Permafrost is thawing in the Arctic so fast that scientists are losing their equipment
Permafrost in some areas of the Canadian Arctic is thawing so fast that it's gulping up the equipment left there to study it.
Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

One of Alaska’s warmest springs on record is causing a dangerous thaw
“Climate change is happening faster than it’s ever happened before in our record,” Utquiagvik-based NOAA scientist Bryan Thomas said. “We’re right in the middle of it.”
Utqiaġvik, Alaska, United States

Melting ice is disrupting daily life in the Y-K Delta in the worst possible way
This spring has seen record-breaking warm temperatures across Alaska. In the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, the Kuskokwim River is melting early — with devastating consequences.
Bethel, Alaska, United States

One year of temperature above normal in Norway
The average temperature for the entire country was 1.2 degrees above normal in March. It is thus the twelfth month in a row that the temperature in Norway has been above normal.
Norway
Meteorologisk institutt

DEC says rabies found in eastern Adirondacks
Rabies reported in three towns in eastern Essex County
Champlain Valley, New York, United States
The Daily Gazette

100 months of temperature above normal in Svalbard
March becomes the hundredth month in a row with temperatures above normal. "It is unique and shows how fast climate change is happening in the Arctic," says climate scientist Ketil Isaksen at the Meteorological Institute (MET).
Svalbard and Jan Mayen

South Korea plans artificial rain to reduce Seoul air pollution
President Moon hopes collaboration with China will improve air quality in the country.
Yellow Sea and Korean Peninsula
AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

This map worries Norwegian rescue workers
Warmer seas have led the fishery to move 300 kilometers further northeast - towards the North Pole. At the same time, cruising traffic in the outlying sea areas is increasing.
Bjørnøya, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
NRK - Norsk Rikskringkasting

Grass crops in Eastern Norway halved in 2018
Last year's drought summer resulted in halved grass crops in Eastern Norway compared to the previous year, according to recent figures from Statistics Norway. - The consequences of the drought continue to affect the daily lives of many farmers, says Lars Petter Bartnes, leader of the Norwegian Farmers' Union.
Akershus, Norway
Norges Bondelag

El Niño Triggered Disease Outbreaks Across Globe
The 2015 to 2016 El Niño event brought weather conditions that triggered regional disease outbreaks throughout the world.
Tropical Pacific Ocean
Laboratory Equipment

Warmer seas in the north are bad news for the common Eider
Troms, Norway
The Fram Centre

Earthquake damage to Alaska health lab is hindering testing for potentially fatal diseases
Biological samples to be tested for tuberculosis and botulism have been sent to California and Washington since the Nov. 30 quake damaged the Anchorage facility.

No more shinny? Thousands of lakes are losing their winter ice
If the trend of reduced ice on the world's lakes continues at its current pace, the Canadian tradition of shinny could become a thing of the past, according to new research.
CBC

Greenhouse gas emissions provide extreme warming in Svalbard
Greenhouse gas emissions provide extreme warming on Svalbard.
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Miljodirektoratet

Thawing of Earth 3rd pole; could affect 1.9 billion people, study says
At least a third of the ice in the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush will thaw this century as temperatures rise, disrupting river flows vital for growing crops from China to India, scientists say.
Hindu Kush Himalaya

Expect more extreme hurricanes on the East Coast due to faster ice melts in Greenland, study says
A new study suggests Greenland ice has hit a new tipping point with unprecedented melting since the early 2000s — and this will have consequences for East Coast cities.
East Coast of Canada

The pursuit of climate change
Slik har Norge forandret seg. Sakte, nesten umerkelig.
Sør-Odal, Hedmark, Norway
NRK, Norsk Rikskringkasting

ANTHC partners to integrate a holistic community health approach in Oscarville
On the north bank of the Kuskokwim River, 401 miles from Anchorage, lies the community of Oscarville, Alaska. In December 2014, the Oscarville Traditional Council volunteered the village to serve as the pilot community for the implementation of a holistic approach project, with the goal of creating healthy, thriving and sustainable communities by bringing together important communal pieces, including culture, housing, energy, infrastructure, water/sewer, community health and economic development. Oscarville’s candidacy for the pilot project stemmed from the sanitation, environmental ...
Oscarville, Alaska, United States

Yukon's fire season was one of most complex and challenging in years
The director of Yukon Wildland Fire Management says firefighters had quite a summer, as conditions seem to be changing in the territory.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Dene national chief calls for emergency meeting, fears fatal disease affect caribou
Norman Yakeleya is calling for an emergency meeting with the federal and territorial governments to discuss the threat of chronic wasting disease (CWD) with the potential to decimate northern caribou herds.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Relocating bears won't fix growing conflicts with humans, say environment officials
2018 was the busiest season on record for human/bear conflicts in Yukon. Officials say relocating bears isn't a solution, and people have to do more to avoid attracting bears.
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

700 more deaths than usual after summer heatwave
The record temperatures this summer led to an estimated 700 more deaths then average, suggests new figures from the Public Health Agency.
Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
Radio Sweden

In a Transylvania Town, Bears and Humans Collide at the Dumpster
With their habitat shrinking, brown bears in Baile Tusnad, Romania, have turned to scavenging. Residents sit and gawk, environmentalists want to protect the animals, but hunters just want to hunt.
Băile Tușnad, Harghita, Romania
NY Times

Mother had 'no other choice' but to sell her 6-year-old daughter
An unprecedented drought in Afghanistan has led to families selling their children just to be able to feed their households.
هرات, Hirat, Afghanistan
CNN
Nick Paton Walsh and Masoud Popalzai, CNN

Ticks Are Killing an Alarming Number of Moose Thanks to Climate Change
Researchers examined 179 radio-marked young moose over the course of a four-month period. Of those calves they screened, 125—or nearly 70 percent—of the moose calves died. The researchers suspect this is primarily because of the winter tick.
New Hampshire, United States
Earther

Insanity-Inducing Jellyfish are Heading South, Courtesy of Climate Change
This cute little guy makes you trip so hard you'll want to die, and could soon start popping up on the Gold Coast.
off Fraser Island
Vice

Loads of seaweed are threatening the Caribbean’s sea life and tourism. Experts say we may be to blame
Scientists say the threat from sargassum is as serious as rising sea levels and hurricanes.
Quintana Roo, Mexico
Washington Post

Leptospirosis strains identified in Uruguay cattle
Leptospirosis infections, caused by Leptospira bacteria, occur in people and animals around the world, but different strains of the bacteria may vary in their ability to cause disease and to jump between species. Now, researchers have for the first time described the characteristics of the Leptospira variants that infect cattle in Uruguay.
Zarantonelli et al. 2018. Isolation of pathogenic Leptospira strains from naturally infected cattle in Uruguay reveals high serovar diversity, and uncovers a relevant risk for human leptospirosis. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 12 (9): e0006694 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006694
Uruguay
ScienceDaily

Survived the landslide accident in Svalbard. Now comes the twins' story of living with climate change.
From Longyearbyen to Kiribati, Bangladesh and California. Author Teresa Grøtan has collected young people's everyday life with climate change in the book "Before the Island Sink."
Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Aftenposten

How smoky skies from wildfires is affecting mental health
Extreme smoke seems to be a new feature of summers in British Columbia with back-to-back years of heavy wildfires in the province and, for some, the overcast skies are taking a toll on mental health.
British Columbia, Canada

Lingering B.C. wildfire smoke puts children, elderly at risk
The B.C. Centre for Disease Control recommends children and elderly stay indoors during lingering smoke from forest fires.
British Columbia, Canada
The Star

Wildfire smoke blanketing much of B.C. causing health concerns, traffic warnings
The smoke has pushed pollution in Calgary and other cities to dangerous levels, and cast an unsettling, spooky haze over almost every part of B.C.
British Columbia, Canada
The Globe and Mail

The Kerala Floods
Since 2018, Kerala has faced increasingly severe and frequent floods, a stark contrast to its historical rarity, driven by factors like Indian Ocean warming and local environmental changes, underscoring a global trend of climate-driven extremes and the urgent need for improved flood management and climate adaptation.
Arukutti, Kerala, India

Many parts of Southern California broke heat records for July
Many places across Southern California saw one of the warmest Julys ever recorded in 2018, including downtown Los Angeles and Death Valley
Long Beach, California, United States
latimes.com

Death Valley Records Planet’s Hottest Month, Scientists Warn it May Become Uninhabitable
The "business-as-usual warming of the planet" could make areas too warm for human habitation if heat trends continue, climate researchers say.
Death Valley, California, United States
HuffPost Canada

Harmful algae blooms found across Central Montana
Harmful algae blooms are something Montana has to worry about every summer, and now there have been a couple places in central and western Montana confirmed to have the harmful blue green algae. T...
Central and Western Montana, United States
Fox Montana

Mysterious algae vortex the size of Manhattan can be seen from space
Scientists aren't sure what is causing this whirlpool of algae but believe it's likely to cause a marine dead zone.
Baltic Sea
MNN - Mother Nature Network

How to Stop Toxic Algae From Overwhelming Florida's Largest Lake
Blue-green algae has bloomed again in Lake Okeechobee, filling waterways with putrid sludge that can contaminate local water and marine animals.
Lake Okeechobee, Florida, United States
Pacific Standard

The Decline of Yellow Cedar in Alaska’s Temperate Rainforest
Culturally vital, ecologically unique, and economically valuable, the yellow cedar’s fate is closely tied to snow
Poison Cove, Alaska, United States
Earth Island Journal

Feel like a swim? Here’s the lowdown on Anchorage lakes
Water quality in Anchorage's lakes is generally good, but swimmer's itch is a risk.

Researchers see 'very reassuring' early results in N.W.T. contaminants study
The initial results represent 330 participants from six communities. Around 98 per cent of participants had mercury levels below the health guidance value - a baseline to assess health risks.
Kakisa, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC News

Erosion may force this Southwest Alaska village to move — again
This is not the first time the village of Chefornak has faced the threat of erosion and flooding, but relocating won’t be as easy as it was last time.
Chefornak, Alaska, United States

Environmental and behavioral changes may influence the exposure of an Arctic apex predator to pathogens and contaminants
Recent decline of sea ice habitat has coincided with increased use of land by polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea (SB), which may alter the risks of exposure to pathogens and contaminants. We assayed blood samples from SB polar bears to assess prior exposure to the pathogens Brucella spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, and Neospora caninum, estimate concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and evaluate risk factors associated with exposure to pathogens and POPs. We found that seroprevalence of Brucella spp. and T. gondii antibodies likely increased through time, and provide the first evidence of exposure of polar bears to C. burnetii, N. caninum, and F. tularensis. Additionally, the odds of exposure to T. gondii were greater for bears that used land than for bears that remained on the sea ice during summer and fall, while mean concentrations of the POP chlordane (ΣCHL) were lower for land-based bears. Changes in polar bear behavior brought about by climate-induced modifications to the Arctic marine ecosystem may increase exposure risk to certain pathogens and alter contaminant exposure pathways.
Todd C. Atwood, Colleen Duncan, Kelly A. Patyk, Pauline Nol, Jack Rhyan, Matthew McCollum, Melissa A. McKinney, Andrew M. Ramey, Camila K. Cerqueira-Cézar, Oliver C. H. Kwok, Jitender P. Dubey & Steve

Kenow Wildfire 2017
Alberta consistently sees an average of 1400 wildfires each year however, the increased economic costs due to firefighting, equipment, damaged properties, evacuations, insurance, remote housing and food can be a challenge.
Waterton Lakes, Alberta, Canada
Jason Giacchetta, David Oswald, Mike Brook

Changing climate pushes polar bears toward more dangerous interactions with humans
Jim Wilder, the polar bear project leader for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Anchorage, recently published a paper on how climate change is impacting polar bear behavior. The study is the first of its kind, combining research from the United States, Norway, Canada, Greenland and Russia to look at what motivates polar bears to attack humans.
Arviat, Nunavut Territory, Canada

Ten Alaskans were sickened by raw or undercooked walrus. A parasite was in the meat, CDC says.
Serious and unusual outbreaks of illness from eating raw or undercooked walrus to call attention to the risks.
St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, United States
Alaska Dispatch News

A heavy blow for a small community – Greenland rebuilds its communities
Greenlanders struggle to get their lives back together and rebuild the small communities hit by the tsunami earlier this month.
Nuugaatsiaq, Qaasuitsup Kommunia, Greenland
IceNetws

Karrat Fjord, Greenland Landslide & Tsunami
huge tsunami occurred in the Karrat Fjord on the west coast of Greenland, resulting in severe property damage and casualties in the tiny fishing village of Nuugaatsiaq. The seismic energy detected prior to the tsunami was so large it was first thought to have been the result of a magnitude 4.1 earthquake. However, the cause was a massive landslide on a steep slope of the fjord where millions of cubic meters of rock plunged into the water below, 32 kilometers northeast of the village. Forty-five structures, including eleven houses, were washed away or destroyed, and four people were killed.
Nuugaatsiaq, Qaasuitsup, Greenland
International Tsunami Information Center

'Very, very serious situation': In northern Labrador, it's getting harder to find food
According to numbers in the Food Security in Nunatsiavut survey, nearly 60 per cent of all households along Labrador's north coast struggle with access to food, and most worry about it running out before they have money to buy more.
Nain, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
CBC News

Arctic Indigenous Peoples Are Leading the Way in Ecological Restoration and Climate Resilience
A major new international study has recognized the crucial role Arctic Indigenous Peoples have to play in ecological restoration efforts that help build resilience to major climate-change driven shifts in the distribution of land, marine and freshwater species.
Näätämö River, Lapland, Finland
TruthOut
By Hannibal Rhoades and Tero Mustonen, IC Magazine

Pushki making its presence felt on peninsula
A family trip in the Alaska wilderness can turn sour in a hurry if the proper precautions are not taken against the unassuming but dangerous plant known as “pushki.”
Seward, Alaska, United States
Peninsula Clarion

Sneezes, wheezes, tears: What's in store for this spring's allergy season?
Dust. Trees. Grasses. Mold. How to read the signs about whether 2016 will be gentle or monstrous for allergy sufferers.

Migrating Birds May Carry Viral Baggage
Right now, a lethal strain of bird flu is wreaking havoc in the Lower 48. It’s clear that migrating flocks have something to do with spreading the illness between farms and across continents -- but exactly what is still fuzzy. A remote spot in Southwest Alaska may hold some clues. Download Audio

Miami: How Rising Sea Levels Endanger South Florida
By century's end, rising sea levels will turn the nation's urban fantasyland into an American Atlantis. But long before the city is completely underwater, chaos will begin
Miami Beach, Florida, United States
Rolling Stone

Suspected Link Between Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Climate Change
Add the deadly eastern equine encephalitis virus to the list things we
might find more of in our climate-changed future.
Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States
ecoRI News

Veterinary Division - Reportable Diseases Report
All persons practicing veterinary medicine in North Carolina shall report these listed diseases and conditions to the State Veterinarian's office by telephone within two hours after the disease is reasonably suspected to exist.
North Carolina, United States
North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services news release

Tundra fire slows, but still aiming at Southwest Alaska villages
By Saturday, the East Fork fire had grown to just over 108,000 acres but triggered no mandatory evacuations.
St. Mary's, Alaska, United States

In ‘brutal’ heat wave at U.S. Open, Daniil Medvedev warns that a player is ‘gonna die’
Medvedev used an inhaler during a second-set changeover Wednesday while being looked at by a doctor, who checked his breathing with a stethoscope.
New York City, New York, United States

What is monkeypox, and what are Alaska health officials doing to prepare for its possible arrival?
In the absence of vaccines or treatments, the mortality rate for monkeypox is close to 10%. No cases have yet been identified in Alaska.

Fatal grizzly attack renews debate over how many bears are too many
The fatal grizzly attack in West Yellowstone has sparked a debate over the number of bears, with some arguing for delisting and state management to prevent future tragedies.
West Yellowstone, Montana, United States
NPR

Orphaned By the Flu
Winton remembers when this flu came to Wales.Lots of people died from this flu. Both his parents died at that time. He was about eleven years old when this happened in Wales. His father was Deland Kikitaaq and his mother was Kate Autasiyak. Winton's sister, Lucy Nagozruk, a retired school teacher is now living in Nome. His brother, Dwight Tevuk died five years ago at Nome.
Wales, Alaska, United States
UConn

Russian planes seed clouds as raging wildfires near Siberian power plant
Russian planes seeded clouds to bring down rain on huge wildfires raging in the Siberian region of Yakutia that in one place spread dangerously close to a hydroelectric power plant, authorities said on Monday.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
ArcticToday

Gusty winds caused 2023 crash that killed ‘Flying Wild Alaska’ pilot Jim Tweto and passenger, federal investigators say
The renowned bush pilot was making a trip he’d made many times when the Cessna 180 crashed near Shaktoolik in June 2023.
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States

Comments by Toby Anungazuk, Wales, Alaska, on "The Big Sickness."
When I asked my father a question about the flu, you can feel him withdraw into himself, see him dose his eyes, become very quiet, even start saying some names and block out (showing any emotions) when someone that was close to him dies. l have seen this in almost all the Elders who's parents died during the flu.
Wales, Alaska, United States

Get checked, Nunavut top doc tells Iqaluit residents complaining of skin issues amid water crisis
Nunavut's chief public health officer says Iqaluit residents complaining about skin irritations should get checked out by their doctors, but so far, Dr. Michael Patterson said he hasn't heard of any formal diagnoses.
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada

The Big Thaw - Alaska becomes the nation's first frontier of climate disruption
Most of Alaska sits atop permafrost. But the ground is thawing, leading to unexpected and sometimes catastrophic outcomes — what scientists have called a “slow disaster.”
Selawik, Alaska, United States
Type Investigations

Fairbanks winter air pollution holds clues for safe living in northern cities worldwide
A major source of pollution comes from wood-burning stoves. Other sources are vehicle exhaust systems, power plant emissions and heating oil. The air pollution can permanently harm respiratory function and cause other health problems.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States

‘Some days we eat grass’: families on the edge in Afghanistan’s food crisis – in pictures
Drought, economic collapse and soaring food prices have pushed millions into hunger. Cash aid from the Disasters Emergency Committee is helping families feed their children and send them back to school
Afghanistan

Why a potentially deadly fungus from the American southwest is creeping closer to Canada
A fungus that lurks in desert soil makes thousands of Americans sick every year with a condition known as Valley Fever. Thanks to climate change, it’s spreading north.

Thawing permafrost could expose Arctic populations to cancer-causing radon
According to a new study, thawing of permafrost due to climate change could expose the Arctic population to much greater concentrations of the invisible, lung cancer-causing gas Radon.
ScienceDaily

Climate change is a health care emergency
As health care providers, we fully and completely recognize the immediacy and urgency of the moment. We must heed the words and wise counsel of Sir David Attenborough, “The impacts of climate change will be upon us for thousands of years ... The future of humanity and, indeed, all life on Earth, now depends on us.”

Great Salt Lake is shrinking fast. Scientists demand action before it becomes a toxic dustbin
Great Salt Lake is also known as America's Dead Sea -- owing to a likeness to its much smaller Middle Eastern counterpart -- but scientists worry the moniker could soon take new meaning.
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
CNN

Protecting Alaska's Harvest
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Karen Pinchin

Health officials to study mosquitoes in the Sea to Sky region after cluster of illness
Late last year, four people in the Sea to Sky corridor developed encephalitis after being infected with California Serogroup viruses (Snowshoe Hare and Jamestown Canyon viruses). Vancouver Coastal Health is launching a mosquito surveillance pilot in the Sea to Sky corridor after four locally acquired encephalitis cases linked to California Serogroup viruses.
Sea to Sky corridor, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver Sun

Haines disaster considered 200-500 year storm event
An assessment by geotechnical experts will need to be completed in order to know the stability of the slide and understand continuing risk.
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Prevalence of serum antibodies to Coxiella burnetii in Alaska Native Persons from the Pribilof Islands
Q fever is a febrile illness caused by infection with the bacterium Coxiella burnetii. It is most often transmitted by inhalation of the bacteria after it is shed by infected livestock. The antibody prevalence in NFS samples from 2009 and 2011 (69%) was significantly higher than in 1994 (49%). The antibody prevalence of SSL samples from 2007 to 2011 was 59%. All NFS vaginal swabs were negative for C. burnetii, despite an 80% antibody prevalence in the matched sera. The significant increase in antibody prevalence in NFS from 1994 to 2011 suggests that the pathogen may be increasingly common or that there is marked temporal variation within the vulnerable NFS population.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
PubMed Central (PMC)

Worsening warming is hurting people in all regions, US climate assessment shows
The National Climate Assessment was released Tuesday with details that bring climate change’s impacts down to a local level.
Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., United States
AP News

Observed Evidence of Changing Forests:Testimonial for the Status of Tribes and Climate Change Report
The Institute of Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) Tribes and Climate Change Program is publishing a report called the Status of Tribes and Climate C...
Spokane, Washington, United States
YouTube

Mercury levels in Stellar sea lion pups are rising. Researchers look to the past to find out why
A new research project is building a timeline of mercury levels in the Aleutian Islands over the last few thousand years.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
KTOO

The tropical disease that everywhere - Dengue Fever
Dengue is erupting in South America — and has even found its way to the US.
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Alaskapox no more: Newly discovered disease and virus renamed ‘borealpox’
The disease and virus likely exist well beyond the state’s borders, making the new name more scientifically accurate, officials say.

There's a crisis in the Yukon River
When Jody Potts-Joseph was growing up, her family mushed sled dogs during the harsh Alaskan winters to hunt and trap, feeding them salmon caught from the Yukon River by the thousands. But after rebuilding her sled dog team as an adult, Potts-Joseph, a member of the Han Gwich'in tribe, had to turn to store-bought dog food. The river that was once renowned for its salmon doesn't have enough to offer anymore.
Eagle, Alaska, United States
Yahoo News

Several drownings reported during Northwest heat wave
Several people have drowned or been reported missing after swimming in Pacific Northwest bodies of water during the record-breaking heat wave in the past few days.
Bellingham, Washington, United States
Bellingham Herald

Increasing Insect Reactions in Alaska: Is this Related to Changing Climate?
During the summer of 2006, Fairbanks Alaska experienced its first two known cases of fatal anaphylaxis as a result of Hymenoptera stings, presumably from yellowjackets. Statistically significant increases in patients seeking medical care for insect bite and sting related events are observed throughout the state, with 5 of the 6 regions experiencing at least a 6 degree Fahrenheit increase in winter temperature since 1950.
Nature Precedings

Coxiella burnetii in northern fur seals and Steller sea lions of Alaska
Coxiella burnetii, a zoonotic bacterium, has recently been identified in several marine mammal species on the Pacific Coast of North America, but little is known about the epidemiology, transmission, and pathogenesis in these species.
Saint Paul, Alaska, United States
PubMed

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