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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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A fire in Los Angeles County has consumed over 11,000 acres
The wildfire began Saturday afternoon in Gorman, an unincorporated community in northwestern Los Angeles County. California State Park Services evacuated 1,200 people from Hungry Valley Park, Cal Fire said. The fire was zero percent contained and had damaged two commercial properties as of Saturday evening.
Los Angeles, California, United States
CTVNews

Algae bloom warnings issued along Lake Winnipesaukee
New Hampshire officials issued two warnings of potentially dangerous algae blooms along parts of Lake Winnipesaukee, the state’s largest lake. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services said on Thursday it detected high...
Tuftonboro, New Hampshire, United States
Concord Monitor

Far East Russia’s Sakha Declares Wildfire Emergency
Sakha is now the fourth region in the Far East where a state of emergency is currently in place due to wildfires. The other three are the Zabaykalsky and Amur regions, as well as the republic of Buryatia. Russia’s wildfire season officially began in early March. By mid-April, regions in the Far East recorded nearly twice as many fires as they had during the same period last year, with most blazes caused by human negligence.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
The Moscow Times

Tornado hits Michigan, killing toddler, while Ohio and Maryland storms injure at least 13
It has been a grim spring for tornadoes in the U.S. April had the second-highest number of tornadoes for that month on record in the country. While tornadoes are not unheard of in Maryland, they are relatively rare — especially outbreaks of the volume seen Wednesday night.
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
AP News

Meech Lake beach in Gatineau Park closed due to blue-green algae bloom
Meech Lake beach is closed due to a potentially harmful blue-green algae bloom, alongside a fire ban affecting Gatineau Park areas.
Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
Ottawa

Third person in US tests positive for bird flu in connection to outbreak in dairy cattle
A third person in the US has tested positive for bird flu linked to an outbreak in dairy cattle, indicating possible cow-to-human transmission.
Michigan, United States
CNN

Papua New Guinea says Friday's landslide buried more than 2,000 people and formally asks for help
A devastating landslide in Papua New Guinea buried over 2,000 people, prompting the government to seek international aid amidst challenges posed by unreliable census data and the destruction of a main highway.
AP News

Evacuees from Fort Nelson in northeast B.C. escape raging wildfire
Residents of Fort Nelson, B.C., are urged to evacuate immediately due to a rapidly escalating wildfire, exacerbated by high winds and continuous drought conditions.
Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
CBC

Kuskokwim River breakup floods roads, impacts drinking water for some communities
The Kuskokwim River breakup has led to widespread flooding, affecting roads and drinking water in several communities, with Kwethluk experiencing significant impacts.
Bethel, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

10-mile Lower Kuskokwim ice jam causes flooding, high water
A 10-mile ice jam on the Lower Kuskokwim River has caused severe flooding in Tuluksak, with the area experiencing its worst flooding in over a decade.
Aniak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Evan Erickson, KYUK - Bethel and Sage Smiley, KYUK

Southern Brazil is still reeling from massive flooding as it faces risk from new storms
Southern Brazil is grappling with severe flooding, with further storms and heavy rains forecasted, causing widespread displacement and damage.
Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
AP News

Close encounters with curious Juneau killer whale a reminder of city's wild nature
Before she knew what was happening, a large female killer whale lifted Bloom’s paddleboard up out of the water. “And at that moment it was like terror,” Bloom said.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Remnants of the bird flu virus have been found in pasteurized milk, the FDA says
The FDA found pasteurized milk containing inactive bird flu virus remnants from infected dairy cows, but maintains the milk supply is safe.
United States
NPR

Russia's Record Floods Submerge Uranium Mines in Urals
Environmentalists say the latest flooding may have sent radioactive substances into the river, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of people living near the banks of the Tobol downstream. State nuclear agency Rosatom, whose subsidiary operates the mines at the Dobrovolnoye uranium deposit, denied that its mining facilities were impacted by the flood.
Seversk, Tomsk, Russia
The Moscow Times

Up to five inches of rain brings landslide, road flooding
An East Hillcrest Ave. home was damaged in a mudslide brought by heavy rains Thursday afternoon.
Kodiak, Alaska, United States
Kodiak Daily Mirror

Moose attacks 15-year-old girl
A 15-year-old girl in Bodø¸ narrowly escaped a moose attack on her way to school, an incident captured on video and highlighting the increased aggression of moose during spring.
Bodø, Nordland, Norway
NRK

Nuclear expert fears flooded radioactive dump sites in Siberia can threaten Arctic Ocean
Floodwaters in Tomsk region threatens to submerge the river banks in Seversk where highly radioactive liquid waste from the Soviet Union's nuclear weapons program for decades were injected into two unprotected underground reservoirs.
Seversk, Tomsk, Russia
The Independent Barents Observer

Russia’s Orenburg Orders Mass Evacuation as City Braces for Flood Peak
The mayor of the southern Russian city of Orenburg urged residents to evacuate immediately on Friday as water in the nearby Ural River reached critically dangerous levels and was not expected to recede until next week.
Оренбург, Orenburg, Russia
The Moscow Times

Thousands without power, homes destroyed after storms batter Mississippi
In a post on X, Governor Tate Reeves said that there are approximately 32,000 power outages across the state.
Philadelphia, Mississippi, United States

Avalanche stopped short of ski resort
Several avalanches have fallen in Eskifjörður in the last few days, and the Met Office assesses a considerable risk of avalanches in the mountains of the Eastfjords, the Trölli Peninsula, and Eyjafjörður.
Eskifjörður, East, Iceland
RÚV

Tiny amount of radioactive iodine measured in Tromsø
The isotope measured in air in Tromsø for now is unknown. The isotope comes from a nuclear reactor, and is used in medial diagnostic.
Tromsø, Troms, Norway
The Independent Barents Observer

Strong 7.2 earthquake strikes off Hualien
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake, the largest in 25 years, struck off the coast of Hualien, Taiwan, causing nine deaths, hundreds of injuries, and significant structural damage.
Hualien City, Taiwan, Taiwan

The Hope Dog Sled Race Attracts a Polar Bear to Uelen
A polar bear was drawn to the Hope Dog Sled Race in Chukotka, Russia, an unusual event for the area. It is the third recent visit of a bear to the village. In size and build, the polar predator is similar to the same bear thatdisturbedlocal residents on the night of March 28.
Uelen, Chukotskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia
Prochukotku

The first case of a walrus dying of bird flu registered on Svalbard
“Last year we got several reports from tourists and scientists that they saw around six walruses dead here on the west side of Svalbard. Unfortunately, we couldn’t sample them as the dead walruses drifted away by the time we got to the place. But it’s not normal to get so many reported dead walruses in such a small area," said Christian Lydersen, senior scientist at the Norwegian Polar Institute. Now samples (collected by a Station Manager in July 2023) have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
The Independent Barents Observer

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