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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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Observations

Anchorage's popular Ship Creek to close to sport fishing for 2 weeks
Ship Creek in Anchorage will be closed to sport fishing for two weeks to support salmon stock sustainability at a local hatchery.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media
Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage

Wildfire near Elliot Highway prompts 'Go' evacuation order
A fast-moving wildfire near Elliot Highway in Fairbanks, Alaska, has led to a Level 3 evacuation order for residents, with the fire rapidly growing to over a thousand acres.
Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

Water Shortage Forces Capri Island to Close Doors to Tourists
Capri Island halts tourist entry due to a major water shortage crisis. Learn about the emergency measures and efforts to restore water supply.
Capri, Campania, Italy
Focus on Travel News - ftnnews.com

Maximum-security prison in Quebec evacuated due to forest fires
A maximum-security prison in Quebec was evacuated as forest fires threatened the region, leading to the relocation of 225 inmates and a state of emergency declaration.
Québec, Quebec, Canada
Montreal

1 person found dead and 2 still missing after floods, rockslide hit a Swiss Alpine village
A deadly rockslide and floods triggered by severe weather struck a Swiss Alpine village, resulting in one fatality and two missing persons, with ongoing search efforts hampered by heavy rainfall.
Lostallo, Grisons, Switzerland
CTVNews

McDonald Fire remains west of Tanana River
The McDonald Fire has grown to over 39,000 acres west of the Tanana River, with statewide fires consuming 72,000 acres; critical fire danger and smoke advisories are in effect.
West of the Tanana River, Alaska
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Research vessel en route to Nome after trapped in ice for 14 days
A research vessel, Norseman II, was trapped in unusually dense sea ice for 14 days off the Seward Peninsula coast during a Pacific walrus study, but is now en route to Nome for repairs.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Humpback Whale Rescued Near Russia’s Murmansk Region
A humpback whale named Stanislav was successfully freed from a fishing net in a first-of-its-kind rescue operation in Russia's Barents Sea.
Murmansk, Murmansk, Russia
The Moscow Times

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

2nd seal pup rescued in Kenai, ASLC now caring for 4
A second seal pup has been rescued on Kenai Beach, marking the fourth such case for the Alaska SeaLife Center's Wildlife Response Program.
Kenai, Alaska, United States
Homer News

Southwest U.S. to bake in first heat wave of season, and records may fall with highs topping 110
The Southwest U.S. is experiencing its first heat wave of the season with temperatures soaring to potentially record-breaking highs over 110°F, posing risks to residents and prompting heat warnings.
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Anchorage Daily News/ Associated Press

Climate Change Linked to Berry Declines
Observations and research across Alaska indicate shifting berry ripening times and unpredictable yields, with climate change as a key factor affecting these important subsistence and cultural resources.
Sitka, Alaska, United States
Gemini , Jerry Hupp, Jordan Tanguay , Katie Spellman

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

99 Deaths In Odisha, Water Shortage In Delhi: India's Heatwave Crisis
India faces a severe heatwave with 99 deaths in Odisha, unprecedented temperatures in Delhi, and a water crisis, prompting urgent measures and a forecast for slight relief.
Delhi, India
NDTV.com

May was record warm and dry
May was also exceptionally dry in many areas. According to the FMI, Savukoski, a village in eastern Lapland, recorded the most rainfall last month with 59.4 millimeters.
Finland
News

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

First Y-K Delta wildfire of 2024 burns itself out
The Atchuelinguk Fire, an 800-acre tundra blaze near Marshall, Alaska, extinguished naturally. Ipsen said that the fire occurred in an area where blazes are allowed to play out when not threatening known sites of value or people. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
33 miles north of Marshall, Alaska
KYUK

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

Narwhals deemed ‘not at risk’ by wildlife committee
While the population increased, the assessment did find that narwhals are sensitive to sound from boats and move away from boat traffic, Mike Hammill, the co-chair of COSEWIC’s marine mammals subcommittee, told Nunatsiaq News. Previously the species was listed as being of “special concern.”
Nunavut, Canada
Nunatsiaq News

This N.W.T. man was on a survey looking for birds. Instead he found the wreckage of a plane
During a bird survey in Wood Buffalo National Park, Earl Evans unexpectedly discovered a plane wreckage from a 1971 crash, typically submerged but now visible due to low water levels.
Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada
CBC

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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