Geologists in Washington are monitoring scorched forest to help create a better warning system for deadly debris flows.
Kylie Mohr
Kylie Mohr is a correspondent for High Country News writing from Montana. Email her at kylie.mohr@hcn.org or submit a letter to the editor.
Posted inOctober 2, 2023: The Dark Side of the Sheepherding Industry
The dangerous consequences of wildland fire dispatcher burnout
An internal Forest Service survey shows a critical link in the wildfire fighting apparatus is struggling.
Posted inArticles
Conservation groups sue BLM for rangeland degradation
The lawsuit alleges the agency isn’t conducting environmental assessments before renewing grazing permits.
Posted inArticles
How climate science won in the Montana youth climate case
The ruling in Held v. Montana is expected to bolster cases in other states with similar environmental protections in their constitutions.
Posted inArticles
People are starting a lot of fires in the Pacific Northwest
The Forest Service reports 197 human-caused or undetermined starts since the beginning of June.
Posted inAugust 1, 2023: In the Line of Fire
‘We have fire all around us and we can’t get out’
What happened when two experienced hikers got caught in the Bolt Creek Fire.
Posted inJuly 1, 2023: Waiting for Water
Elk calls have regional dialects
Whales, bats and birds sound different depending on where they live. So do elk, according to new research.
Posted inArticles
Fire retardant kills fish. Is it worth the risk?
A lawsuit could change how the Forest Service fights fires.
Posted inMay 1, 2023: Reemergence
Climate change is changing public health
In Washington, a new team of epidemiologists is preparing for a hotter, smokier future.
Posted inArticles
The EV mining rush could come to Montana’s mountains
A company announced it found the country’s highest-grade rare earth deposit in Montana.
Posted inMarch 1, 2023: Moving Parts
Get to know the whitebark pine
This threatened tree feeds and shelters the high country.
Posted inArticles
How far will you go to reduce your wildfire risk?
It may depend on how you see the world.
Posted inArticles
How humans break up wolf packs
A new study explores how packs change when activities like hunting and car accidents kill wolves.
Posted inFebruary 1, 2023: The Reveal
Missoulians nearly lost access to their beloved community ski hill
Now they’re rallying to ensure public access to the recreation hotspot.
Posted inArticles
How to save the whitebark pine
The tree is getting federal protection. But plenty of people were already trying to save it.
Posted inJanuary 1, 2023: Ripple Effects
Fire risk map ignites controversy
Southern Oregon residents lash back at wildfire preparedness rules.
Posted inArticles
Utah dismisses youth climate case. But it’s not over.
What the state court’s decision signals for other similar cases.
Posted inDecember 1, 2022: Beyond Illusion
Pink snow is a red flag for the West’s water
Researchers are trying to understand what drives snow algal blooms and how they could alter water supplies.
Posted inNovember 1, 2022: The Futures of Conservation
Do bedrock conservation laws need a makeover?
Experts suggest needed upgrades in the face of modern crises.
Posted inArticles
Idaho cobalt mine is a harbinger of what’s to come
A new venture near Salmon signals an uptick in hardrock mining across the West.