Latest Air quality News
Evacuation order remains in effect for Ohio town where dangerous chemical leak occurred
WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP, Ohio (AP) — An evacuation order remained in effect Wednesday for residents in an Ohio community as crews continued to work at the scene of a dangerous chemical leak. Styrene, a toxic and flammable chemical that is used to make plastic and rubber, began leaking...
Residents in Kyiv told to stay indoors as air pollution blankets the Ukrainian capital
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Authorities in Ukraine advised residents in the capital Kyiv to stay indoors Friday as air pollution, partly caused by fires in the region, blanketed the city. Ukraine’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources said the pollution was a...
As fire raged nearby, a tiny town's zoo animals were driven to safety
BIG BEAR, Calif. (AP) — With a major wildfire burning near his mountain town east of Los Angeles, Cowboy the barn owl was unaware of the danger and instead having the adventure of a lifetime. Perched in the front seat of a truck, Cowboy — along with nearly 50 other animals —...
Drought is making Sao Paulo's river emerald green while smoke turns its skies grey
SAO PAULO (AP) — A major river in the Brazilian metropolis of Sao Paulo is suddenly emerald green and clear skies this week turned from blue to grey. In the late afternoon, the sun's rays filtering through the smoky haze exhibit the color of deep orange. This isn't a fantasy world:...
During Brazil's worst drought, wildfires rage and the Amazon River falls to a record low
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil is enduring its worst drought since nationwide measurements began over seven decades ago, with 59% of the country under stress — an area roughly half the size of the U.S. Major Amazon basin rivers are registering historic lows, and uncontrolled...
Tiny Kuwait, in grip of desert summer heat, announces power cuts after fuel disruption
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Tiny, oil-rich Kuwait on Sunday instituted rolling blackouts in several residential neighborhoods despite high summertime temperatures in the desert emirate. The state-run KUNA news agency blamed “a fuel supply disruption” for the blackouts,...
Wildfires are growing under climate change, and their smoke threatens farmworkers, study says
LOS ANGELES (AP) — As wildfires scorched swaths of land in the wine country of Sonoma County in 2020, sending ash flying and choking the air with smoke, Maria Salinas harvested grapes. Her saliva turned black from inhaling the toxins, until one day she had so much trouble breathing...
Wildfire smoke may be worse for your brain than other air pollution, study says
Wildfire smoke may be worse for brain health than other types of air pollution, according to new research linking it to an increased risk of dementia. The findings, reported Monday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Philadelphia, come as millions spent the...
Wildfire smoke chokes parts of Canada and western US, with some areas under air quality alerts
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fires burning in California, Oregon, Arizona, Washington and other western states, as well as Canada, have filled the skies in regions of the western U.S. with smoke and haze, forcing some affected areas to declare air quality alerts or advisories. As of...
Marathon Oil reaches $241 million settlement with EPA for environmental violations in North Dakota
The federal government announced a $241.5 million settlement with Marathon Oil on Thursday for alleged air quality violations at the company's oil and gas operations on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice...