Arizona wildfire near Sedona drives hazardous smoke

 

A fast-growing wildfire known as the Pocket Fire has expanded to 20,680 acres north of Sedona, Arizona, prompting severe air quality and ozone alerts across northern Arizona ahead of the July Fourth holiday weekend. As of Thursday morning, July 2, 2026, the blaze is 21% contained, with more than 1,000...

United States swelters under dangerous holiday heatwave

 

UNITED STATES – A prolonged and dangerous heatwave is gripping the central and eastern parts of the country ahead of the July Fourth holiday, with the National Weather Service warning of extreme, record-challenging temperatures and oppressive humidity. Under a persistent heat dome, heat index values between 100°F and 115°F are...

Atlanta investigates chemical-linked fish kill on South River

 

Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management has opened an emergency investigation into a large fish kill along the South River that officials suspect is tied to an accidental chemical release from the South River Water Reclamation Center, a major municipal wastewater treatment plant. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources was alerted...

United States heat dome threatens July 4 holiday

 

A large and unusually strong heat dome has settled over the central and eastern United States ahead of the July 4 holiday, exposing more than 230 million people to dangerous temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. Meteorologists expect over 300 daily temperature records to be tied or broken by...

Storms Prompt Emergencies; Pittsfield Teams Win Openers

 

LAURENS, N.Y. officials declared a 30-day state of emergency at 8 a.m. on July 1 after severe weather on June 30 left roads blocked, while Pittsfield's 10s and 12s Little League teams opened the Don Gleason District 1 Tournament this week, posting 15-2 and 12-4 wins on Wednesday and Thursday...

Aspen Acres Blaze Expands Rapidly in Southern Colorado

 

PUEBLO, Colo. The Aspen Acres Fire, first reported Monday near Beulah, rapidly expanded across Pueblo and Custer counties to roughly 48,000 acres by Wednesday, overtaking large swaths of land and triggering immediate evacuations as firefighters reported no containment. Multiple homes were destroyed and local authorities organized shelter and response efforts. PUEBLO...

Historic Heatwave Sweeps From Kansas to East Coast

 

Hill City, Kansas and cities across the eastern United States experienced record-breaking temperatures on Wednesday as a heatwave pushed east from the Midwest ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend. Meteorologists reported 'real-feel' temperatures expected between 100 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit across much of the region, prompting heat warnings for...

United States EPA approves new PFAS food pesticides

 

Washington, United States – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has authorized trifludimoxazin, a pesticide classified as a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance, or PFAS, for use on major food crops including wheat, oats, oranges, apples, and almonds, according to documents posted on regulations.gov. On the same day, the agency also approved...

Colorado wildfires scorch 95,000 acres, trigger evacuations

 

Five major wildfires burning across Colorado have charred about 94,189 acres, or roughly 148 square miles, and destroyed at least 100 structures as of Tuesday evening, authorities said. The Aspen Acres fire in Custer and Pueblo counties has burned 28,362 acres since Monday, driven by 100 mph winds and prompting...

Idaho county declares disaster after severe hailstorm

 

CANYON COUNTY, Idaho – Canyon County in southwest Idaho has declared a countywide disaster emergency after a powerful thunderstorm and hailstorm caused widespread flash flooding and structural damage across the Treasure Valley. The fast-moving storm system struck the Nampa-Caldwell and Meridian areas on the evening of Friday, June 26, 2026,...