California wildfire nears contaminated Santa Susana site

 

VENTURA COUNTY, California – A fast-moving wildfire in Simi Valley has burned more than 2,140 acres and advanced to within a quarter mile of the heavily contaminated Santa Susana Field Laboratory, one of the nation’s most polluted former nuclear and rocket testing sites. The Sandy Fire began on the morning...

United States delays enforcement of stricter water standards

 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on May 20, 2026, formally published rules pushing back key tap water chemical safety deadlines to 2031, extending a long-running regulatory struggle over toxic contaminants. The delay affects enforcement of strict limits, including a 2024 federal standard of four parts per trillion on...

Simi Valley wildfire expands, schools close amid evacuations

 

A fast-moving wildfire known as the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley, California, expanded to more than 2,100 acres on Wednesday, with containment reaching 22 percent by evening, up from 15 percent in the morning. More than 17,000 residents remained under mandatory evacuation orders, with additional evacuation warnings affecting communities in...

California crews battle wildfire nearing former nuclear site

 

California authorities are battling the Sandy Fire as it advances toward a former nuclear reactor and rocket testing complex, intensifying concern among local residents and environmental monitors about potential contact with legacy industrial contamination at the site. Shifting winds are driving the fire’s unpredictable growth and complicating containment efforts, while...

Holiday weekend weather: showers, heat, and fire risks expected

 

Casper, Wyoming. The National Weather Service in Riverton issued forecasts this week calling for a short shot of rain and isolated thunderstorms Thursday, possible rain‑and‑snow mix Friday morning, then a warming trend with sunny conditions and highs reaching the low 80s by Memorial Day. Jacksonville, Florida and Phoenix, Arizona received parallel...

Heat to storms: cold front shifts regional weather pattern

 

Baltimore on Wednesday experienced near-record warmth with highs reaching the mid-90s before a strong cold front moved through the area, producing an increased risk of showers and thunderstorms and prompting forecasts of a sharp temperature drop into the 60s by Thursday and sustained daily rain chances into the holiday weekend. Mobile,...

San Francisco Launches AI Network To Detect Whales

 

San Francisco: This week authorities and maritime operators launched WhaleSpotter, an AI-powered detection network in San Francisco Bay that scans for whale blows and heat signatures up to two nautical miles and sends real-time alerts to ferries, cargo ships and tankers so crews can slow or reroute. Operators including San Francisco...

United States EPA moves to repeal PFAS water limits

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed repealing federal drinking water limits for four PFAS chemicals — GenX, PFHxS, PFNA and PFBS — according to a May 19, 2026 announcement. The plan would also grant utilities an additional two years to comply with existing standards for PFOS and PFOA, two...

Simi Valley brush fire spreads, prompts evacuations Monday

 

Los Angeles — A fast-growing brush fire ignited Monday morning in Simi Valley, Ventura County, just after 10 a.m., and had spread to more than 180 acres by shortly before noon, according to Ventura County Fire Department spokesperson Scott Dettorre; aerial footage showed at least one home on fire and...

Early May Heat Wave Hits Northeast, Breaks Records

 

Philadelphia. A heat wave began Monday in the Philadelphia region, producing upper‑90s temperatures and prompting a Heat Advisory until 8 p.m. Tuesday, meteorologist Payton Domschke said; AccuWeather and local meteorologists warned that highs could reach near triple‑digit heat indices through this midweek, marking the earliest sustained heat event since 2017. Philadelphia-area...