State officials warn of potentially ‘explosive’ wildfires this summer

PHOENIX - Forestry officials said Arizona is on the verge of a volatile wildfire season, and they urged state residents to be prepared and to take steps now to head off the worst of it.


Gila River Indian Community rejects states’ plan for Colorado, works with feds

The Gila River Indian Community said it does not support a plan backed by three states for managing the Colorado River’s shrinking water supply, and is instead working instead with federal officials to develop its own proposal for water sharing.


Coconino official says improvements needed for federal wildfire assistance

WASHINGTON - A Coconino County official joined other witnesses who told a Senate panel Wednesday that there need to be improvements in the overlapping and sometimes confusing way federal agencies help local governments respond to crises like wildfires.


What Arizona and Maricopa County are doing to manage smoke, air quality

PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Air Quality Department and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality are working to maintain the health and prosperity of the environment and residents as it relates to air quality through no-burn days and prescribed-burn smoke dispersion.

The American Lung Association designated the Phoenix-Mesa area in the top 10 most-polluted cities by ozone and by year-round particle pollution in its State of the Air 2023 report. (File photo by Kasey Brammell/Cronkite News)

Colorado River states offer competing proposals for managing water

The seven states that use water from the Colorado River proposed competing plans to the federal government this week on the river's future management, with upper and lower basin states offering their own visions.


If trees could talk: Tree rings show recent decades warmest in 500 years

The current Western megadrought is unlike any other dry period the region has experienced over the past 500 years. That’s according to a new study in which scientists looked at tree rings to track changing temperatures going back to 1553.


Arizona leaders take advantage of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits for sustainability projects

PHOENIX – Leaders of Arizona’s public, private and nonprofit sectors discussed financial incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act, explaining how they will use available federal funds for environmental efforts and renewable energy projects.


Chub snub? Advocates question plan to protect threatened Colorado River fish

Federal water managers proposed a new plan to protect the humpback chub, a threatened native fish species in the Colorado River and its tributaries, but conservation groups say it does not go far enough.


Federal regulators deny permits for hydropower projects on Navajo Nation

Federal energy officials took the unusual step of denying permits Thursday to several pumped hydropower projects proposed on the Navajo Nation, citing a new policy that gives tribes a greater voice in projects on their lands - a move welcomed by advocates.


Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture teaches next generation farmers sustainable practices

AJO – Sterling Johnson from the Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture is teaching the next generation of Indigenous farmers how to connect with the land and the culture through sustainable growing techniques.


Rain check: How Arizonans can prepare for rainy drives

PHOENIX – As Arizona gets winter rain, ADOT and local experts remind drivers of important safety habits to keep in mind while on the road. From vehicle maintenance to awareness of road conditions, Arizonans are urged to slow down and remember to get their cars inspected by professionals.

It’s been a rainy week in Phoenix, and puddles have accumulated and made the roads slippery across the Valley. Photo taken in downtown Phoenix on Feb. 8, 2024. (Photo by Sam Ballesteros/Cronkite News)

Arizona rock climbers speak out against National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service proposal to restrict anchors

TUCSON – The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service drafted policy in November that could prohibit climbing anchors in wilderness areas around the country. The Climbing Association of Southern Arizona is one of several climbing organizations speaking out against the proposals, saying that they would discourage and endanger climbers.

Climber Nicki Manzanares starts to rappel down a cliffside on Mount Lemmon near Tucson on Jan. 29, 2024. (Photo by Emily Mai/Cronkite News)