A firefighter running up to a burning section of dry grassland

How raging wildfires overwhelmed Los Angeles suburbs, creating a catastrophe

The fast-moving Eaton Fire that swept through Altadena, California, last week destroyed thousands of homes and forced residents to confront growing risks of urban firestorms. Many other communities are vulnerable to a similar fate.

John Muyskens, Sarah Kaplan, Niko Kommenda, Naema Ahmed and Simon Ducroquet report for The Washington Post.

In short:

The Eaton Fire killed at least 16 people, destroyed 7,000 structures and spread rapidly due to record heat, dry vegetation and high-speed Santa Ana winds.
Many homes in Altadena burned as fires jumped from house to house, exposing vulnerabilities in urban planning and outdated building codes.
Experts warn that climate change is driving more extreme weather patterns, increasing the frequency of urban wildfires like this one.

Key quote:

“It’s a new beast. Or rather, it’s a beast that existed and we thought we had controlled.”

— John Abatzoglou, climatologist, University of California at Merced

Why this matters:

Modern firefighting and building codes were supposed to have eradicated these kinds of disasters, but climate change, combined with development in fire-prone areas, have led to a new kind of urban firestorm. As these disasters grow in scale and intensity, communities face escalating risks of destruction, loss of life and long-term displacement.

www.washingtonpost.com

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a bridge that is lit up at night with wave breaking on a nearby lake shore in foreground.

Credit: Brad Switzer/Unsplash

Tribes exit pipeline negotiations in Michigan over lack of consultation

Seven Indigenous nations in Michigan have walked away from federal talks over a proposed oil pipeline tunnel, citing a lack of meaningful engagement and treaty violations.

Izzy Ross reports for Grist and Interlochen Public Radio.

In short:

The tribes oppose Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel project, which would replace part of a 72-year-old pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac, a critical freshwater corridor between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.
Their withdrawal follows the Army Corps of Engineers’ move to fast-track permitting under President Trump’s energy emergency order, which tribes say dismisses their environmental and legal concerns.
Tribal leaders and legal advocates argue that the project threatens water resources and violates both U.S. treaty obligations and international law requiring Indigenous consent.

Key quote:

“Tribal Nations are no longer willing to expend their time and resources as Cooperating Agencies just so their participation may be used by the Corps to lend credibility to a flawed [Environmental Impact Statement] process and document.”

— Letter from seven Indigenous nations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Why this matters:

Buried beneath the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron converge, Line 5 has become a flashpoint in the battle over fossil fuel infrastructure, Indigenous sovereignty, and environmental protection. The aging oil and gas pipeline — operated by Canadian energy giant Enbridge — moves millions of gallons of crude and natural gas liquids daily through a region that holds 20% of the planet’s surface freshwater. A proposed tunnel to house a replacement segment beneath the lakebed has drawn fierce opposition from tribal nations, who warn it risks catastrophic spills and continued desecration of sacred territory.

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grist.org

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