Alaska and Hawaii

Zombie Fires Are Taking Over the North

"Zombie fires are not a new phenomenon, but researchers in Alaska and the Northwest Territories of Canada have found that with hotter summers and blazing wildfires, fire has the potential to lie dormant in dry undergrowth, even under snow. When the next summer rolls around, with dry conditions, those fires can reemerge."

Source: Sierra, 06/30/2026

"Trump Opens Protected Pacific Waters To Commercial Fishing"

"The Trump administration struck down prohibitions on commercial fishing Thursday across more than 500,000 square miles of marine national monuments in the Pacific Ocean, as environmental groups vowed to challenge the action in federal court." "The president has now signed orders to eliminate commercial fishing bans in all five national marine monuments."

Source: E&E News, 06/15/2026

Alaska Agents Can Kill Bears From Helicopters To Protect Caribou: Judge

"Alaska wildlife agents can resume shooting and killing black and brown bears — including from helicopters — as part of a plan to help recover a caribou herd that was once an important source of food for Alaska Native hunters, a judge ruled Wednesday."

Source: AP, 05/07/2026

Wildfires Used To ‘Sleep’ At Night. Climate Now Makes Them Burn Overtime

"Burning time for North American wildfires is going into overtime. Flames are lasting later into the night and starting earlier in the morning because human-caused climate change is extending the hotter and drier conditions that feed fires, a new study found."

Source: AP, 04/21/2026

New Oil And Gas Lease Sale Set For Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

"The U.S. government plans another oil and gas lease sale for Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — following two prior sales that saw no interest from major oil companies and amid ongoing litigation aimed at blocking drilling in a region seen as sacred by the indigenous Gwich’in."

Source: AP, 04/20/2026

Judge Dismisses Trump DOJ’s Bid to Block Hawaii Climate Lawsuit

"In a setback to the Trump administration’s extraordinary legal campaign against state climate action, a federal judge threw out the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking to prevent the state of Hawaii from suing oil companies for damages."

Source: Inside Climate News, 04/20/2026

"What Does $164M Buy Big Oil? Inupiat Land And A Broken Promise."

"A federal auction undid a hard-won agreement to protect Alaska's North Slope. The Iñupiat community that fought for it is still waiting to be heard."

Source: Grist, 04/08/2026

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