California

"The blaze, now 134,000 acres, pushes into Yosemite National Park. Each day, what it does depends on the wind."

"California public health officials suggest limiting hexavalent chromium in drinking water to 10 parts per billion. Environmentalists say that's not nearly strict enough."

"California, whose green ambitions helped the solar and wind industries take root, is taking an essential next step by proposing a sharp rise in energy storage to better integrate renewable power with the rest of the grid."

"When the Silver fire ignited about 2 p.m. Wednesday, officials say the stage was set for explosive growth that initially overwhelmed residents and the emergency crews sent to get them out of harm’s way."

"'An immediate and growing threat.' That’s how California’s lead environmental agency — and the Governor’s office — describe climate change in the latest in a series of periodic reports on the subject."

Research biologists are studying the elusive Cascades frog, which lives in alpine meltwater ponds in Washington's Olympic Mountains, to understand how warming climate might affect the ecosystems they depend on.

"BANNING, Calif. — A wildfire that broke out in the inland mountains of Southern California has expanded exponentially, burning homes, forcing the evacuation of several small mountain communities and leaving three people injured.

About 1,500 people had evacuated as the wildfire of more than 9 square miles raged out of control Thursday in the San Jacinto Mountains near Banning, said Lucas Spelman, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

"Chevron Corp agreed to pay $2 million in fines and restitution after pleading no contest to six misdemeanor charges on Monday stemming from the August 6, 2012 explosion and fire at its San Francisco Bay refinery, according to the local district attorney."

"Suit filed on behalf of harvesters of sea urchin, abalone and lobster accuses federal agency of illegally terminating program designed to protect fisheries."