Climate Change

"The fire danger in many parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties is 'about as high as it can be,' a meteorologist warned Tuesday."

"Scientists who gathered decades of measurements from hundreds of thousands of trees all over the world are punching a hole in the common assumption that large, old trees are biologically pretty much over the hill.

"Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is pushing the state to strengthen its energy grid and sea walls against the potential effects of global warming. Many states are taking up such adaptation projects."

"FirstEnergy, one of the country’s largest electric companies, has agreed to work toward reducing its carbon emissions in response to pressure from shareholders including New York State and Connecticut pension funds, New York Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli said on Tuesday."

Valley fever, a sometimes-serious fungal disease endemic to the Southwest, is spread by windborne soil dust. Climate change may make it worse.

"Carbon dioxide emissions from the nation’s energy sector rose about 2% in 2013 after declining for several years, federal energy officials reported Monday."

"Scientists have spent decades examining all the factors that can influence the rise of the seas, and their research is finally leading to answers. And the more the scientists learn, the more they perceive an enormous risk for the United States."

"A group of liberal Senate Democrats hopes to play political offense on climate change in 2014."

"While the East Coast is digging out from a major winter storm, the West Coast is praying for rain. The state just finished one of the driest years on record, and that has water managers, farmers and others worried."

"Something unusual rained down on residents of Queensland, Australia, over the weekend. In a bizarre incident, thousands of bats reportedly fell from the sky in the northeastern state. While the mass deaths may seem baffling, it appears Australia's heat wave is to blame."