A federal agency wants information on the deaths of three endangered gray wolves in southern Oregon, and they have a hefty reward for good information. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is offering $50,000 for details that lead to an arrest, criminal conviction, or a fine of people involved in the deaths, reports CNN. The statement did not include details of how the wolves died, but it notes that two were “subadult” (older offspring) and one was a breeding female from the same Gearhart Mountain Pack. Seven wolves are believed to remain in that pack, one of which is a breeding male.
Officials were alerted of the deaths in late December because two of the wolves were wearing tracking collars that sent a mortality signal near the California-Oregon border. This fell in an area where the animals are protected under the Endangered Species Act—the western two-thirds of Oregon. KGW8 reports that these collars are trackable by GPS, and also have push notifications to help protect livestock when wolves are nearby. Recent counts estimate at least 178 wolves in Oregon in two dozen packs (though the number is likely higher). In 2022, 17 wolves were killed by humans, and seven of those deaths were illegal. Six killings were by the state or licensed ranchers for recurring attacks on livestock.
Gray wolves were once common in Oregon, until bounty programs nearly eradicated them by the mid-1900s. They were reintroduced in 1999 with strict protections, per BiologicalDiversity.org, and by 2011, the wolves were no longer under federal protection in the whole state. In Arizona, CBS News notes that a similar situation is playing out with the illegal killing of a bighorn sheep that was shot and left for dead in a field. Groups raised $6,500 to reward information leading to an arrest. “There is no justifiable reason to poach an animal during a closed season and leave it to waste,” said wildlife manager Travis Clarkson. “Poachers are not hunters or sportsmen; they are criminals who are stealing from the residents of Arizona.” (Oregon gray wolves were released in Colorado.)
The northern lights could once again be visible in Oregon in the wake of powerful activity from the sun.
A strong solar flare on Sunday was followed by a severe geomagnetic storm on Tuesday, giving Oregonians and many others along the northern edge of the country another chance to see the auroras.
While Earth has entered the declining phase of solar cycle 25, that doesn’t mean northern lights viewing opportunities are going away. In fact, experts say, the declining phase can have longer, if lighter, geomagnetic storms, as well as powerful “last gasp” storms from the sun.
On Tuesday night, people in 18 states could get a chance to see the auroras on Tuesday night.
The lights could be visible in Oregon, as well as in parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Alaska.
To view the lights, stay away from light pollution and look toward the northern horizon.
Follow the Space Weather Prediction Center’s 30-minute aurora forecast to see the latest predictions of where the lights will be visible.
Thousands of residents in parts of Florida and Oregon have been warned to stay inside as the amount of fine particle pollution (PM2.5) in the atmosphere reached an “unhealthy” level on Tuesday as of 3 a.m. Eastern time, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AirNow Map shows.
The EPA uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) to measure and communicate air quality across the United States. The AQI is a standardized scale from 0 to 500 that classifies pollution levels into six categories, ranging from “good” to “hazardous.” Higher AQI values indicate higher levels of pollution and greater health risks for people in the affected areas.
In this case, the AQI has classified the air pollution in parts of Florida and Oregon—including Orlando and La Pine, respectively—as “unhealthy” because of elevated levels of PM2.5. This means the levels of pollution could pose a health risk to all members of the public in the affected areas.
The EPA said, “Even if you are healthy, you may experience temporary symptoms from exposure to elevated levels of particles.”
The agency considers PM2.5 to be one of the most dangerous forms of air pollution. This is because the particles are so fine—less than 2.5 micrometers in size—they can be easily inhaled, penetrating deep into the lungs and bloodstream, potentially worsening any lung or heart conditions. PM2.5 can also trigger mild to severe symptoms such as coughing; eye, throat, and nose irritation; chest tightness; and shortness of breath, making breathing difficult.
The EPA advises people in sensitive groups—which include children, older adults and individuals with medical conditions such as asthma—to avoid long or intense outdoor activities when air quality reaches “unhealthy” levels.
Everyone else should reduce the duration or intensity of outdoor activities until conditions improve. For example, choose to go for a walk rather than a run.
During long or intense outdoor activity, people breathe more deeply and more frequently, which increases the amount of PM2.5 they inhale. This can irritate the lungs and may trigger or worsen existing health conditions.
But it isn’t only outdoor air that’s affected by elevated PM2.5 levels.
Indoor air can also become polluted if these fine particles seep inside through open windows, doors or ventilation systems.
The EPA suggests that those in affected areas should try to keep indoor air as clean as possible by using air purifiers or high-efficiency filters, keeping windows closed and avoiding activities that generate indoor pollution—such as burning candles, using wood‑burning stoves or lighting indoor fires—while the air quality is in the “unhealthy” range.
While the EPA hasn’t established the cause of the “unhealthy” air quality across parts of Florida and Oregon, PM2.5 can come from a variety of sources.
These include dust from construction sites or unpaved roads, emissions from vehicles or industrial plants, or smoke from wildfires or smokestacks.
Residents should monitor the AirNow Map and look out for updates from the EPA as air quality, like the weather, “can change from day to day or even hour to hour.”
The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement at 1:39 p.m. on Monday until 5 p.m. for North Central Oregon.
“Areas of freezing fog of one quarter mile or less linger along US-97 between Cow Canyon and Shaniko. Road cameras confirm obscure visibility in those areas. If you encounter dense fog, slow down, use low beam headlights and allow for extra space between your vehicle and those around you,” states the weather service.
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