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Robert W. Gray

@firebobbc.bsky.social
3.5K followers 1.4K following 189 posts

Wildland fire ecologist working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in western North America to build a healthy, resilient environment for future generations.

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Reposted by Robert W. Gray
Prof Ian Hall @ianhall.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
France’s 2026 wildfire season is staggering... By 26/08: 👉 Over 960 km² burned — vs 140/year average 👉 Over 1.5 million tonnes of carbon released 👉 The highest wildfire carbon emissions since records began in 2003, nearly 4x the 2003–25 average www.lemonde.fr/en/environme...
lemonde.fr
France's summer 2026 wildfires caused unprecedented carbon emissions
The EU's Copernicus Earth observation service has reported more than 1.5 million metric tons of carbon were released in the fires, a figure not seen since measurements began in 2003. The findings come...
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UN Environment Programme @unep.org · 02/09/2026
Global warming is set to cross 1.5°C, pushing climate risks and impacts to increasingly dangerous heights, a new UNEP report warns.   Predicted impacts include extreme weather and threats to human health and economies.
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Kevin Anchukaitis @thirstygecko.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Recent high-severity wildfires in a dry-conifer landscape are unprecedented over five centuries and foretell future forest loss www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
pnas.org
Recent high-severity wildfires in a dry-conifer landscape are unprecedented over five centuries and foretell future forest loss | PNAS
Dry forests of the western United States evolved with frequent, spatially extensive, low-severity fires, followed by a century of fire exclusion. R...
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GrumpyUncleSean🔥 @grumpyunclesean.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
1/5 New paper in PNAS led by Andreas Wion! 🔥🌍🧪 For centuries, dry-conifer forests in the western U.S. burned frequently, but mostly at low severity, meaning most trees were not killed by fire. Read on for details ...
doi.org
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
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Dr. Jonathan Foley @globalecoguy.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
We need to counter climate change “doom” messages. Here’s how.
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kxly.com @kxly.com · 06/08/2026
NEW THIS MORNING: Firefighters say the number of structure damaged or destroyed in the Spokane area fires has risen to more than 900.
kxly.com
Number of structures burned in Spokane area fires rises to more than 900
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Firefighters updated the number of homes and other buildings that have been damaged or destroyed by three major wildfires burning in Spokane County.
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Reposted by Robert W. Gray
The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 05/08/2026
The state has surpassed it's acreage record just two months into wildfire season.
oregonlive.com
More than 2 million acres burned as Oregon sets new wildfire record
The state has surpassed it's acreage record just two months into wildfire season.
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Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · 03/08/2026
Wildfires, drought and heatwaves make it abundantly clear: climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time. Denying it is both dangerous and ridiculous www.independent.co.uk/voices/climat…
independent.co.uk
Climate change sceptics have lost the plot as Europe burns
Reading The Telegraph, it’s hard to work out whether their climate columns are a work of satire, writes Alan Rusbridger.
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Elisa 🌶️🥔 @spicytater.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
This video was shot by a good friend of mine. She’s standing in her front yard. #Spokane #SpokaneFire The VA in Spokane is being evacuated.
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 02/08/2026
Breaking News: Wildfires in Spokane County, Washington forced thousands of people to evacuate as wind gusts powered rapidly spreading flames.
nyti.ms
Wildfires in Spokane, Wash., Force Thousands to Evacuate
The Old Trails fire had grown to about 2,500 acres by Saturday afternoon, propelled by strong wind gusts and high temperatures.
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D @wildfirediva.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Hickenlooper calls for federal investigation into Knowles Fire firefighter deaths www.kkco11news.com/2026/07/31/h...
kkco11news.com
Hickenlooper calls for federal investigation into Knowles Fire firefighter deaths
Senator urges Department of Interior to examine deaths of four firefighters and role of recent Wildland Fire Service changes
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TVP World @tvpworld.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Ukraine has joined the EU's wildfire response for the first time, sending firefighters to help battle devastating blazes in France. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the deployment as a symbol of European solidarity.
tvpworld.com
Ukraine sends firefighters to battle EU wildfires in historic first
Spain, Italy, France and Greece are all battling large wildfires this summer.
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Carrie Leilani @rosalei.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Why Is Europe Burning? www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
newyorker.com
Why Is Europe Burning?
“This is a structural issue in society,” a Spanish firefighter said, about worsening wildfires across Europe. “We’ve turned our backs on the mountains, on nature—and cities have never been so affected...
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Steve Pyne @sjpyne.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Heat domes now, fires to follow. For historical background to Europe's fire scene, Undying Fire is published! 40% the length of Vestal Fire; half of it abridged and updated from VF, and half new and reconceptualized. Univ. of Washington Press even offers a 40% discount (code WAUT).
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World Weather Attribution @wwattribution.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Human-induced climate change made the extreme fire weather that fuelled the recent destructive wildfires at least twice as likely in France and at least 20 times more likely in Spain, according to our new study.
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jimrissmiller.bsky.social @jimrissmiller.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
spectrumnews1.com/ca/californi...
spectrumnews1.com
New lung cancer screening program expands for LAFD firefighters
Over 250 LA firefighters have already been screened
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Northern Rockies Fire Science Network @nrfirescience.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Wildland firefighters experience a range of stressors, which can lead to short and long-term health effects. The impacts of these health concerns are receiving increased attention from government agencies, researchers, health professionals, and the wildland firefighter community. buff.ly/SX2Es8Y
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ClimateChangePost @climatechangepost.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
'Officials warn that wildfires could still be burning in November'. The financial damage from these fires will also be enormous, more than in previous years. www.climatechangepost.com/news/economi... www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...
theguardian.com
Europe live: Officials warn that wildfires could still be burning in November
Firefighters in France and Spain face another day battling wildfires, as another heatwave set to hit this week
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 27/07/2026
Nearly a week into devastating wildfires in France, officials said that firefighters had encountered a pyrocumulonimbus — a “fire cloud,” or a thundercloud created by intense heat. The phenomenon can spark new blazes and is “unprecedented in France,” officials said. Here's what to know.
nyti.ms
Heat From France’s Wildfires Creates a ‘Fire Cloud,’ or Pyrocumulonimbus
A pyrocumulonimbus — a thundercloud created by intense heat — is a phenomenon that can spark new blazes and is “unprecedented in France,” officials said.
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Prof Ian Hall @ianhall.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
When wildfires, floods or heatwaves strike, the question isn’t “Did climate change cause this?” It’s “How much worse did climate change make it?” theconversation.com/how-do-scien...
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Bob Berwyn @bberwyn.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
New climate models are good and show that, the planet continues warming at the current pace, a snow drought as severe and widespread as last winter’s could occur every third year by 2050, and nine out of 10 years by the end of the century in the western U.S. insideclimatenews.org/news/2207202...
insideclimatenews.org
Global Warming Unmakes Winter in the US West - Inside Climate News
A new climate attribution study shows that heating from greenhouse gases could drive extreme snow droughts in the region every third year by 2050.
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Jared Dahl Aldern @jdaldern.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Wise words from the North. I would add that an insistence on a history of infrequent, stand-replacing fires is as colonial in Southern California as it is in the boreal forest. It’s insisting the land was empty when, in fact, people lived and burned throughout a varied, abundant cultural landscape.
iawfonline.org
Fire Stewardship: Upholding Indigenous Sovereignty - International Association of Wildland Fire
In recent years there has been a steep rise in Arctic fire activity, including the unprecedented 2023 Arctic wildfire season that captured worldwide attention. Due to a warmer climate and extended spr...
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Michael Wara @michaelwara.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
WILDFIRE SMOKE INSIDE CALIFORNIA’S CLASSROOMS A CASE STUDY AND POLICY ROADMAP FOR SCHOOLS TO BETTER PROTECT CHILDREN FROM WILDFIRE SMOKE Jessica Yu et al., Stanford CEPP White Paper, 2026. drive.google.com/file/d/1yupC...
drive.google.com
Stanford CEPP_Wildfire Smoke in CA Schools_July 2026.pdf
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Association for Fire Ecology @afe-fireecology.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Read "Piñon pine and juniper seedling regeneration persists at burned edges but remains limited two decades after large wildfires" by Jamie Woolet and Camille Stevens-Rumann in the #FireEcology Journal #SNFECO link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s…
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Zeke Hausfather @zekehausfather.com · 17/07/2026
Climate change does not cause wildfires, but hot and dry conditions make them much more likely to spread. In Canada, 9 of the 10 worst wildfire years were both dryer and hotter than normal. And these fires are burning in areas that were historically not managed or suppressed.
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Jim Whittington🔥 @jimwhittington.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
I always tell folks you don't need to understand or be part of the fire culture, but you should respect it. These days, that respect includes looking clearly at the climate reality. Until we all do that, wildland firefighters and those they serve are destined to see more bad outcomes. 14/14
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Adam Radwanski @aradwanski.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Not the kind of climate change column I’ve normally written, or want to write, but I felt I had to. www.thestar.com/business/opi...
thestar.com
I've covered climate policy for years. The haze over Toronto finally shattered my optimism
The wildfire smoke has choked my faith in Canada's climate future, writes Adam Radwanski. We used to at least be trying. Now we're betting against energy transition.
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 16/07/2026
The U.S.’s top scientific advisory body issued a report on Thursday backing a growing field of science called extreme event attribution that could help governments hold oil, gas and coal companies responsible for the damage caused by extreme weather.
nyti.ms
National Academies Report Backs Climate Change Attribution Science
Attribution science is advancing quickly, researchers said. That could support lawsuits seeking damages for severe events worsened by global warming.
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Jim Whittington🔥 @jimwhittington.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
Well, here's something related to wildland fire that I've not thought about before today. Yet another bad outcome of climate change as manifested in fire. I hope to one day see a study that positively surprises me, because these last couple of decades have been a beating.
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Leah Stokes @leahstokes.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Hard to describe the sorrow I feel watching the boreal forest burn, summer after summer. I was paddling on a lake yesterday when the smoke came in, and knew what was happening despite not having cell reception. Climate change is a heartbreaker.
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Robert W. Gray @firebobbc.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
vancouversun.com/opinion/op-e...
vancouversun.com
Opinion: Saving our forest industry means addressing the real threat
Real threat is wildfire, yet, you wouldn’t know that from three policy announcements that will have a profound impact on forestry in Canada
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Brad Panovich @wxbrad.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Massive wildfires in Northern Minnesota and Ontario will send thick smoke into the Great Lakes, the Northeast, and eventually the entire East Coast over the next few days. The Heat Dome out west will steer this smoke around the ridge and down our way in some form by mid to late week. #ncwx #scwx
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Matt McNeil Show @mattmcneilshow.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
A crisis in Northern Minnesota. www.startribune.com/boundary-wat...
startribune.com
Live: Wildfires intensified overnight, pushing Forest Service to close Boundary Waters
All entry points will close starting at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. After days of dry conditions, fires have engulfed thousands of acres.
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Antonio Vecoli (@tonyveco on X) @tonyveco.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
🔴 ⚠️ 🔥 ♨️ Almost 4000Ha burnt, 1400 evacuations, 12 deaths:it's one of the worst wildfires of this century for #Spain   . Strong winds and dry weather make very hard to fight #IFLosGallardos, ⬇️ latest 12hrs of Meteosat-12 #MTGI1 #Andalucia #ClimateEmergency #IncendioForestal
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Will Yeates @wyeates.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
At least 11 dead in Spain wildfire as crews battle to contain blaze
buff.ly
At least 11 dead in Spain wildfire as crews battle to contain blaze
A local official says early indications suggest four of the victims of the fire in Los Gallardos, Almería, are British.
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Jeff Berardelli @weatherprof.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
The heaviest downpours in the Great Lakes and Northeast US are now ~50% more intense. It’s not coincidence, it’s climate change. The graph below shows the increase in global water vapor relative to the 1950-1980 baseline. It’s in standard deviations. It’s gone from -2 to now 4+ sigma. That’s a lot!
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BC Wildfire Alerts Bot @bcwildfire-bot.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
📄 Ainslie Creek (V10755) 📍 South Ainsley 2 🚒 Coastal Fire Centre 🔥 695 ha, Out of Control 🔗 wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/inc… #BCWildfire #V10755 #SouthAinsley2
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BC Wildfire Alerts Bot @bcwildfire-bot.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
📄 Brunswick Creek (V10742) ❗ Wildfire Of Note 📍 Chaumox Road 🚒 Coastal Fire Centre 🔥 1,800 ha, Out of Control 🔗 wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/inc… #BCWildfire #V10742 #ChaumoxRoad
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Lawrence Culver @lawrencecphd.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
“Europe is increasingly paying the costs of a hotter world it has failed to prepare for…The EU’s science advisers warned that efforts to adapt to a hotter planet were insufficient, incremental and often coming too late.” www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
theguardian.com
Record wildfires in Europe show failure to adapt carries a mounting cost
Scientists call for better land management alongside reduction in greenhouse gases causing the crisis
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Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 05/07/2026
A fast-moving wildfire broke out Saturday evening near Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, and residents of three small suburbs north of the city were told to evacuate, the AP reported
bloom.bg
Wildfire Near Thessaloniki in Greece Sparks Evacuations
THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — A fast-moving wildfire broke out Saturday evening near the suburbs of Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, the country's fire service said, and residents of three small suburbs north of the city were told to evacuate.
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Jared Dahl Aldern @jdaldern.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
For a glimpse into the grizzly’s ecological role in SoCal, see what Paula Shiffman has to say in this video (plus my comments about the historical interrelationships of bears, fire, and people). player.pbs.org/widget/partn...
player.pbs.org
Video: Wild L.A. | Watch Lost LA Online | PBS
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The Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com · 03/07/2026
The same dangerous and unfavorable conditions that allowed the Milford Flat Fire to consume 363,052 acres in 2007 are present this summer. 2026 is likely to be “up there with the worst in Utah history,” a wildfire science professor told The Tribune.
sltrib.com
Utah’s Cottonwood Fire is already the 6th largest in state history. Here’s a list of the 10 biggest and 3 deadliest.
The Babylon Fire, currently burning nearly 80,000 acres in San Juan County, also jumped to the No. 9 spot Thursday.
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Laura Routh @laurarouth.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
“The first is that the heat wave was so intense that in a stable preindustrial environment, according to one estimate, it would have been the kind of freak event the region could expect about once every 26,000 years.” Powerful piece by @dwallacewells.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | We Need to Retrofit the Planet. The Heat Wave Proves It.
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Los Angeles Times @latimes.com · 02/07/2026
After Trump axed federal employees running climate site, thousands crowdfund its comeback
latimes.com
After Trump axed federal employees running climate site, thousands crowdfund its comeback
Federal employees axed during waves of cuts by the Trump administration have fought back against the dismantling of a key climate science website.
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The Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com · 02/07/2026
The Babylon Fire grew to more than 70,000 acres Wednesday morning while remaining 0% contained, as fire officials warned of continued critical fire weather conditions and increasing smoke impacts across parts of southeastern Utah. 
sltrib.com
Babylon Fire grows past 70,000 acres near Bears Ears National Monument, remains 0% contained
The Babylon Fire grew to more than 70,000 acres Wednesday morning while remaining 0% contained, as fire officials warned of continued critical fire weather conditions and increasing smoke impacts across parts of southeastern Utah. 
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Dr. Jeff Masters @drjeffmasters.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Wildfire activity ramped up in northern Canada over the past 4 days, resulting in the 1st significant incursion of Canadian wildfire smoke into the U.S. this year, into Montana and North Dakota. Plenty of smoke in the Rockies from U.S. fires, too.
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Arlyssa D. Becenti ✍️🗞️ @abecenti.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
“Pocket Fire north of Sedona surges to 6K acres, 0% contained” By Christian Cervantes
azcentral.com
Pocket Fire north of Sedona surges to 6K acres, 0% contained
The Pocket Fire near Sedona has grown to 6,016 acres, prompting new evacuation warnings for nearby communities. What to know.
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allie10.bsky.social @allie10.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Climate.us 💥🌪️☀️❄️🌬️💦💧🌊🍀
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Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Unfortunately the interior West wildfire outbreak has continued to intensify under "extremely critical" fire weather conditions today and record-dry vegetation in some areas. Existing fires have re-intensified, and there are 2 new fires of particular concern in Colorado. [Thread]
Current screenshot from NOAA Wildland Fire Data Portal showing multiple large and high intensity wildfires across the interior West. Two fires of particular concern in Colorado are highlighted with yellow circles.
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michaeledward @michaeledward.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
The Red Line warns of coming destruction. and it is getting worse with each passing day.
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