Environment

The Western U.S. is seeing an increasing number of wildfires that spread quickly and cause more destruction than a typical wildfire. And experts say so-called "fast fires” – like the 2021 Marshall Fire that burned around a thousand homes in Boulder county – are likely to increase in the coming years. A wildfire expert from CU Boulder explains what makes fast fires so dangerous, and how communities might respond differently to them.

The study comes in advance of the upcoming midterms

Health and environmental advocates vow to fight it in court

Environmental advocates have long warned that the state wasn’t doing enough to reach its goals.

Environmentalists point to policies ensuring developers take part in a statewide review process, pay for burdening power grids and limit emissions.

Scientists who study the deepest parts of the ocean may soon harness unusual new technology that’s being developed at CU Boulder. Researchers there fit tiny electric devices onto live jellyfish, so scientists can steer them into remote places where humans can’t easily go. We hear more about this research into robotic jellyfish.

Many Coloradans love the idea of having their own vegetable garden — but the sunny, dry climate on the Front Range can make growing your own veggies a challenge. Today on In The NoCo, we hear from a gardening expert with CSU extension about how to get started, and how to help your plants thrive all summer.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. And in Colorado, a lot of methane is produced by decomposing food scraps at landfills. We explore why that matters – and how state regulators are hoping to rein in those emissions – on today’s In The NoCo.

Nearly a third of the wolves Colorado has reintroduced in the last two years have died. They’ve lost battles with mountain lions and been struck down by a bullet from an unknown shooter.But one wolf encountered an even more sophisticated hunter: a government agency that specializes in killing hundreds of thousands of wild animals each year to protect livestock and airplane passengers.

Manipulating the clouds to make it rain or snow might sound like science fiction – but farmers and ski resorts have used these techniques for years. KUNC water reporter Alex Hager discusses whether cloud seeding could help the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin.