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    Western fires fueled by winds prompt evacuations, forest closures

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    Officials across the drought-stricken West are warning residents of increased fire danger due to strong winds.

    In New Mexico, fire managers warned Tuesday that they were concerned about potentially erratic winds from thunderstorms.

    EFFORTS TO BATTLE FIRE IN NEW MEXICO AIDED BY THUNDERSTORMS

    Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said in a news conference with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell and top state officials that many residents should brace for potential evacuations all summer. 

    The U.S. Forest Service said Wednesday that the state’s largest fire in history – and the largest fire currently burning in the U.S. – had spread over 299,565 acres. 

    • A haze of wildfire smoke hangs over the Upper Rio Grande valley and the mesa-top city of Los Alamos, N.M., on Thursday, May 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)

    • Smoke rising from the Calf Creek Hermits Peak fire burning forests and watershed below Jicarita Peak in the Pecos Wilderness is seen from Taos, New Mexico, U.S., May 15, 2022. (Reuters/Andrew Hay)

    • Personnel work on New Mexico’s Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon wildfires (Credit U.S. Forest Service)

    • Firefighters spray water on hot spots during a brushfire near the Griffith Observatory in the hills of Los Feliz in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.  (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

    • A firefighter sprays water on hot spots during a brushfire near the Griffith Observatory in the hills of Los Feliz in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.  (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

    • Smoke from brushfire rises between homes and the Griffith Observatory in the hills of Los Feliz in Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

    Nearly 2,000 personnel were working to fight the Hermits Peak and Cal Canyon fires, which were at 34% containment. Some rain from storms aided the effort on Monday and several small fires were started by lightning strikes. 

    Estimates of burned homes and other structures likely range between 1,000 and 1,500.

    Officials with three of New Mexico’s five national forests announced closure orders that are scheduled to take effect on Thursday. 

    NEW MEXICO WILDFIRE SCORCHES NEARLY 300,000 ACRES, BECOMES LARGEST WILDFIRE IN STATE HISTORY

    Meanwhile, on the West Coast, firefighters in Southern California worked on a brush fire that sparked near Los Angeles.

    A 200-acre wildfire destroyed 20 homes and damaged 11 others in Laguna Niguel last week. 

    “California continues to experience longer wildfire seasons as a direct result of climate change,” Cal Fire’s 2022 outlook said.

    The National Weather Service’s Sacramento office said that a fire weather watch will be in effect from Thursday morning through Friday night. 

    The National Interagency Fire Center says that 1.3 million acres have burned this year nationwide. 

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    Wildfires have become a year-round threat in the region.

    Scientists and fire experts say they are moving faster and burning hotter than ever due to climate change, 

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Fire destroys mansions in Southern California, evacuations ordered

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    A fast-moving wildfire that sparked Wednesday afternoon in Southern California has burned at least 20 homes, according to officials. 

    The flames tore through the community of multimillion-dollar mansions as gusty winds whipped, but they died down overnight. 

    EFFORT AGAINST SOUTHWEST FIRES CONTINUES AS WIND, DUST IMPACT REGION

    The Orange County Fire Authority said early Thursday that the Coastal Fire had spread to approximately 200 acres. 

    “We are currently working on putting together property damage assessment teams to start inspecting fire damages,” the agency tweeted.

    No injuries were reported, but evacuations were ordered by authorities. 

    • Firefighters work to put out a structure burning during a wildfire Wednesday, May 11, 2022, in Laguna Niguel, Calif.  (AP Photo/Marcio J. Sanchez)

    • Smoke from a wildfire rises above a residential area in Laguna Niguel, Orange County, California, U.S. May 11, 2022 in this picture obtained from social media. ( Tim Wheaton/via Reuters)

    • A firefighter works to put out a structure burning during a wildfire Wednesday, May 11, 2022, in Laguna Niguel, Calif.  (AP Photo/Marcio J. Sanchez)

    • Communities near Pacific Island Drive and Coronado Pointe need to evacuate do due fast moving brush fire. (Credit: OCSD – Laguna Niguel Police Services)

    • The Orange County Fire Authority works to put out the Coastal Fire (Credit: Orange County Fire Authority)

    • A helicopter flies over a wildfire in Laguna Niguel, California, U.S., in this screen grab obtained from a social media video on May 12, 2022.  (Courtesy of Samriti Goyal – Instagram @samriti.goyal/via REUTERS)

    • Firefighters work to put out a structure burning during a wildfire Wednesday, May 11, 2022, in Laguna Niguel, Calif.  (AP Photo/Marcio J. Sanchez)

    “Communities near Pacific Island Drive and Coronado Pointe need to evacuate [due to] fast-moving brush fire,” the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s Laguna Niguel Police Services wrote on social media, alongside a picture of burning hills. 

    A state of emergency was declared for the city of Laguna Niguel.

    Fox 11 reported that multiple roofs, garages and patios have collapsed.

    NEW MEXICO WILDFIRE SCORCHES ABOUT 275 SQUARE MILES, FUELED BY STRONG WINDS AND HIGH TEMPERATURES

    Sixty types of resources were working to fight the fire, including helicopters that made water drops. 

    The vegetation fire broke out near Aliso Wood Canyon between Laguna Niguel and Laguna Beach.

    According to Fox Weather, winds were reported to be at least 20 mph, which helped drive a column of smoke southward toward San Clemente.

    Fire officials have not said what they believe started the fire.

    The National Interagency Fire Center says more than a million acres have burned nationwide this year.

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    Wildfires have become a year-round threat in the West. 

    Fox News’ Louis Casiano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Over 90% of Great Barrier Reef coral studied this year was bleached

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    More than 90% of coral surveyed in the Great Barrier Reef this year was bleached, according to Australian government scientists. 

    This is the fourth such mass event in seven years. 

    NEW MEXICO WILDFIRES CAPTURED IN NASA SATELLITE IMAGES

    This marks the first event during a La Niña weather pattern, which is associated with cooler Pacific Ocean temperatures.

    In this photo supplied by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), a diver swims past coral on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Oct. 18, 2016. (M. Curnock/GBRMPA via AP)

    The Great Barrier Reef Marine Authority said 91% of the areas surveyed were affected.

    “The early indications are that the mortality won’t be very high,” David Wachenfeld, chief scientist at the authority, said Wednesday.

    “We are hoping that we will see most of the coral that is bleached recover and we will end up with an event rather more like 2020 when, yes, there was mass bleaching, but there was low mortality,” he added.

    EMPEROR PENGUINS AT RISK OF EXTINCTION

    Heat stress that lasts more than a few weeks can lead the coral to die of starvation.

    Scientists say bleaching in the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem is caused by global warming

    Last December was the hottest December the reef had experienced since 1900. 

    Warming also raises the risk of infectious diseases that can cause mass die-offs in coral, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

    This photo supplied by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) shows reef scape of bleached coral in the Townsville/Whitsunday management area of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, March. 15, 2015.  (C. Jones/GBRMPA via AP)

    NOAA noted that carbon dioxide absorbed into the ocean from the atmosphere has already begun to reduce calcification rates in reef-building and reef-associated organisms by altering seawater chemistry through decreases in pH.

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    The Great Barrier Reef accounts for approximately 10% of the world’s coral reef ecosystems; the network covers 348,000 square kilometers.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Lake Mead bodies renew interest in Las Vegas mob history

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    Human remains surfacing in Lake Mead have sparked a renewed interest in Las Vegas mob history. 

    The Nevada city’s former mayor, Oscar Goodman, told The Associated Press on Monday that the reservoir is “not a bad place to dump a body.” 

    LAKE MEAD DROUGHT EXPOSES MORE HUMAN REMAINS

    “There’s no telling what we’ll find in Lake Mead,” he said. 

    Drought threatening the western U.S., spurred by human-caused climate change, has led to the discovery of human remains.

    One victim, who police said is believed to have been shot decades ago, was found in a barrel last week. 

    A formally sunken boat sits on cracked earth hundreds of feet from what is now the shoreline on Lake Mead at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Monday, May 9, 2022, near Boulder City, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher)

    A few days later, a second, empty barrel was found by a KLAS-TV news crew.

    On Saturday, National Park Service (NPS) rangers received a witness report of human skeletal remains discovered at Callville Bay. Las Vegas police said Monday that there was no immediate evidence of foul play and that they are not investigating.

    Lake Mead has dropped more than 170 feet since 1983, and the uppermost water intake became visible last week.

    LAKE MEAD’S BODY IN BARREL IS VICTIM WHO WAS LIKELY SHOT DECADES AGO, LAS VEGAS POLICE SAY

    Persistent drought is predicted to expand this year, amid warmer temperatures. 

    Goodman – who was previously a lawyer, representing mob figures including the ill-fated Anthony “Tony the Ant” Spilotro – declined to name names about who might turn up next. 

    Rusting debris that used to be underwater sits above the water level on Lake Mead at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Monday, May 9, 2022, near Boulder City, Nev.  (AP Photo/John Locher)

    “I’m relatively sure it was not Jimmy Hoffa,” he joked, but noted that a lot of his former clients seemed interested in “climate control.”

    Geoff Schumacher, vice president of The Mob Museum, said that the barrel was a “signature of a mob hit.” 

    David Kohlmeier, a former police officer who now co-hosts a Las Vegas podcast and TV show called “The Problem Solver Show,” said Monday that, after offering a $5,000 reward last week for qualified divers to find barrels in the lake, people contacted him who were willing to do so. 

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    The NPS said that’s not allowed and that there are hundreds of barrels in Lake Mead’s depths.

    Fox News’ Louis Casiano, Bradford Betz and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

    Effort against Southwest fires continues as wind, dust impact region

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    Fires continued to burn in the Southwest on Tuesday, tearing through pine, brush and grass. 

    In New Mexico, the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon fires spread to 203,920 acres, according to the U.S. Forest Service. 

    The agency said the fires were 39% contained by the 1,759 personnel working against Red Flag conditions to put them out. 

    NEW MEXICO WILDFIRE SCORCHES ABOUT 275 SQUARE MILES, FUELED BY STRONG WINDS AND HIGH TEMPERATURES

    Schoolchildren in Las Vegas, New Mexico, resumed in-person classes, while residents on the fire’s northern and southern edges remained under evacuation orders.

    Exceptions were made for students still displaced by the blazes or those whose health has been impacted by the smoke. 

    Reddened by wildfire smoke, the sun is seen reflected off glass at the train station in Las Vegas, N.M., on Saturday, May 7, 2022. Area residents have been on and off of evacuation orders of the past month as fires grow and move with intense and unpredictable winds.  (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio)

    Some classes in a neighboring school district continued virtually. 

    Crews in Arizona were fighting a fire near the U.S.-Mexico border that forced several dozen from their homes.

    Dangerous weather was forecast for much of the drought-stricken region, with red flag warnings issued for much of New Mexico and parts of Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Texas.

    NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR WARNS ABOUT ‘SERIOUS’ WEEKEND FIRE WEATHER

    Wind, often grounding essential aircraft, will continue to be a factor this week, as well as low humidity.

    All of this comes as dust storms, with winds at speeds of 50 mph to 70 mph, tore through the region.

    According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there are 12 active large fires across the U.S., including six in New Mexico. 

    A sunset seen through a wall of wildfire smoke from Las Vegas, N.M., on Saturday, May 7, 2022. Area residents have been on and off of evacuation orders of the past month as fires grow and move with intense and unpredictable winds.  (AP Photo/Cedar Attanasio)

    Three new large fires were reported over the weekend in Arizona and Texas. 

    This year, 23,366 wildfires have burned more than 1.2 million acres nationwide.

    Wildfires have become a year-round threat in the region. 

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    Scientists and fire experts say they are moving faster and burning hotter than ever due to climate change.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Emperor penguins at risk of extinction

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    Emperor penguins are at risk of extinction, according to conservationists and researchers. 

    On Friday, an expert from the Argentine Antarctic Institute (IAA) warned that changes could come within the next 30 to 40 years, with climate change as the driving force. 

    “[Climate] projections suggest that the colonies that are located between latitudes 60 and 70 degrees [south] will disappear in the next few decades; that is, in the next 30, 40 years,” IAA biologist Marcela Libertelli told Reuters.

    RARE WHITE DOLPHIN SEEN IN FLORIDA CANAL

    She said that loss of solid sea ice in the Antarctic from April through December would disrupt the penguins’ reproductive cycle and noted that increased tourism and fishing has impacted food sources for penguins and other species.

    The emperor penguin’s disappearance could also have a dramatic effect on the ecosystem there. 

    In a statement, the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) said last month that urgent action needed to be taken, with the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) projecting that around 80% of emperor penguin colonies will be quasi-extinct by the year 2100 under current levels of carbon dioxide emissions. 

    Emperor penguins in Dumont d’Urville, Antarctica, April 10, 2012.  (REUTERS/Martin Passingham/File Photo)

    The researchers also predicted that the total number of emperor penguins could decline by at least 81% under that scenario and that — under extreme circumstances — up to 100% of colonies could become quasi-extinct by 2100, with the number of emperor penguins projected to decline by at least 99%. 

    The WWF called for the penguins to be listed as a specially protected species, raising similar concerns as Libertelli over the destruction of habitat. 

    “Emperor penguins require stable, ‘fast’ ice (sea ice which is connected to the land) for about nine months of the year as a platform to mate, incubate their eggs, raise their chicks and replace their feathers during the annual moult,” the non-governmental organization explained. “Changes to, or loss of, fast ice, or early ice breakout can cause massive breeding failure for several consecutive years. Collapsed ice shelves can block paths to feeding areas, leading to the death of both chicks and adults.”

    Emperor penguins stand in their enclosure at the Hellabrunn Zoo in Bavaria April 8, 2019. (Marie Reichenbach/picture alliance via Getty Images)

    CALIFORNIA TO DROP 3,000 POUNDS OF MOUSE POISON ONTO COASTAL ISLANDS TO SAVE RARE SEABIRDS

    With temperatures in parts of eastern Antarctica rising to concerning record levels this year, the WWF highlighted that even the best-case scenario means the penguins’ population is likely to decrease by 31% by the end of the century. 

    “Emperor penguins are the most iconic species of the ice. They are uniquely adapted to the harsh and extreme Antarctic environment,” Rod Downie, WWF’s chief adviser of the polar regions, said in a statement. “Yet they are also increasingly vulnerable to climate change, habitat loss and human disturbance.

    “Only humans can secure the future of this species, as their fate depends on global climate policy combined with an action plan to protect their habitat and remove other risks from human disturbance. We need emperor penguins to be listed as specially protected species at this year’s Antarctic Treaty meeting in order to better shield them against the threat of climate change and to ensure their continued survival.”   

    There are approximately 595,000 adult emperor penguins in Antarctica. 

    In April, the World Meteorological Organization wrote that record-high temperatures, rain and the collapse of an ice shelf were prompting widespread concern, though it was too soon to say definitively whether climate change was the cause. 

    The Antarctic ice sheets have been losing mass since at least 1990, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says they are expected to continue to do so. 

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    As a result of melting ice, the rate of global sea level rise has increased, reaching a new record high in 2021. 

    The Antarctic ice sheet contains 90% of the world’s fresh water, enough to raise sea level by around 60 meters.

    Last week, scientists announced they had made the first detection of groundwater beneath an Antarctic ice stream. 

    Reuters contributed to this report.

    New Mexico governor warns about ‘serious’ weekend fire weather

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    New Mexico’s governor warned residents on Friday ahead of what is expected to be a historic and dangerous weekend for fire weather.

    Speaking to reporters, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and officials said there would be high temperatures and extreme winds.

    “This is the worst possible set of conditions for any fire. I repeat: It’s the worst possible set of conditions for this fire,” she stated, calling the situation “serious.” 

    NEW MEXICO FIRE PERSONNEL MAKE PROGRESS AHEAD OF WINDY WEEKEND

    The governor encouraged people still in mandatory evacuation areas to leave as soon as possible. 

    Federal and state agencies noted that widespread critical-to-extreme fire weather in drought-stricken New Mexico was likely on Saturday and Sunday, and possibly through Wednesday. 

    While personnel – both on the ground and in the air – made some progress on fires in the state last week, many families already have been left homeless and thousands of residents have evacuated.

    • FILE PHOTO: A firefighter conducts a prescribed burn to combat the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon wildfires, near Las Vegas, New Mexico, May 4, 2022.  (REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo)

    • A plane drops water to combat the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon wildfires, near Las Vegas, New Mexico, May 4, 2022.  (REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt)

    • FILE PHOTO: The Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon wildfire burns near Las Vegas, New Mexico, May 4, 2022.  (REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt/File Photo)

    • A plane drops water to combat the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon wildfires, near Las Vegas, New Mexico, May 4, 2022. ( REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt)

    • A firefighter works to combat the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon wildfire, near Las Vegas, New Mexico, May 4, 2022.  (REUTERS/Kevin Mohatt )

    The Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak complex – one of the largest blazes ever in the southwestern state – stretched over 170,665 acres on Saturday and was 21% contained. 

    The Hermits Peak Fire’s start has been traced, in part, to a preventive fire initiated by the Forest Service in early April to reduce flammable vegetation; the fire escaped control, merging with the Calf Canyon Fire. 

    1,422 personnel were battling the flames and National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reported that the complex was one of six fires in the state.

    Another fire was moving closer to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which is one of the nation’s key facilities for nuclear research and future production of plutonium components for nuclear weapons.

    NEW MEXICO WILDFIRES CAPTURED IN NASA SATELLITE IMAGES

    However, lab officials said Friday that radiological and other potentially hazardous materials are stored in containers engineered and tested to withstand extreme environments, including heat from fire.

    President Biden approved a disaster declaration on Wednesday for individuals in Colfax, Lincoln, Mora, San Miguel and Valencia counties.

    Lujan Grisham also previously signed emergency declarations in several threatened counties. 

    Fueled by similar conditions, the NIFC reports nearly 2,000 square miles have burned nationwide this year.

    Fox Weather reported on Friday that an early-season heat wave is expected from Texas to the South and Midwest into next week.

    The southwestern winds are expected to move over the Sierra Madre mountain range and warm, according to Fox Weather Meteorologist Nick Kosir. 

    Kosir said Roswell, New Mexico could see a potential record high temperature of 101 degrees Fahrenheit. 

    The U.S. Drought Monitor showed, on a map released Thursday, that 91.09% of the West is experiencing moderate to exceptional drought. 

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    Wildfires have become a year-round threat in the region. 

    Scientists and fire experts say they are moving faster and burning hotter than ever due to climate change.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    New Mexico wildfires captured in NASA satellite image

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    A satellite image released by NASA’s Earth Observatory captured an aerial view of raging wildfires in New Mexico. 

    In a post, the agency shared a natural-color photo taken on May 3 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite.

    The image shows smoke from the Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak complex and Cerrado Pelo Fire, located northwest of the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Los Alamos, respectively. 

    BIDEN APPROVES DISASTER DECLARATION FOR NEW MEXICO WILDFIRES

    The fires have been driven by windy and dry conditions, scorching grass, brush and tinder. 

    They’ve destroyed hundreds of structures and prompted the evacuation of thousands of people.

    The Calf Canyon-Hermits Peak complex is one of the largest fires in state history. 

    The U.S. Forest Service said in an update on Friday that it stretched 168,009 and remained 20% contained. 

    Nearly 1,400 personnel on the ground and in the air are working to fight the fire, and the agency said a “lot of progress” was made on Thursday due to “moderated” winds. 

    However, that was expected to change over the weekend. 

    “The upcoming wind event is predicted to be historic due to the duration and the area it will impact,” it warned. “It is critical that people continue to watch for changes in evacuation status and pay attention to emergency notifications.”

    SPACEX’S CREW-3 ASTRONAUTS RETURN HOME FROM ISS WITH SUCCESSFUL SPLASHDOWN OFF FLORIDA COAST

    Crews working on the Cerro Pelado Fire also made progress due to the favorable weather conditions, with more than 750 total personnel on scene. 

    The fire, which also led to evacuations, has spread over 32,121 acres and is 13% contained.

    NASA noted that the Cooks Peak Fire was just north of Las Vegas. Infrared flight showed it covered 59,359 acres and it was 97% contained on Thursday.

    According to the National Interagency Fire Center, New Mexico has had more than 200 fires thus far this year. 

    Firefighters hold the line along NM Highway 283 Wednesday, May 4, 2022 (Credit: U.S. Forest Service)

    The U.S. Drought Monitor showed, on a map released Thursday, that 98.94% of the state is experiencing moderate to exceptional drought. 

    More than 79% are facing extreme to exceptional dryness. 

    Since Jan. 1, 2022. 22,530 wildfires have burned more than 1 million acres nationally.

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    Wildfires have become a year-round threat in the drought-stricken West. 

    Scientists and fire experts say they are moving faster and burning hotter than ever due to climate change, 

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Biden approves disaster declaration for New Mexico wildfires

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    President Biden approved a disaster declaration on Wednesday that sends federal financial aid to New Mexico areas affected by wildfires that sparked on April 5. 

    The administration said in a statement that the funding will be available to individuals in Colfax, Lincoln, Mora, San Miguel and Valencia counties.

    NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR REQUESTS DISASTER STATUS FOR WILDFIRE

    That assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help home and business owners recover.

    “Federal funding also is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support in the counties of Colfax, Lincoln, Mora, San Miguel and Valencia,” the administration said. “Lastly, Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.”

    • A helitack crew is briefed at the municipal airport near Las Vegas, N.M., on Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)

    • A firefighting plane flies over a plume of smoke near Las Vegas, N.M. on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.  (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)

    • Smoke and dust sweep across a field near Las Vegas, N.M., on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.  (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)

    • A firefighting plane drops water over a plume of smoke near Las Vegas, N.M., on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.  (AP Photo/Thomas Peipert)

    New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham sent the request to the president and previously signed emergency declarations in several threatened counties. 

    On Wednesday, Fox Weather reported that the massive Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon fires burning outside Las Vegas, New Mexico – which merged at the end of April – now cover an area almost the size of New York City.

    On Thursday, the U.S. Forest Service said the fires spanned 165,276 acres and that the flames were 20% contained. 

    NEW MEXICO FIRES EXPECTED TO SPREAD AS RESIDENTS FLEE

    Nearly 1,300 personnel – on the ground and in the air – are working on the fires, which have torn through alpine forest and grasslands. 

    Aircraft, which were grounded much of Wednesday due to high winds, have dropped fire retardant, as ground crews cleared timber and brush. 

    Thousands have been affected by mandatory evacuations and schools were closed.

    In addition, officials at Los Alamos National Laboratory were tracking another wildfire that crept Wednesday within about 5 miles of facilities at the U.S. national defense laboratory based in Los Alamos.

    The National Interagency Fire Center says that more than 1 million acres have burned nationally since Jan. 1.  

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    Wildfires have become a year-round threat in the drought-stricken West. 

    Scientists and fire experts say they are moving faster and burning hotter than ever due to climate change, 

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Biden official says food shortages will push farmers to green energy: ‘Never let a crisis go to waste’

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    A top Biden official said Sunday that the global food shortage crisis would push farmers toward relying on more green energy.

    “Never let a crisis go to waste,” U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Chief Samantha Power told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on “This Week.”

    Speaking of the global consequences of Russia’s war with Ukraine, the Biden official said that fertilizer shortages would provide farmers the opportunity to “hasten” their “transition” from fertilizer to more “natural” resources.

    ENERGY SEC. GRANHOLM: UKRAINE CRISIS PROVIDES ‘URGENT MOMENT’ FOR CONGRESS TO ACT ON ‘CLEAN ENERGY’

    “Fertilizer shortages are real now because Russia is a big exporter of fertilizer. Even though fertilizer is not sanctioned, less fertilizer is coming out of Russia,” she explained. “As a result we’re working with countries to think about natural solutions like manure and compost and this may hasten transitions that would have been in the interest of farmers to make eventually anyway. So never let a crisis go to waste.”

    Power added that the administration was still asking Congress to pass more relief. Last week, President Biden requested an additional $33 billion from Congress for military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.

    “But we really do need this financial support from the Congress to be able to meet emergency food needs, so we don’t see the cascading deadly effects of Russia’s war extend into Africa and beyond,” she said.

    President Biden’s Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm made similar remarks back in March, pushing for Congress to use this crisis to pass “clean energy” legislation and to “wean off” fossil fuels.

    U.S. Oil and Gas Association President Tim Stewart told Fox News that Biden’s energy policies will increase the oil crisis. (AP Photo/Alex Brand  |  Cole Burston/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    “This crisis in Europe, and the crisis our allies are facing and the reduction of supply of natural gas and oil from Russia creates a moment that we should be acting,” she said at a clean energy summit.

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    In March, President Biden warned there were going to be “real” food shortages, following U.S. sanctions placed on Russia due to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

    “With regard to food shortage, yes we did talk about food shortages, and it’s gonna be real,” Biden said to the press at a NATO summit in Belgium.

    The president faced criticism from Republicans like Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana and former energy secretary Rick Perry, who blame the Biden administration’s push to end fossil fuels as a big reason for rising gas prices.