John Vaillant

Wildfire smoke is like smoking 'half a pack a day.' Here's how to protect yourself As Canadian wildfires spread smoke across the U.S. the air pollution is dangerous to health. But there are ways to protect yourself. Here's what to know.

As Canadian wildfires spread smoke across the U.S. the air pollution is dangerous to health. But there are ways to protect yourself. Here's what to know. By @alejandrabee.bsky.social and @juliaradio.bsky.social

Thanks for this!
I expect there's a lot more meadow/savannah in our future . . .

@johnvaillant.bsky.social may be of interest

All the bellwethers of the Russian economy are in a state of collapse.

Russia's famed Kamaz Truck company reports a net loss for the 1st half of 2025 that wipes out years of previous earnings.

Thanks for staying with it, Cyrus. It's real, and it turned my hair white.

Yes, this is *that* Fort McMurray. If you haven't read @johnvaillant.bsky.social's "Fire Weather", you should remedy that immediately. The story of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire is horrifying and compelling.

Folks! It's official!

Tesla hit with $243 million in damages after jury finds its Autopilot feature contributed to fatal crash The verdict follows a three-week trial that threw a spotlight on how Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have marketed their driver-assistance software.

“Tesla hit with $243 million in damages after jury finds its Autopilot feature contributed to fatal crash [fatal to a pedestrian at a t-intersection]. The verdict follows a three-week trial that threw a spotlight on how Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have marketed their driver-assistance software.”

Can’t tax tips that don’t exist

So sorry to hear this. Take care. Watch the wind, and evac accordingly.

Protect the coast we love from tankers! | Sierra Club BC Tell Prime Minister Carney you say no to dirty oil and yes to clean energy that doesn’t endanger the coast that so many fought to protect.

Use our letter writing tool to tell your MP that you say no to dirty oil and yes to clean energy that doesn’t endanger the coast that so many fought to protect.

Remind your MP of Carney’s promise to not push through a new pipeline without consent: sierraclub.bc.ca/protect-the-...

Thanks, Jeff!

The deadly risk of trying to reach food in Gaza An NPR journalist in Gaza describes his experience seeking food from a site run by private American contractors, facing Israeli military fire, crowds fighting for rations, and masked thieves.

. @npr.org is one of the only US national news organizations that still has a reporter inside Gaza, Anas Baba, and he keeps reporting even though he himself is starving. This piece is unbelievably powerful.
www.npr.org/2025/07/05/n...

The OG.

From Wiki: "The (Palantir) stones were an unreliable guide to action, since what was not shown could be more important than what was selectively presented. A risk lay in the fact that users with sufficient power could choose what to show and what to conceal to other stones . . ."

I just learned a new term today: "Agricultural disaster."
Lac La Biche, Alberta just declared one due to relentless #drought, which also enables #wildfires. This map is brutal:

The Tenth Gate Prize - Word Works Books The Tenth Gate Prize The Tenth Gate Prize honors mid-career poets writing in English. Entry is open to authors of at least two previously published full-length poetry collections. A prize […]

Calling all poets!
Three more days to submit!
wordworksbooks.org/submissions/...
#poetrycommunity #poetry

My pleasure! Greetings from Steamboat, Colorado, where we had a packed house and standing O. Folks really want to come to grips with #wildfire risk.

Great episode.
Convo highlight was John noting that Alberta is filled with very skilled workers, with amazing work ethic capable of sophisticated technical work who could lead the country and continent in renewable energy development.
Albertan politicians please take note!
#abpoli #renewables

Amber is a pro; we had an excellent conversation.
#wildfires #oilandgas #canpoli

One Book One Community: John Vaillant Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World Park City Library and Summit County Library present One Book One Community’s 2025 book Fire Weather by John Vaillant. One Book One Community is supported by Friends of the Park City Library…

TONIGHT! 7PM - Park City Library
parkcitylibrary.org/one-book-one... #books #wildfires

Congress eliminated public media funding, and the president signed it into law. At a time of deep division, public media brings us together.

Help keep it strong. Join our monthly donors today: n.pr/458sOhq

@aarp.org @aarpny.bsky.social @aarpfoundation.bsky.social
@thirdactorg.bsky.social @thirdactnyc.bsky.social

American musical satirist Tom Lehrer dies at 97, US media report Lehrer, a Harvard-trained mathematician, wrote darkly humorous songs, often with political connotations.

RIP to the Goat www.bbc.com/news/article...

Map of Boston showing the air quality index numbers. AQI is well above 100 indicating high levels of PM2.5.

Just went for a run in downtown Boston. The wildfire smoke is thick!

Burned Amazon Forests Stay Hot and Stressed for Decades, Finds New NASA-Supported Study Research indicates that fire alters tropical forests' ability to tolerate climate stress and store carbon—a crucial role in global climate mitigation.

@loridanielsubc.bsky.social @forestry.ubc.ca @drsuzannesimard.bsky.social
news.climate.columbia.edu/2025/07/25/b...

State murder, day after day after day . . .
#Russia #Ukraine

undermines confidence