Mountain West News Bureau

States around the Mountain West are seeing an uptick in COVID-19 cases, and it’s started to affect some tribes, too. The Navajo Nation’s increase in cases is modest compared to surges in states like Arizona, though.

A study published earlier this year found that even without bark beetle outbreaks and wildfire, trees in Colorado's subalpine forests are dying at increasing rates from extreme summer conditions.

Low vaccination rates make many counties in the Mountain West especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 delta variant right now, according to data from the public health research group PHICOR. That’s prompting tough new action from some state and federal officials.

As Western states battle thousands of acres of wildfires that are degrading air quality across the country, President Biden on Friday told Western governors that his infrastructure plan provides needed relief.

The U.S. is facing a jet fuel shortage this summer. It’s causing long delays at airports across the West as well as some concern among aerial firefighters.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland faced lawmakers on Capitol Hill Tuesday as she advocated for an $18 billion budget increase for her department next year. The money would go towards advancing renewable energy projects, expanding wildland fire programs and boosting public safety on reservations.

Life for DACA recipients in the U.S. is anything but assured, and a recent federal ruling has unleveled the shaky ground they walk on and drawn sharper curves into their paths.

The U.S. Energy and Employment Jobs report came out Tuesday, showing an overall decline in energy jobs around the nation.

Experts largely agree that schools should open to in-person learning this fall, but there’s disagreement on masking policies.

Air quality specialists say the smoky conditions that showed up earlier than usual this year, could stick around until October for some parts of the region.