September's wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington add up to the worst fire season on record — over 5 million acres burned, thousands of buildings destroyed and two dozen people killed, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: "This season is part of a long-term trend toward more frequent, more devastating fires in the West that shows no sign of slowing down." Lagging forest management practices and climate change — which causes hotter, drier conditions — have contributed to the unprecedented fire season.
The Trump administration on Friday announced in a revised environmental impact study that it will permit expanded logging and development in Alaska's Tongass National Forest.
Why it matters: The forest covers approximately 25,000 square miles and has been largely protected since the Clinton administration, per NPR. The final rule makes 168,000 acres of old growth in the forest available for timbering, in addition to 20,000 acres of young growth.
