NPR Radio Stories

Note: The sources below refer to specific articles found on the National Public Radio (NPR) Web Site [www.npr.com].  To listen to the stories, you need to have the RealPlayer software program.  If you do not already have this program, you can download a copy for free at www.realplayer.com.

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QuickLinks (By Topic)

Forest Fires

US Forest Service (general)

Preservation Issues

Wildlife

Miscellaneous

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Forest Fires:

NPR Coverage of the 2002 Fire Season (follow this link)

Fire Finger pointing  -- NPR's Elizabeth Arnold reports that politicians, environmentalists and members of the timber industry are blaming one another for the forest fires burning in the West. (4:32) (7/5/02)

Dangerous Smoke Plumes (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's John Nielsen reports on some of the dangers associated with the smoke plumes caused by wildfires. (3:43) (8/25/00)

Montana's Wildfire Damage (14.4 | 28.8) -- From Missoula, Montana, Kathy Witkowsy reports on the widespread damage that drought and wildfires are causing in the western part of the state. Hundreds of thousands of acres of forest have burned already, and millions of acres more have been closed because of fire danger. Businesses that rely on tourism are losing money, and ranchers are facing losses too. More than 200 buildings have been destroyed by fire. (7:08) (8/21/00)

Wildfires in Western States (14.4 | 28.8) -- Tripp Sommer of member station K-L-C-C reports on the conditions that are sustaining the wildfires in the Western states. As the fires continue to burn out of control thousands of people are forced to evacuate their homes. Some of the fires are slowing their advance because of cooler temperatures. (2:06) (8/11/00)

Rocky Mountain Wildfires (14.4 | 28.8) -- Howard Berkes talks with author Stephen Pyne about a series of wildfires that burned through the rockies in 1910. (4:51) (8/9/00)

Western Fires (14.4 | 28.8) -- Sixty-six large fires are burning in the western United States today. This is being called the worst fire season in fifty years. NPR's Aaron Schachter reports on the financial cost of this year's firefighting. (5:00) (8/8/00)

Western Fires (14.4 | 28.8) -- As more than 70 fires burn across the west, fire managers are scrambling to deploy enough personnel to contain and fight the blazes. In Central Idaho, 500 army troops from Ft. Hood Texas are receiving some basic fire training as they prepare to join the 17,000 civilian firefighters in the west. NPR's Mark Roberts reports from McCall, Idaho. (5:00) (8/4/00)

Wildfires Galore (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Mark Roberts reports from McCall, Idaho that there are dozens of major fires burning in 10 western states. US Army soldiers, are preparing to join regular firefighters in an effort to contain the wildfire in the Payette National Forest. Groups of soldiers are receiving training from members of elite firefighting teams. (3:49) (8/3/00)

Western Fires (14.4 | 28.8) -- Fires continue to rage across the west - the nation's worst fire season in more than ten years. This morning Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck met with fire strategists at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. He is now touring fire lines and assessing the situation. From KBSX in Boise, Sadi Babits reports. (3:30) (8/3/00)

Fire - Forecasters (14.4 | 28.8) -- Linda talks with Rick Ochoa, Staff Meteologist for the National Interagency Fire Center, about the wildfires in the western United States. The Center uses a team of "incident meteorologists" to help firefighters strategize against the flames. Ochoa talks about what the crews are telling him from around the country. (4:45) (8/2/00)

California Wildfire (14.4 | 28.8) -- Host Alex Chadwick talks to Captain Chuck Dickson of the Kern County Fire Department about the wildfire that's burning thousands of acres of pine forest in the mountains of California. The area in and around the Sequoia National Forest is sparsely populated. The small towns of Pine Creek and Kennedy Meadows have been evacuated. (3:38) (7/31/00)

Fire Solutions (7/27/00)

When Fires Don't Burn (7/26/00)

Fire Adapted Ecosystems (7/25/00)

Predicting Forest Fires (7/24/00)

Unusual Weather Creating Risks (14.4 | 28.8) -- Mitch Teich of member station KNAU reports on the unusual weather conditions in parts of the Western U.S. that are posing a danger to parks like Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. Wildfires have broken out during a lapse in the normal wet season, and park employees face several challenges in stopping the blazes. (3:35) (7/24/00)

Nature's Trash Disposals (14.4 | 28.8) -- Many towns in California are turning to goats... nature's own walking trash disposals...to help clean up dry brush and other vegetation in fire-prone areas. NPR's Ina Jaffe reports from Laguna Beach, where the animals have been used for about a decade. The goats are about five times cheaper than a human crew...and are able to go where people and heavy machinery can't. (5:01) (7/3/00)

Washington Wildfire Under Control (14.4 | 28.8) -- Tom Banse reports that a wild fire ignited by a collision between a car and a trailer truck in Washington state is under control. The fire burned across nearly half of the Hanford nuclear reservation in southeastern Washington, threatening radioactive waste sites and forcing scores of people to be evacuated. (3:00) (6/30/00)

Wildfire Threats to Nuclear Waste Facilities (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's John Nielsen reports on the various ways wildfires can threaten nuclear waste facilities. In wake of recent wildfires the department of energy is talking necessary precautions to protect the nation's nuclear waste from disaster. (4:22) (6/30/00)

From Fire to Water (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Andy Bowers reports from Los Alamos, New Mexico, the town next to the government nuclear facility, whose residents are recovering from last month's wildfire and preparing for the seasonal rain and floods ahead. (7:30) (6/22/00)

Wildfires Near Denver (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Mark Roberts reports from Colorado on one of two wildfires burning near Denver. Firefighters are concerned about tomorrow's weather prediction of dry, hot winds that could cause the fire to spread. In Conifer, residents are upset over having to evacuate their homes. (3:20) (6/15/00)

Radioactive Material Safe From Wildfires (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's David Kestenbaum reports on how explosives and radioactive material are safely stored at Los Alamos, New Mexico. The National Weather Service expects that winds will rise again today and tomorrow, feeding two wildfires in the state. One fire has shut down the Los Alamos National Laboratory, but scientists say they're confident that the explosive material stored there will not be affected. (1:35) (5/10/00)

 

Jump In The Fire (14.4 | 28.8) -- Howard Berkes talks with Murry Taylor, author of the upcoming "Jumping Fire", a memoir about his 35 seasons as a smokejumper. Smokejumpers are firefighters who get to remote blazes via airplane and parachute. They're the initial attack force against wildfires. In his book, Taylor details this dangerous occupation, and explains why he chose to risk his life for this brand of fire fighting. (8:40)

US Forest Service (general):

Forest Plan (14.4 | 28.8) -- Kai Ryssdal of member station KQED in San Francisco reports on today's announcement by the U.S. Forest Service on its plan to ban roads in millions of acres of federal land that are currently road-free. The plan has been criticized by some agricultural and logging interests, but is supported by conservationists. (3:30)  (5/9/00)

Preservation Issues:

Desert Water Issues (14.4 | 28.8) -- Mitch Teich from member station KNAU in Flagstaff, Arizona, reports on how small communities in the desert are dealing with water issues. In Cedar Valley, Arizona residents don't have their own wells...they share a well. Each year, a different family takes over the maintenance and operation of the well, and an electronic sensor alerts them when the water level drops too low. (5:29) (8/23/00)

Oil and the Republican Campaign (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Jim Zarroli examines the role the oil industry may play in this year's presidential election. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have spent considerable time working for big oil, and opponents are concerned that a Republican victory would mean petroleum companies could have an inside track to more favorable policies in Washington. (6:24) (8/11/00)

Smokies and the Ozone (14.4 | 28.8) -- Linda talks to Howard Neufield, Professor of Biology at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, about his study of the effects of ozone on vegetation in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Neufield says ozone levels in the Great Smokies are among the highest in the National Park system. The study documents visible ozone injury to at least thirty species of plants in the park. (4:30) (8/1/00)

Guardians of the Grand Canyon (14.4 | 28.8) -- Celeste Headlee of member station KNAU reports on a new classical work that incorporates Native American musicians, singers, and dancers. Guardians of the Grand Canyon, composed by Brent Michael Davis, honors the Havasupai tribe which owns a large part of the canyon. (6:33) (7/4/00)

Clinton Making the Effort (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Mara Liasson reports on President Clinton's efforts to complete his last year in office with as many accomplishments as he can. One way is to use his Presidential authority to issue executive orders, such as the one that set aside more than a million acres of federal lands in the West as national monuments. His remaining legislative priorities are much more difficult to achieve because of resistance from the Republican Congress during an election year. And the Senate continues to stall confirmation of his nominees for federal judges. Above all, Bill Clinton would like to help Al Gore succeed him in office, Hillary Clinton get elected to the Senate, and the Democrats regain control of the House and gain seats in the Senate. He has repeatedly scoffed at those who call him a 'Lame Duck.' (8:32) (6/20/00)

Mammoth Cave (14.4 | 28.8) -- Host Bob Edwards speaks with Davis McCombs, award-winning poet who has a passion for Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Despite his notoriety as a poet, McCombs remains in the "day-job" he had as a college student, working as a Park Ranger and tour guide in Mammoth Cave National Park. (7:10)

Wildlife:

Roads and Wildlife (8/30/00)

Wolves and Wildlife (8/29/00)

Gray Wolves (8/28/00)

Suburban Bears (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Joshua Levs reports on a new suburban confrontation--bears and people competing for the same space. (5:22) (8/23/00)

Woodpeckers (8/6/00)

Nothing to Moose Around About (14.4 | 28.8) -- Commentator Heather Lende says that for children in Alaska, encountering a Moose is one of the hazards of playing outside. (2:36) (6/21/00)

Beetle Alert (2/16/00)

Miscellaneous:

Sudden Oak Death Syndrome (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Richard Gonzales reports on a fungus that is devastating large portions of the California forests. (4:38) (8/25/00)

Melting Ice Caps (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Richard Harris reports on the watery North Pole. Last month, a group of tourists traveled there, expecting to see ice. Instead, they found open water. Many people are blaming global warming, and suggest this is an unusual phenomenon. But other scientists say so much open water could be due to the season and other weather conditions. (3:56) (8/22/00)

New Summer Camp (14.4 | 28.8) -- Brian Mann of North Country Public Radio reports on a summer camp that promotes bonding between children and their grandparents. Camp Sagamore is located in the Adirondack Mountains of New York and is run by Elderhostel. (5:16) (8/22/00)

Mapuche Indians Land Dispute (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Martin Kaste reports on the growing political clout of Chile's native Mapuche Indians. Although timber companies hold the title to much of the country's valuable forest land, the Mapuche claim it belongs to them. They've occupied and set fire to some of the land. The timber companies remain unsympathetic, but other parts of Chilean society are beginning to consider the Mapuche's views. (6:22) (8/22/00)

The Secret Knowledge of Water (14.4 | 28.8) -- Howard Berkes takes with naturalist Craig Childs, author of The Secret Knowledge of Water: The Essence of the American Desert. Childs documented his cross-country trek through the deserts of North America as he searched for water holes, small springs, and other signs of water. His quest took him to a place most experienced desert hikers avoid: directly in the path of a flash flood. (8:20) (8/10/00)

The Secret Knowledge of Water : Discovering the Essence of the American Desert by Craig Leland Childs is published by Sasquatch Books; ISBN: 1570611599

Mountain Meadows Massacre (14.4 | 28.8) -- In 1857 an Arkansas wagon train on its way through Southern Utah was attacked by Mormon settlers. Over a hundred people were murdered, with the exception of at least 17 small children. In the first part of a two-part story, Host Howard Berkes reports on the Mountain Meadows Massacre, a subject once avoided by the Mormon Church. After years of scapegoating and cover-ups, the Church is now trying to reconcile with the descendents of the victims, but questions and bitterness still remain. (8:28) (8/8/00)

Outdoors Online (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Steve Krueger reports on an outdoor equipment company that hopes to capture the international market through its rapidly growing online store. (4:01) (8/7/00)

Snakebite Antivenom Shortage (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Richard Knox reports that snakebite antidote supplies are running very low this summer. In many areas, doctors have run out of the crucial medicine before patients have completed treatment. So far, no deaths are blamed on the shortage, but antivenom experts say it's only a matter of time. The shortfall arose when the manufacturer of the main antidote cut back production. (4:30) (8/2/00)

Lost and Found Sound - Voices of the Dustbowl (14.4 | 28.8) -- {LOST AND FOUND SOUND: "VOICES OF THE DUSTBOWL"} -- Today we hear the latest installment the "Lost and Found Sound," series: "Voices of the Dustbowl." In the 1930s, hundreds of thousands of people from Oklahoma and Arkansas traveled to California, in search of better living. Depression-related poverty and a massive drought and subsequent dust storms had made life impossible for them back home. There were no jobs, and the fields were fallow. California held the promise of work and wages, harvesting fruit and vegetables year-round. Sixty years ago, in the summer of 1940, Charles Todd was hired by the Library of Congress to visit the federal camps where many of these migrants lived, to create an audio oral history of their stories, and to document the success of the camp program to the Roosevelt administration back in Washington. Todd carried a 50-pound Presto recorder from camp to camp that summer, interviewing the migrant workers. He made hundreds of hours of recordings on acetate and cardboard discs. Todd was there at the same time that writer John Steinbeck was interviewing many of the same people in these camps, for research on a new novel called "The Grapes of Wrath." Producer Barrett Golding went though this massive collection of Todd's recordings. Together, they bring us this story, narrated by Charles Todd. (22:00) (7/28/00)

Tree Carvings (14.4 | 28.8) -- Tristan Clum of member station KNAU reports on documenting dendroglyphs...tree carvings...near Flagstaff, Arizona. Starting in the late 1800's, sheepherders, many of from the Basque region of Northern Spain, carved basic messages or elaborate images into the bark of aspen trees in this area. Now the trees are dying, and historians are trying to compile information before it's too late. (4:58) (7/6/00)

Living Off the Land (14.4 | 28.8) -- Anne Sutton reports from western Alaska on the political debate that could determine whether a family is able to survive. Many families in rural Alaska live off of fish from the rivers, berries from the trees and game from the mountains. Some residents say subsisting off the land is a tradition that keeps them alive. (7:13) (7/5/00)

Watershed Councils (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Elizabeth Arnold reports on the community-based enterprise sprouting up in the Western U.S. called watershed councils. They're a way for long-time combatants such as farmers and conservationists to negotiate complicated water issues in a local setting. And the members of these councils say they're working. (8:29) (6/28/00)