Wildfires bring both destruction and benefits

Nearly 11,000 acres were charred in the Mesquite Heat Wildfire. The trees will take some time to recover, but grass and other native plants will regrow here quickly. Texas is facing an intense wildfire season, with already over 200,000 acres burned so far. Of course, wildfires can have devastating consequences for people, agriculture and the environment. But they also bring some positive ecological effects. The Mesquite Heat fire, off of State Highway 277 scorched nearly…

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Power restored for most residents, damage still a concern after severe weather in the Triangle

Power restored for most residents, damage still a concern after severe weather in the Triangle

By Monica Casey, WRAL Durham reporter Raleigh, N.C. — Since Friday thousands of Triangle residents have been dealing with power outages and damage in the aftermath of severe weather. On Saturday morning, more than 40,000 people in the Raleigh area woke up without power. As of Saturday afternoon, the number of customers without power in the Raleigh area was down to just under 20,000. Around 2,800 were still without power as of Sunday around 9…

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Power restored for most residents, damage still a concern after severe weather pummels the Triangle

Power restored for most residents, damage still a concern after severe weather pummels the Triangle

By Adam Owens, WRAL anchor/reporter Raleigh, N.C. — Since Friday thousands of Triangle residents have been dealing with power outages and damage in the aftermath of severe weather. On Saturday morning, more than 40,000 people in the Raleigh area woke up without power. As of Saturday afternoon, the number of customers without power in the Raleigh area was down to just under 20,000. Around 2,800 were still without power as of Sunday around 9 a.m….

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Parts of Yellowstone National Park to reopen after historic flooding

Parts of Yellowstone National Park to reopen after historic flooding

June 19, 2022 (CBS) — Portions of Yellowstone National Park will reopen beginning next week, the National Park Service announced Saturday. The news comes several days after historic flooding destroyed houses, water systems and roads in the area and forced the park to close. The park’s south loop will have limited service beginning Wednesday at 8 a.m., the park service said. The north loop will remained closed until further notice. In a statement Saturday, the park service said it expects…

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Spain, Germany battle wildfires amid unusual heat wave

Spain, Germany battle wildfires amid unusual heat wave

By JOSEPH WILSON, Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain — Firefighters in Spain and Germany struggled to contain wildfires on Sunday amid an unusual heat wave in Western Europe for this time of year. The worst damage in Spain has been in the northwest province of Zamora where over 25,000 hectares (61,000 acres) have been consumed, regional authorities said, while German officials said that residents of three villages near Berlin were ordered to leave their homes because…

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Yellowstone River flooding is a 1 in 500-year event, USGS says; National Park to partly reopen

Yellowstone River flooding is a 1 in 500-year event, USGS says; National Park to partly reopen

HELENA, Mont. — The devastating flooding that occurred along the Yellowstone River this week constitutes a 1 in 500-year event, according to a US Geological Survey (USGS) news release. Unprecedented rain and rapid snowmelt in recent days have caused rivers in parts of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho to burst their banks, swallowing bridges and sweeping away entire sections of roadway. More than 10,000 visitors to Yellowstone National Park have been forced to evacuate. All entrances…

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'Like hurricane-level damage': Thousands remain without power, cleanup to last days after severe weather

'Like hurricane-level damage': Thousands remain without power, cleanup to last days after severe weather

By Adam Owens, WRAL anchor/reporter & Maggie Brown, WRAL multiplatform producer Raleigh, N.C. — A band of severe thunderstorms brought down trees and knocked out power to thousands across the Triangle on Friday evening. Residents went to bed on Friday night without power in both Wake and Durham counties. Many of those same families woke up this morning still without power. On Saturday morning, more than 40,000 people in the Raleigh area were waking up…

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Oberlin Village Heritage 5K canceled due to storm damage at Dix Park

Oberlin Village Heritage 5K canceled due to storm damage at Dix Park

Raleigh, N.C. — The City of Raleigh said Friday evening that Saturday’s Oberlin Village Heritage 5K at Dix Park has ben canceled due to damage at the park from Friday’s storms. The city said Friday’s severe weather brought down multiple trees and power lines and rendered the race course area unsafe. The city said this was not a decision they take lightly, but do consider this a safety issue. It is unclear at this time…

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City of Corpus Christi Hurricane Preparedness Free Sandbag Distribution Events

City of Corpus Christi Hurricane Preparedness Free Sandbag Distribution Events

The Corpus Christi Public Works Department will partner with military volunteers from Naval Air Station Corpus Christi to offer free pre-filled sandbags to residents. There will be two events for residents to obtain sandbags. The first event will take place on Saturday, June 25 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (or until all sandbags have been distributed). On this date, residents can pick up sandbags at Waldron Field (3746 Waldron Road) or the City Service…

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Researchers want to hear your 'tornado tale' to improve weather warnings

Researchers want to hear your 'tornado tale' to improve weather warnings

By Brian Shrader, WRAL meteorologist Patti Clapper was watching WRAL-TV the afternoon of April 16, 2011. From her home near Holly Springs, she listened to meteorologists Mike Maze and Nate Johnson as they tracked the largest one-day tornado outbreak on record in North Carolina. “I heard Nate start mentioning streets,” Clapper said. “I heard him say the street right down the street from me.” She called her children downstairs and looked out the window. “I…

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Family displaced by Hurricane Katrina finds new community in Texas Special Olympics

Family displaced by Hurricane Katrina finds new community in Texas Special Olympics

DEER PARK, Texas — Brenda and Rick Spencer found out that their daughter Ainsley, now 30, had Down syndrome the day she was born. They called it “one of the hardest days of our lives,” remembering the feelings of anxiety from not being able to see their baby until 14 hours after the birth. Ainsley spent 10 days in the NICU before her parents could finally bring her home. They explained that the first few…

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Michigan baby formula plant forced to halt production due to severe weather, power outages: ABC News

Michigan baby formula plant forced to halt production due to severe weather, power outages: ABC News

STURGIS, Mich. — Less than two weeks after restarting production at their beleaguered Sturgis, Michigan plant, Abbott says they have once again been forced to halt production at the facility — after heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, power outages and flood damage ravaged the area, ABC News first reported. “These torrential storms produced significant rainfall in a short period of time – overwhelming the city’s stormwater system in Sturgis, Michigan, and resulting in flooding in parts…

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City of Corpus Christi Hosts Hurricane Evacuation Exercise

City of Corpus Christi Hosts Hurricane Evacuation Exercise

What:  Emergency Evacuation Training Exercise When:  Friday, June 17              2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Where: Corpus Christi Gym               3202 Cabaniss Parkway, 78415 Who:    City of Corpus Christi              Texas Division Emergency Management              Regional Transit Authority              Corpus Christi Independent School District              Salvation Army              American Red Cross              211 Texas              Functional Needs Support Team CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Representatives from the City of Corpus Christi, Texas Division of Emergency Management and local…

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TxDOT completes Aransas Pass storm wall drill in preparation of hurricane season

TxDOT completes Aransas Pass storm wall drill in preparation of hurricane season

In preparation of hurricane season, the Texas Department of Transportation conducted a drill to install a section of the storm surge wall in Aransas Pass on Tuesday. Aransas Pass has a levee system on the east side of town as protection from rising water during a hurricane. Highway 361 creates an opening in the levee system. The TxDOT drill involves closing that gap with a surge wall barrier, a news release stated. More:Hurricane season 2022: Here’s…

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Brunswick Electric continues preparations for hurricane season, runs tabletop exercise

Brunswick Electric continues preparations for hurricane season, runs tabletop exercise

June 14, 2022 SUPPLY, NC (WWAY) — This afternoon, Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (BEMC) completed its annual hurricane tabletop exercise to simulate its response to severe weather. During the exercise, employees reviewed and discussed the actions they would take during a hurricane, testing their emergency plan. The tabletop exercise was used to clarify roles and responsibilities, and to gauge the effectiveness of BEMC’s severe weather preparedness. “As the season starts, we conduct hurricane exercises and…

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