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File image of a cliffside at Lake Mead.

Water cutbacks anticipated as Lake Mead levels drop

The reservoir's level hit a record low in June.
File image of monsoon rain in Saguaro National Park.

UA climatologist hopeful monsoon will arrive in early July

Precipitation shortfalls over the last year has exasperated drought in the region.
The Arizona State Legislature in Phoenix.

Arizona lawmakers advance $100M fire fund in special session

Wednesday's committee votes came after hearing dire warnings from state wildfire officials.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Tucson was 117 degrees, in 1990.

Heat wave grips US West amid fear of a new, hotter normal

It's raising concerns that such extreme weather could become the new normal amid a decades-long drought.
The bright sun sets behind some trees near Soleng Tom Elementary School on Tucson's east side.

Beat the heat at a cooling center

City, private groups offer cooling locations.
A solar array used by Tucson Electric Power to add renewable energy to the grid, August 2019

Electric grid holding up as temperatures soar

Utility urges customers to time appliance use carefully.
The Bureau of Land Management used prescribed burns across many of its properties for habitat improvement and to reduce the risk of severe wildfires.

Crews make steady gains on wildfire in rural Arizona

Despite progress, several communities are still being told to be ready in case of evacuation.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey sits for an interview with Arizona 360 in his office at the Arizona Capitol on Jan. 13, 2021.

Governor tours Arizona fires, calls for special session

Ducey wants the Legislature to approve extra money to ensure that firefighters have the resources they need
Lake Mead outside of Las Vegas.

Key reservoir on Colorado River expected to match record low

Dropping surface level at Lake Mead continues to drop
The Bureau of Land Management used prescribed burns across many of its properties for habitat improvement and to reduce the risk of severe wildfires.

Rural Arizona residents wait as wildfire spreads uncontained

The so-called Telegraph Fire, straddling two counties, has burned 112 square miles and was at zero containment Tuesday
Flames from the Obi Fire run parallel to a highway. Lightning sparked the fire near Walhalla Plateau in Arizona on July 21, 2018.

Arizona wildfires prompt evacuation orders, advisory notices

Evacuations were ordered for areas on the San Carlos Apache Reservation and residents of Superior were advised to prepare for possible evacuation
From the "Good Food Finder" webpage: "Good food is all about taste and freshness. But choosing local means more than delicious and more nutritious food! Local food builds vibrant communities, supports farmers and food entrepreneurs, protects the environment, and fosters a robust local economy."

"Good Food Finder" wants to build roots between growers and consumers.

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Visit a place in the desert with more than a century of aviation history; current Tucson Museum of Art exhibition "4 x 4" celebrates Willie J. Bonner; more entries by 5th graders from The NPR Student Podcast Challenge.
A wind turbine.

TEP brings new renewable energy solar system online this month

With the addition of two new energy systems about 26% of TEP's power will be from renewable sources.
Old Main on the University of Arizona campus.

UA ready to have all purchased renewable power in May

The university says the move will cut greenhouse gases by a third and save millions in the long run.
Cracked earth in the Joshua Tree National Park, where the National Park Service says severe drought and warming temperatures will likely affect the populations and home ranges of many species.

White House announces group to address drought in the West

The interagency group will work with federal, state, local and tribal governments to tackle the water shortages.
Elise Osenga maintains one of Aspen Global Change Institute's 10 soil moisture monitors. Researchers use data from stations like this one to figure out how much snowmelt and precipitation will reach rivers and streams.

When water is scarce, some researchers go underground to find out why

The amount of moisture held in the ground can play a big role in how much water makes it down to rivers and reservoirs.

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