Smoke from BC wildfires is affecting the public’s mental as well as physical health, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association. Related air quality headlines include: breathing Seattle’s air is like smoking 7 cigarettes; smoke poses health risks across the US West; and instant air quality updates are available via wifi in Victoria, BC. 

In Forestry news: BC’s Premier says forest fuels need to be reduced; a Nova Scotia report calls for less clear-cutting; a Canadian scientist says we need to get used to fires seasons like this; a Missoula researchers says summer rainfall has 17 times more impact than snowpack on acres burned; and temperate forests in the US East show strong adaptation to changes in climatic conditions. 

Finally: new home construction slowed in Oakland due to increased costs; Plastic’s Today says lumber tariffs are a boon for their members; and UC Berkley’s Peter Berck—one of the world’s foremost forestry economists—has died of cancer.

–Kelly McCloskey, Tree Frog Editor