Citing declining snowpack and increased winter recreation, 10 environmental groups are planning to force the government to protect these elusive carnivores.
The faults under Eastern Washington aren't as famous as the feared Cascadia Subduction Zone, but they still pose a threat to communities like Walla Walla, Tri-Cities and Yakima.
Federal officials say lifting a 25-year-old ban on logging old-growth trees will help manage megafires. But conservation groups think it could damage habitat.
The Department of Natural Resources has responded to 468 wildfires — nearly double the average number of fires for the same time over the past 10 years.
Despite calls to remove the dams to save salmon and orcas, federal agencies say the risks to hydropower, navigation and electricity costs are too high.
Scientists from Colville Tribes and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife say this is an important first step to restoring a healthy population.