Kentucky's governor said the numbers would likely rise significantly and it could take weeks to find all the victims. Torrential rains swamped towns across Appalachia earlier this week.
Many Western states lack building codes for wildfire-resistant homes. But a new study finds the costs can be minimal, undercutting long-held building industry arguments against such codes.
Some legal experts and environmentalists think such a declaration wouldn't have been that useful and would have exposed the president's climate agenda to further judicial and legislative scrutiny.
National Hurricane Center data for Miami, Washington, D.C., and New York City show development happening in at-risk areas, even as climate change brings more frequent and intense storms.
With some major insurance companies not offering policies and small firms facing bankruptcy, residents are scrambling to find coverage for this year's hurricane season as structures remain unrepaired.
Crews battling the Oak Fire in California's Mariposa County got a break from increased humidity levels. The blaze, which forced the evacuations of thousands, was 26% contained, Cal Fire said.
Climate change is making heat waves more frequent and intense. With much of the U.S. facing a weekend of extreme temperatures, here are some tips for protecting yourself and your loved ones.
Earlier this year, there had been warnings that supply during peak summer hours might not meet demand. But there have been no reports yet of widespread outages.
The president is expected to tout investments in extreme heat resilience and offshore wind at the site of a converted coal plant in Massachusetts, but stopped short of declaring a "climate emergency."
"We're used to treating hot spells as a chance to go play in the sun," said a top government scientist. "Our lifestyles and our infrastructure are not adapted to what is coming."