Texas requires utilities to plan for emergencies. That didn’t stop the Panhandle fires.
Experts say utilities need to be ready for extreme weather, which could be a challenge in a state where discussing climate change is often taboo. Full Story
![Brooke McQuiddy looks through some of her mother, Melanie McQuiddy’s possessions recovered from the property. Melanie McQuiddy’s mobile home was on the lot in the background when the fire swept through. Canadian, Tx. residents were cleaning up and recovering from the massive wild fires that burned much of the northern Texas panhandle.](https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/Nzz6vJa389mMqw9HbRgw9xajC30=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/db996882dd85ed4e267a3b5dfe5534af/0305%20McQuiddy%20Power%20Lines%20MR%20TT%2008.jpg)
Emily Foxhall is The Texas Tribune's climate reporter. She joined the Tribune as an energy reporter in December 2022, focused on the state’s transition to green energy, the reliability of the power grid and the environmental impact of electricity generation. Emily is based in Houston, where she grew up. After a stint as a Tribune student intern in 2012, she began her career at the Los Angeles Times and its community papers. She later worked at the Houston Chronicle where her environmental reporting uncovered the effects of climate change and pollution on the region. She won several Texas Managing Editors awards and was part of the 2017 team that was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news coverage of Hurricane Harvey. Emily graduated from Yale University in 2013, where she studied English and was a Yale Journalism Scholar.
Experts say utilities need to be ready for extreme weather, which could be a challenge in a state where discussing climate change is often taboo. Full Story
As officials try to determine a cause for the wildfires, a Canadian homeowner filed a lawsuit blaming an energy company for the destruction. And more are expected. Full Story
Texas has a wildfire season in winter, but climate change is extending it, scientists say. Full Story
A new report found that coral off Texas’ coast could die off by 2040 because of climate change. Full Story
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to vote in March on a deal that environmental advocates, the Esto'k Gna Tribal Nation of Texas and local officials oppose. Full Story
Public Utility Commission said conservation would help lower demand during peak times and help avoid emergency conditions. Full Story
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data shows that average temperatures in 2023 were 3.5 degrees above the 20th century average. Full Story
Bitcoin miner Riot Platforms made headlines over the summer for making millions by selling pre-purchased power back to the grid. The news highlighted how the grid can benefit businesses more than consumers. Full Story
Industry experts continue to argue over whether the electricity market in Texas needs to change to make the grid more reliable in winter and summer. Full Story
Despite fishermen’s wishes to delay the season in hopes that oyster reefs recover from years of environmental stress, the state pushed ahead with a Nov. 1 start. Full Story