Wildfire & Tribal Impacts: The Colville Tribes say lightning-sparked Kaiser Canyon Fire has burned more than 68,000 acres on the reservation, threatening land they’ve been reseeding after a prior blaze and underscoring how fast fire can turn “Mother Earth” against communities. Heat & Air Quality: A Heat Advisory continues across Washington, with forecasts calling for sunny conditions and high temperatures—another reminder that extreme heat is sticking around. Budget & Power Costs: Seattle City Light won approval for back-to-back 9.5% rate hikes in 2027 and 2028, while the city also put a transit levy on the November ballot—both tied to rising demand and infrastructure needs. Endangered Species Act Fight: Washington tribes and conservation groups sued the Trump administration over a rule redefining “harm,” arguing it weakens habitat protections for species like salmon and steelhead. Data Center Backlash: Spokane County Democrats proposed a nine-month moratorium on large data centers, citing electricity costs and water contamination concerns, following similar local pauses. Built-Environment Decarbonization: ASHRAE announced a Seattle conference focused on retrofitting buildings to cut emissions and improve resilience. Climate-Friendly Death Care: Seattle entrepreneur Katrina Spade’s human composting company Recompose highlights how legal, commercial composting is spreading as a lower-carbon alternative to burial and cremation.