Colorado River crunch hits Nevada: Arizona lawmakers and water agencies are pushing back hard on a new federal Colorado River framework that could drive steep Lower Basin cuts, with Nevada officials warning the reductions are “unrealistic” as Lake Mead and Lake Powell continue to drop. Extreme heat and wildfire danger: A heat dome kept Las Vegas near record highs while wildfire risk stayed elevated across the West, and Nevada fire departments sent support to the Ward Fire near Ely. Wildfire impacts beyond Nevada: Eastern Washington’s Spokane-area fires forced at least 60,000 evacuations and destroyed hundreds of homes, underscoring how heat and dry conditions are fueling disasters. Species conservation win: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a rule downlisting the razorback sucker from endangered to threatened, citing decades of recovery work across the Colorado River basin. Local climate resilience: Henderson rejected a data center moratorium, choosing code changes instead—an issue tied to water and environmental concerns. Nevada’s desert future: A study flags Reno and Sparks among U.S. cities most likely to become desert biomes as warming reshapes ecosystems. Wildlife + land use: A scoping study for Nevada’s Independence gold project says preliminary economics look “compelling,” setting up next steps for potential development.