Wildfires: Why they’re getting so bad, and tips for staying safe from the smoke

Microsoft details cyber attacks against presidential campaigns | The future of tech hubs | Booking.com closes Seattle office ADVERTISEMENT [GeekWire]( SPONSOR MESSAGE: Become a GeekWire member: [Support independent journalism and join today!]( TODAY'S TOP STORIES The science of wildfires: Smoke from devastating wildfires is filling the sky in cities and towns across the Pacific Northwest this week. Air quality in the Seattle region worsened Friday, with winds pushing smoke north from Oregon and California. So what’s going on? And why are wildfires getting worse? Scientists blame a combination of climate change, lightning strikes, human-caused ignitions, and the fact that people live closer to fire-prone areas. Researchers also say century-old policies that force the immediate extinguishing of wildfires, instead of allowing them to burn, increase the “ladder fuel,” or small and medium trees that can make fires more dangerous. [Read more, and see tips for staying safe from smoke](. The future of tech hubs: Downtown Seattle and San Francisco have taken on the eerie quality of ghost towns as office buildings stand empty and wildfire smoke casts an orange glow over the once-bustling urban cores. Anecdotal evidence points to urban flight. New taxes loom. But polling and real estate data don't back up fears that the pandemic will permanently alter the face of these world-class tech hubs. [Here’s what the numbers say, and why some experts are optimistic about a rebound](. Microsoft says hackers in Russia, China and Iran are escalating their efforts to disrupt the upcoming U.S. presidential election. The company says its security tools detected and prevented the majority of the attacks against the Biden and Trump campaigns. The New York Times Microsoft’s assessment]( “far more detailed than any yet made public by American intelligence agencies.” In some cases, the findings also run counter to recent U.S. intelligence reports. [Read the story.]( Booking.com closes Seattle-area office: The online travel website lay off 235 employees and shut down its Bellevue, Wash., outpost]( as the pandemic significantly reduces travel. Carve out uninterrupted time. Share and delegate. Advocate for yourself. Those are a few takeaways from a panel to help employers and working parents cope through the pandemic. [Read the rest in our recap.]( Thanks for reading, stay safe this weekend, and see all of our latest headlines below. -- GeekWire editor Todd Bishop,todd@geekwire.com, and GeekWire managing editor Taylor Soper, taylor@geekwire.com. SPONSOR MESSAGE [Become a member, support independent journalism!]( GeekWire members support independent journalism at a time when trusted storytelling and community engagement is more important than ever. [Join today!Â]( LATEST HEADLINES [The future of tech hubs: Why some experts are optimistic, despite pandemic and looming taxes]( [Wildfires: Why they’re getting so bad, and tips for staying safe from the smoke]( [Genetic sleuths flesh out the story of how coronavirus got its start in Washington]( [Travel giant Booking.com will close Seattle-area office and slash 235 jobs]( [6 tips to help working parents and employers survive — and maybe even thrive — during COVID]( SPONSORED: GEEK HOME OF THE DAY [Luxury in Leschi]( [Microsoft details online attacks from Russia, China and Iran against U.S. presidential campaigns]( GEEKWORK: TODAY'S TECH JOBS - [INRIX: Senior Java Data Engineer]( - [INRIX: Senior Software Development Engineer]( - [INRIX: Backend Developer/Analyst]( - [Avvo: Director of Sales Acquisition]( - [Icertis: Senior Software Engineer]( - [Libro.fm: Senior Android Developer]( - [Libro.fm: Senior iOS Developer]( [FIND MORE JOBS ON GEEKWORK]( [HIRING? BUY A FEATURED LISTING TO APPEAR HERE]( [About GeekWire]( [Contact Us]( [Advertise]( Copyright © 2020 GeekWire LLC, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted to receive emails from GeekWire LLC.  Our mailing address is: GeekWire LLC 123 NW 36th St, Suite 203 Seattle, WA 98107  [change email frequency or address]( | [unsubscribe](