Fort Smith/Fayetteville News | 5newsonline KFSM 5NEWS | Get the local news and weather where you live from 5NEWS. Covering Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Bentonville, and all of Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley.

Health

Claims suggesting NIH declared that fluoride in water 'reduces the IQ of children' are misleading

Extreme Weather

No, a ‘1,000-year storm’ doesn’t mean it only happens once every 1,000 years

Meteorologists aren’t referring to the last time a storm of this magnitude happened when they say “100-year” or “1,000-year storm.” We VERIFY what the term means.
Extreme Weather

How to spot disaster relief job scams

A viral post falsely claims Florida is making people pay tolls on Hurricane Milton evacuation routes. Florida is suspending them across the state as people evacuate.
Extreme Weather

Yes, flooding from excessive rainfall is the leading cause of hurricane deaths

A hurricane can leave an area with potentially deadly rainfall totals, even without a strong wind speed.
Weather

Yes, flocks of birds trapped inside a hurricane can appear on weather radar

“Radar actually picks up on lots of things in the atmosphere, like bugs, sharp temperature changes, and even birds,” KARE Meteorologist Ben Dery said.
Environment

There’s no federal law against people collecting rainwater

State rules differ on whether people can collect rainwater, but there is no federal law banning the practice.
Weather

No, heat lightning isn’t real

“Heat lightning” isn’t any different from ordinary strikes or flashes of lightning.
Wildfires

Yes, poor air quality from wildfire smoke affects pets

Poor air quality can irritate your pet’s eyes and respiratory tract. We VERIFY ways you can keep your pet safe from wildfire smoke inside and outside of your home.
Environment

Yes, your car's recirculate button helps reduce air pollution in your vehicle

The recirculation setting recycles the air in the cabin instead of pulling fresh air from outside, which can reduce the amount of pollution that gets inside the car.
Gigafact

No, Antarctica is not gaining land ice

While some parts of Antarctica are not losing ice, global warming is causing land ice on the continent to melt at a rapid pace.
Environment

No, the Yellowstone supervolcano is not erupting

A hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin led some to believe a massive volcano beneath Yellowstone National Park is set to erupt. Here’s why that’s false.
Project 2025

Yes, Project 2025 recommends dismantling NOAA

Project 2025 claims the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a main driver “of the climate change alarm industry” and should be “broken up.”

Areas to avoid in Fort Smith during flash flood warnings

Police ask Fort Smith residents to avoid commonly flooded areas during severe weather

Live updates: Power outages reported after severe storms

Severe storms tonight in Arkansas & Oklahoma | Weather Impact Alert

Tornado warning expired for Benton and Washington counties

Fort Smith/Fayetteville News | 5newsonline KFSM 5NEWS | Get the local news and weather where you live from 5NEWS. Covering Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Bentonville, and all of Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley.

Claims suggesting NIH declared that fluoride in water 'reduces the IQ of children' are misleading

No, a ‘1,000-year storm’ doesn’t mean it only happens once every 1,000 years

How to spot disaster relief job scams

Yes, flooding from excessive rainfall is the leading cause of hurricane deaths

Yes, flocks of birds trapped inside a hurricane can appear on weather radar

There’s no federal law against people collecting rainwater

No, heat lightning isn’t real

Yes, poor air quality from wildfire smoke affects pets

Yes, your car's recirculate button helps reduce air pollution in your vehicle

No, Antarctica is not gaining land ice

No, the Yellowstone supervolcano is not erupting

Yes, Project 2025 recommends dismantling NOAA

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