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Jyl Hoyt of member station KBSX in Boise reports efforts to battle the Rankin fire in central Idaho. This year's western wildfires are the worst in nearly half a century.

Edward C. Walker, the inventor of the Lava Lamp, has died. Noah talks with Cressida Granger about Walker and his creation. She is the managing director and owner of Mathmos, which now owns and sells Lava Lamps.

NPR's Mary Ann Akers reports that Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater is assembling a federal task force to monitor airline performance after a summer travel season marred by thousands of flight delays.

Robert talks with Masha Lipman, Deputy Editor of Itogi Magazine -- Newsweek's Russian edition -- about public dissatisfaction with President Putin 's handling of the submarine crisis. Television footage of Putin riding on a water scooter at a resort during the crisis angered many people. But Lipman says it's too soon to tell whether this could be a problem for Putin politically.

Leda Hartman reports on the lawsuit that Hoke County and four other rural counties in North Carolina have brought, against the state's method of disbursing money to school districts. The plaintiffs argue that poor school districts can't raise as much money for public education as wealthier districts, and that the inequality feeds a cycle of underachievement and poverty. The case is currently in North Carolina State Superior Court and is expected to go to the state supreme court.

Host Renee Montagne talks to writer Beverly Donofrio about her search for faith in her new book, Looking for Mary. (5:30) Beverly Donofrio's new book is titled Looking for Mary is published by Viking Pr; ISBN: 06708

Host Renee Montagne talks to reporter Richard Galpin about the resurgence of violence in East Timor. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees suspended operations in West Timor after three of its workers were severely injured in an attack by pro-Indonesian militias.

Claudio Sanchez reports on the latest results of a 30-year survey of nine, thirteen, and 17-year old American students. The report, which looks at reading, math and science scores, shows today's students are doing better in math than students did 30 years ago. Performance is mixed in reading and science. The survey finds the academic gap between boys and girls has virtually disappeared. It says the gap between white and minority students closed for a while, but has started to open up again. The report also says a much greater percentage of today's students are taking tough courses, such as calculus, than students did 30 years ago.

Steven Dudley reports from Bogota that non-governmental relief agencies are worried that the newly approved American aid package for Colombia relies too heavily on military solutions to the drug problem. The NGO's say that the 1.3 billion-dollar program puts them in danger.

NPR's Jack Speer reports on the creative ways companies have responded to high oil prices. Many businesses are managing to lower their energy bills with the help of new technology.