Each year when monsoon season hits, so do the headlines about valley fever.

But what is valley fever?

The answer lies in our soil. There's a type of fungus that lives in the first few inches of the soil in the southwest. When that fungus dries, it turns into microscopic spores. When those spores are swept up in haboobs, we run the risk of breathing them in, which could lead to an infection in our lungs.

And it's not just humans who are at risk. Our pets can develop valley fever too.

In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, podcast editor Katie O'Connell finds answers about valley fever before monsoon season hit.

In this episode you'll hear:

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