Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Colorado’s Most Destructive Wildfire Caused by Embers From Old Fire, Sparks From Power Line
Jun 12 2023 // Embers from a smoldering scrap wood fire outside a home days earlier and a sparking power line caused a Colorado wildfire fanned by high winds that destroyed nearly 1,100 homes and left two people dead, authorities...
Philippines Raises Alert Over Volcano, Villagers Urged to Leave Danger Zone
Jun 9 2023 // Philippine officials on Thursday raised the alert level for one of the country’s most active volcanoes after superheated streams of gas, debris and rocks cascaded down its upper slope in a condition they fear could...
Michigan Wildfire Fully Contained
Jun 8 2023 // GRAYLING TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) – A Michigan wildfire that’s burned more than 3 square miles (7.7 square kilometers) amid hot, dry conditions is now fully contained, the state Department of Natural Resources said...
Wildfires Force Miners to Halt Operations in Eastern Canada
Jun 7 2023 // Several mining companies have temporarily halted operations and exploration activities in eastern Canada as unprecedented wildfires rage. Iron Ore Co. of Canada, which is majority owned by Rio Tinto Group, is in the...
Canada on Track to See Worst-Ever Wildfire Season
Jun 5 2023 // Canada is on track to see its worst-ever wildfire season in recorded history if the rate of land burned continues at the same pace. The country is experiencing an unprecedented amount of fire activity for this early in the...
Michigan Wildfire Sparked by Campfire on Private Land
Jun 5 2023 // GRAYLING TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) – A Michigan wildfire that’s burned more than 3 square miles (7.7 square km) amid hot, dry conditions was sparked by a campfire, the state Department of Natural Resources said...
The 2023 Hurricane Season: Are Insurers Prepared for the Growing Risks?
Jun 2 2023 // This post is part of a series sponsored by CoreLogic. As the 2023 Hurricane Season approaches, it is crucial for coastal and inland communities alike to understand and prepare for the potential risks associated with...
Judge Dismisses Criminal Charges Against PG&E Energy in Fatal California Wildfire
Jun 2 2023 // A California judge dismissed all charges against Pacific Gas & Electric in connection to a 2020 fatal wildfire sparked by its equipment that destroyed hundreds of homes and killed four people, including an...
New Models Aim to Better Predict Storm Surge, Insured Losses From Hurricanes
Jun 2 2023 // Two new hurricane forecast models promise to help property owners and insurers better predict the losses from storms that may be increasing in intensity as ocean waters continue to warm. The National Hurricane Center...
Climate Change, Wildfire Risk and State Farm’s California Decision
Jun 1 2023 // Several reasons were given within State Farm’s announcement last week the carrier was no longer writing new personal or business property/casualty policies in California – including a challenging reinsurance...
About 33 Million U.S. Homes at Risk of Hurricane-Force Winds: CoreLogic
Jun 1 2023 // According to an analysis by CoreLogic, about 33 million U.S. homes with a combined reconstruction cost value of $11.6 trillion are at risk of hurricane-force winds. CoreLogic released its 2023 Hurricane Risk Report to mark...
Wildfire on Canada’s Atlantic Coast Prompts Evacuation of 16,000, Damages Properties
Jun 1 2023 // A wildfire on Canada’s Atlantic coast has damaged about 200 houses and other structures and prompted the evacuation of 16,000 people, many of whom were eager to return Tuesday to see whether homes and pets had...
Louisiana Dept. of Insurance Reminds Residents of Roof Coverage Ahead of Hurricane Season
May 31 2023 // The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) is reminding residents to review and assess their roof insurance coverage ahead of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which begins June 1. LDI recommends policyholders review...
California Overtime Law Threatens Use of Grazing Goats to Prevent Wildfires
May 31 2023 // Hundreds of goats munch on long blades of yellow grass on a hillside next to a sprawling townhouse complex. They were hired to clear vegetation that could fuel wildfires as temperatures rise this summer. These voracious...
Hurricane Season Tempered by El Nino, but Climate Change Could Make it Worse
May 30 2023 // Two clashing climatic behemoths, one natural and one with human fingerprints, will square off this summer to determine how quiet or chaotic the Atlantic hurricane season will be. An El Nino is brewing and the natural...
NOAA Predicts Near-Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season
May 26 2023 // As the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season approaches June 1, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting “near-normal” activity. The season’s expectations are mostly due to the fact NOAA...
Typhoon Mawar Is Most Powerful Storm of 2023, So Far
May 26 2023 // Mawar is now one of the three strongest storms ever to hit the North Pacific in May and is the undisputed most powerful — in terms of windspeed — of 2023 so far, according to Jeff Masters, a meteorologist for Yale...
California Department of Insurance Bans Sender of Misleading Wildfire Mailers
May 26 2023 // A California Department of Insurance investigation into misleading mailers on insurance claims following wildfires led to a ban of public adjuster and California Recovery Group owner Argen Youssefi of Glendale. The...
Lawmakers Warn Leaky, Crumbling UK Parliament at Risk of ‘Catastrophic’ Event
May 22 2023 // Britain’s Parliament building is an architectural masterpiece, a UNESCO World Heritage Site visited by 1 million people a year. It’s also a crumbling, leaky, asbestos-riddled structure at “real and...
No Respite for Wildfire-Hit Alberta as Conditions Set to Worsen
May 19 2023 // Abnormally hot and dry weather is set to return to Alberta on Thursday after a couple of cooler days helped calm wildfires that have forced thousands of evacuations and disrupted production in Canada’s main oil-rich...
