Latest Wildfire Headlines
All the headlines from our Wildfire Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Southern California Wildfire Prompts Evacuation Order for Thousands as Winds Fuel Flames
Nov 1 2023 // A wildfire fueled by Santa Ana winds ripped through rural land southeast of Los Angeles, forcing about 4,000 people from their homes, fire authorities said. The Highland Fire erupted at about 12:45 p.m. Monday in dry,...
Sentry in Wisconsin Contributes Another $350K to Support Maui Wildfire Recovery
Oct 27 2023 // Sentry Insurance in Wisconsin announced additional donations of $350,000 to bolster the ongoing Maui wildfire recovery efforts. The contribution brings the company’s total giving to Maui non-profits for direct...
Forest Service Sued Over Flooding Deaths in Wake of Historic New Mexico Wildfire
Oct 25 2023 // Relatives of three people who died last year in a flash flood stemming from the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s recorded history are suing the U.S. Forest Service. The wrongful death lawsuit filed earlier this month...
Report: ‘Climate-Exacerbated Wildfires’ Cost U.S. $394B-$893B Each Year
Oct 23 2023 // “Climate-exacerbated wildfires” cost the nation $394 billion to $893 billion each year in economic costs and damages, according to a Congressional report out this week. The range combines estimates from...
PG&E’s Plan to Bury Power Lines and Prevent California Wildfires Faces Opposition over Rates
Oct 19 2023 // Pacific Gas & Electric – one of the nation’s largest utilities whose equipment has sparked some of California`s deadliest wildfires – wants to bury power lines in some of its most at-risk areas to prevent...
Homeowners Face Rising Insurance Rates as Climate Change Makes Wildfires, Storms More Common
Oct 16 2023 // A growing number of Americans are finding it difficult to afford insurance on their homes, a problem only expected to worsen because insurers and lawmakers have underestimated the impact of climate change, a new report...
PG&E to Pay $45M for Second-Largest California Wildfire
Oct 12 2023 // PG&E Corp. will pay a $45 million penalty for its role in starting the second-largest wildfire in California history under a settlement proposal issued by state regulators. The California utility giant agreed to the...
Viewpoint: Reinsurance Solution Would Help Homeowners Exposed to Wildfires Face the Challenge
Oct 12 2023 // Wildfire has become an increasingly challenging threat in many Western States. With an ever-increasing frequency and intensity, this continues to pose a serious threat to lives and properties across the exposed area....
Wildfire Risk Management Starts by Properly Using a Full Toolbox
Oct 10 2023 // This post is part of a series sponsored by CoreLogic. Welcome to the third installment of our four-part series on wildfire hazard and risk management, where we will explore CoreLogic’s wildfire risk models and their...
Lingering Drought and Wildfires Plague Texas, Threatening Water Supplies and Agriculture
Oct 3 2023 // A lingering drought affecting more than 80% of Texas is causing wildfires, hurting agriculture and drying up water supplies throughout the state. This year’s drought comes less than a year after Texas experienced one...
Many US Cities Vulnerable to Low Water Pressure Amid Wildfire Dangers
Oct 2 2023 // Hours before devastating fires scorched the historic town of Lahaina on Maui, Kyle Ellison labored to save his rental house in Kula, a rural mountain town 24 miles away, from a different blaze. As high winds whipped...
Washington Asks Insurers to Expedite Approval Process for Debris Removal After Wildfires
Oct 2 2023 // Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler sent a letter asking insurance companies and adjusters working with communities impacted by the Gray and Oregon Road fires to expedite the approval process for debris...
Residents Prepare to Return to Sites Of Homes Demolished In Lahaina Wildfire
Sep 26 2023 // From just outside the burn zone in Lahaina, Jes Claydon can see the ruins of the rental home where she lived for 13 years and raised three children. Little remains recognizable beyond the jars of sea glass that stood...
Tech Startups in US, France, Germany Help in Fight Against Wildfires
Sep 25 2023 // This year has been a challenging one for Phil Schneider, who hasn’t seen wildfire behavior like this in his 47-year firefighting career. Blazes raged through more than 2,000 acres of wildland in recent months in his...
US Wildfire Fighters Are Hitting a Pay Cliff at the Worst Time
Sep 25 2023 // In Fairbanks, Alaska, the US Forest Service is looking to hire a smokejumper, a person who parachutes out of a rickety airplane to wrangle wildfires that break out far from roads or rivers. Little experience is necessary;...
Allstate Records About $640M in August Cat Losses, Half From Maui Wildfire
Sep 21 2023 // Allstate reported about $641 million in August catastrophe losses from 18 events, with about half coming from the Maui wildfire. The losses for the month of August were $551 million or $435 million, after-tax, partially...
Berkshire Hathaway Energy Shows Unusual Risk Appetite in Wildfire Court Fight
Sep 21 2023 // Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co.’s PacifiCorp has been battered in an unprecedented court fight over the utility’s failure to prevent massive wildfire destruction in Oregon. The largest grid operator in the...
Louisiana Battling Unprecedented Wildfire Season Amidst Record Heat and Drought
Sep 19 2023 // BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Louisiana, typically one of the wettest states in the country, is on fire. In communities often challenged by flooding and hurricanes this time of year, firefighters instead are fending off...
Maui Wildfires Portend Unprecedented Shift in What It Means To Mitigate Risk
Sep 18 2023 // The Maui wildfires portend a grand and incalculable reality for every single one of us living on this spinning blue globe we call Earth. Understanding the risks associated with where we live, work and play may be reaching...
California Regulators Propose Higher Rates for PG&E Customers to Reduce Wildfire Risk
Sep 15 2023 // Power bills for about 16 million people in Northern California will likely increase after state regulators released two rate proposals for one of the nation`s largest utilities. The California Public Utilities Commission...
