wildfires News

Oregon Jury: PacifiCorp Must Pay Punitive Damages for Fires, Plus Award That Could Reach Billions

A jury on Wednesday ordered the electric utility PacifiCorp to pay punitive damages for causing devastating wildfires in Oregon in 2020 – on top of an earlier verdict already expected to amount to billions of dollars. The decision came two …

PacifiCorp Could Owe Billions After Jury Verdict in Devastating Oregon Wildfires

A jury in Oregon this week found the electric utility PacifiCorp responsible for causing devastating fires during Labor Day weekend in 2020, ordering the company to pay tens of millions of dollars to 17 homeowners who sued and finding it …

Canadian Wildfires Shutter Sawmills, Drive Up Lumber Prices

Canada’s worst-ever spring wildfire season has forced its forestry industry to shutter sawmills, driving up lumber prices and setting production back for months just as housing construction has slowed due to higher costs and a tight labor market. Canada has …

Berkshire Unit Liable for Millions in Damages Over Oregon Fires

A Berkshire Hathaway Inc. unit is liable for destruction caused by the 2020 Labor Day Fires in Oregon, a jury concluded, exposing energy company PacifiCorp to potentially more than $1.5 billion in damages. Following a seven-week trial, a state court …

Canada on Track to See Worst-Ever Wildfire Season

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 season, …

Wildfire on Canada’s Atlantic Coast Prompts Evacuation of 16,000, Damages Properties

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 survived. Firefighters worked through …

California Overtime Law Threatens Use of Grazing Goats to Prevent Wildfires

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 herbivores are in high …

Judge in Montana Case Says Fire Retardant Drops Polluting Streams But Allows Use to Continue

A judge ruled that the U.S. government can keep using chemical retardant to fight wildfires, despite finding that the practice pollutes streams in western states in violation of federal law. Halting the use of the red slurry material could have …

State Farm Stops Taking New Applications for Business, Personal Lines P/C in California

An insurer group was quick to respond over the weekend after State Farm announced it will cease accepting new applications for business and personal lines property/casualty in California to deal with increased risks and higher construction costs. The American Property …

California Department of Insurance Bans Sender of Misleading Wildfire Mailers

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 investigation reportedly found California Recovery Group and its owner, …