wildfires News

California Governor Taking PG&E Closer to Fire Law Changes

California utility giants PG&E Corp. and Edison International are one step closer to changing a state law that has exposed them to billions of dollars in wildfire liabilities. Late Tuesday, California Gov. Jerry Brown proposed a bill that would require …

California Wildfire Continues to Grow Near Yosemite

California firefighters worked in worsening heat Monday to contain a forest fire outside Yosemite National Park. The Ferguson Fire had scorched nearly 53 square miles of timber and brush in the Sierra Nevada west of Yosemite and was just 13 …

Sweden Wildfires Destroy More Than $100M Worth of Forested Land

Swedish authorities said the risk of fires spreading across the country will hit “extreme” levels this week as emergency services battle dozens of blazes that have already destroyed more than $100 million worth of forested land. The Swedish Civil Contingencies …

Greek Wildfires Claim at Least 74 Lives in Worst Blazes Since 2007

Greek firefighters say that at least 74 people were killed in wildfires in the country’s Attica region, which includes Athens, as a summer heatwave has increased the risk of blazes across Europe. The fires struck two coastal resorts popular with …

Sweden Battles 50 Wildfires with Help of Firefighters Across Europe

As wildfires raging through Sweden exhaust local emergency services, Europe is sending hundreds of people to help contain multiple blazes across the country. France, Germany and Denmark have dispatched more than 100 firefighters while Poland is sending 139 people to …

Northern California Wildfires Flare up in Heat, High Winds

Thousands fled their homes as major wildfires encroached on a charred area of Northern California still recovering from severe blazes in recent years, sparking concern the state may be in for another destructive series of wildfires this summer. California officials …

Everest Re Expects Q1 Catastrophe Losses of $100M on Rising California Wildfire Claims

Everest Re Group Ltd. estimates it will incur $100 million of catastrophe losses, net of reinsurance recoverables and reinstatement premiums, in the first quarter of 2018, largely arising from the California wildfires and related events. Everest said its original loss …

Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas Facing Dual Threats: Tornadoes, Wildfires

Emergency officials in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas are bracing for two types of disasters as spring gets into full swing: The start of what’s historically the most active time of year for tornadoes plus wildfire threats brought on by severe …

Wildfires Cost Montana $240M In Visitor Spending, New Research Shows

University of Montana researchers say the 2017 fire season likely cost Montana about $240 million in visitor spending. The Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research said Tuesday that 12.5 million out-of-staters visited Montana last year and spent $3.36 billion. Economist …

California Chief Justice Expects an Influx of Wildfire Claims

California courts are preparing for an influx of lawsuits tied to last year’s historically destructive wildfires and mudslides, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye told lawmakers this week in her annual “state of the judiciary” address. Cantil-Sakauye, who has sparred with President …