wildfires News

Encroaching Wildfires Prompt N.C. and Tenn. Campgrounds to Evacuate

PINNACLE, N.C. (AP) — Wildfires have prompted campgrounds in North Carolina and Tennessee to evacuate starting Sunday while firefighters prepared for high winds and low humidity on Monday, though officials hoped for some help from expected rain. The National Weather …

Details of Calif. Wildfire Plan Sketchy, but a Useful Marketing Tool for Data Vendors

A proposal by California’s insurance regulator to require insurers to write more policies in areas at risk of wildfires is more a promise than a plan, but the announcement is giving data analytics vendors a new way to pitch their …

US Climate Assessment Lays Out Growing Threats, Opportunities as Temperatures Rise

WASHINGTON, Nov 14 (Reuters) – Climate change harms Americans physically, mentally and financially, often hitting those who have done the least to cause it, including Black people facing floods in the South and minorities enduring searing heat in cities, a …

Aon Report Says Insured Losses from Severe Convective Storms Tops $50B for First Time

Insured losses from severe convective storms in the United States continued to increase during the third quarter, surpassing the $50 billion mark for the first time on record and accounting for roughly 60% of all global insured losses, according to …

Indonesia Fires Cause Smoky Haze, Prompting Calls for People to Work from Home

PALEMBANG, Indonesia (AP) — More than 300 forest and peatland fires on Indonesia`s Sumatra island caused hazy skies across the region on Monday, prompting government officials to ask people to work from home. The military, police and local government were …

Many US Cities Vulnerable to Low Water Pressure Amid Wildfire Dangers

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 burning trees and …

Wildfires Can Make Your California Red Taste Like an Ashtray. These Scientists Want to Stop that

ALPINE, Ore. (AP) — The U.S. West Coast produces over 90% of America`s wine, but the region is also prone to wildfires — a combustible combination that spelled disaster for the industry in 2020 and one that scientists are scrambling …

Wildfire-Prone California to Consider New Rules for Property Insurance Pricing

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California will let insurance companies consider climate change when setting their prices, the state`s chief regulator announced Thursday, a move aimed at preventing insurers from fleeing the state over fears of massive losses from wildfires and …

The Threat of Wildfires Is Rising. So Are New Artificial Intelligence Solutions to Fight Them

LONDON (AP) — Wildfires fueled by climate change have ravaged communities from Maui to the Mediterranean this summer, killing many people, exhausting firefighters and fueling demand for new solutions. Enter artificial intelligence. Firefighters and startups are using AI-enabled cameras to …

Homeowners Face Rising Insurance Rates as Climate Change Makes Wildfires, Storms More Common

NEW YORK (AP) — 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 says. …