Latest Wildfire Headlines

All the headlines from our Wildfire Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Proposed California Wildfire Board Could Operate Partly in Secret

Jul 1 2019 // A closely watched wildfire law proposed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom would exempt a new safety board from some of the state’s government transparency laws.The Wildfire Safety Advisory Board would advise the...

PG&E in California Wants to Securitize Some Profits to Cover Wildfire Costs

Jul 1 2019 // PG&E Corp. is lobbying for legislation that would allow the bankrupt California utility giant to securitize some of its profits to pay for past wildfire liabilities, people familiar with the matter said.PG&E was...

PG&E Power Line Blamed for Sparking Small California Wildfire

Jun 28 2019 // A downed Pacific Gas & Electric power line is blamed for sparking a wildfire in eastern Monterey County, Calif. this week.The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says the 2,456-acre blaze that erupted...

Poll: Majority of Americans Say Global Warming is Affecting U.S. Weather

Jun 27 2019 // The majority of Americans say global warming is important to them, and that it’s affecting the weather in the U.S.A national survey by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University...

Sweltering Heatwave in Germany Sparks Wildfires, Forces Speed Cut on Autobahn

Jun 27 2019 // A blistering heatwave prompted Germany to impose speed restrictions on usually limit-free stretches of its high-speed motorways Wednesday, the latest sign of extreme weather events ruffling Europe’s largest...

Jump in Western U.S. Wildfires Means Smoke’s Health Impact Will Spread

Jun 26 2019 // Climate change in the Western U.S. means more intense and frequent wildfires churning out waves of smoke that scientists say will affect tens of millions of people and cause premature deaths to spike.That’s prompting...

Bondholders Propose Bankruptcy Exit Plan Up to $30B for PG&E

Jun 26 2019 // A committee of bondholders of PG&E Corp.’s utility unit on Tuesday proposed a bankruptcy reorganization plan that would inject up to $30 billion to help the California power provider emerge from Chapter 11 and...

California Governor Wants Wildfire Fund to Help Utilities

Jun 21 2019 // California Gov. Gavin Newsom is pressing lawmakers on a wildfire fund that may be financed through bonds to help utilities pay for the catastrophic blazes their power lines keep igniting, according to people familiar with...

How PG&E’s $1B to Local Governments for Wildfire Damage Will be Paid

Jun 20 2019 // A California utility agreed Tuesday to pay $1 billion to 14 local governments to cover damages from a series of deadly wildfires caused by its downed power lines.The settlement is a sliver of the more than $30 billion in...

PG&E Settles for $1B with Local Governments for California Fire Claims

Jun 19 2019 // PG&E Corp. will pay $1 billion as part of its bankruptcy reorganization to more than a dozen local governments in California struck by wildfires in recent years, the company and lawyers for the governments said on...

Underwriters Get Picky: 5 Trends to Watch in Construction Insurance

Jun 17 2019 // Construction insurance specialists say their insurance market is strong with plenty of capacity and underwriters competing for the best accounts.According to specialists interviewed by Insurance Journal for their...

Nevada Attorney General Recommends $25M Wildfire Settlement

Jun 14 2019 // Nevada’s attorney general is recommending approval of a $25 million settlement with homeowners and insurance companies who sought more than $300 million in damages from the state after a fire destroyed 24 homes south...

Travelers Beefing Up Wildfire Protection After 2018 California Blazes

Jun 14 2019 // Travelers Cos. is strengthening its wildfire-defense efforts after deadly blazes swept through California last year.The insurer is adding a service to all of its California home and landlord policies, helping customers...

Wyoming Expecting Average Wildfire Conditions

Jun 13 2019 // Average conditions are predicted for the Wyoming wildfire season this year, but officials say they expect the season to be less severe than last year.Wyoming Public Radio reports State Forester Bill Crapser says fire...

PG&E in California Proactively Cuts Power Because of Weather

Jun 10 2019 // Pacific Gas & Electric implemented a controversial practice of cutting power to selected portions of Northern California on Saturday to guard against wildfires as the weather turned very windy, dry and hot.Electricity...

Bankruptcy Judge Approves PG&E $105 Million Assistance Fund for Wildfire Victims

Jun 3 2019 // PG&E Corp. may set up a $105 million housing fund for victims of 2017 and 2018 wildfires in California, which set records for devastation and were blamed on the utility’s equipment, the judge overseeing the...

PG&E Restructuring Plan Upped to $45B by Creditors

May 31 2019 // A group of PG&E Corp. creditors could preempt the embattled California utility’s own attempt to claw its way out of bankruptcy by presenting a restructuring plan that could be worth at least $45 billion,...

California Utility Regulator OKs PG&E’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan

May 30 2019 // A Wildfire Mitigation Plan submitted by Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday.The state Legislature in 2018 enacted Senate Bill 901 mandating action by the...

California Commissioner Wants Insurers to Extend Living Expense Coverage for 2017 Wildfire Survivors

May 29 2019 // California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Wednesday announced two new actions intended to assist survivors of the 2017 North Bay Fires who are facing unavoidable delays in rebuilding.The California Department of...

California Does Not Have a Wildfire Insurance Crisis

May 29 2019 // It’s understandable that wildfire is on the top of mind for California lawmakers this session. Coming on the heels of the 2017 wildfire season that saw $13.2 billion in insured losses, the fires last November that...