Latest Wildfire Headlines

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

California Commissioner Angry at Insurers for Altering Wildfire Bills

Jun 28 2018 // California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones is irked that the insurance industry has worked to alter legislation he supports that he says is aimed at strengthening consumer protections for wildfire survivors.Senate Bill...

Disaster Declaration Approved for Oklahoma Spring Fires

Jun 27 2018 // President Donald Trump has approved Oklahoma’s request for a disaster designation after wildfires scorched western parts of the state in the spring.Trump approved the declaration Monday and ordered federal assistance...

Dozens of Homes in North Florida Damaged by Wildfire

Jun 27 2018 // A fast-moving wildfire damaged or destroyed dozens of homes in a Florida county.Gov. Rick Scott visited the small coastal community of Eastpoint on Monday to get an update on the damage. Eastpoint is in Franklin County and...

Northern California Wildfires Flare up in Heat, High Winds

Jun 26 2018 // 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...

Legislative Audit: Kansas Wildfire Response Underfunded, Understaffed

Jun 21 2018 // A legislative audit says Kansas’ wildfire suppression system is underfunded and understaffed and operates with a fragmented leadership.The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the audit was ordered after wildfires in 2016...

Hurricane-Proof Home Building Available But Pricey, Slow to Be Adopted

Jun 20 2018 // In a private waterfront resort on the northern tip of Key Largo, nestled between tropical forest and the Caribbean, Eric Soulavy is marketing luxury for the age of climate change: Coastal homes that are all but hurricane...

California Wildfire Survivor Bills Pass Senate Committee

Jun 15 2018 // Four bills sponsored by the California Department of Insurance that the department believes will strengthen consumer protections for wildfire survivors have passed the Senate Insurance Committee with unanimous, bipartisan...

New Wildfire Erupts Near Ski Resorts, Houses in Colorado

Jun 14 2018 // A wildfire erupted Tuesday in an area of Colorado known for its ski resorts, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,300 homes and marking the latest in a series of blazes that have ignited in the drought-stricken U.S....

Downed Power Lines Sparked Deadly California Fires, Investigation Shows

Jun 11 2018 // A dozen wildfires that burned thousands of homes in California’s wine country and killed at least 15 people last October were started by Pacific Gas & Electric power lines and utility poles, state fire officials...

California Legislators Said to Consider Wildfire Relief Fund to Help Utilities

Jun 4 2018 // California lawmakers are said to be considering a proposal to help utilities shoulder billions of dollars in potential liability costs while offering relief to wildfire victims by setting up a compensation fund that would...

Survivors of Deadly Tennessee Wildfires Seek $14.8M from Feds in Lawsuit

May 30 2018 // Two survivors of deadly Tennessee wildfires that began in Great Smoky Mountains National Park have sued the federal government, claiming they lost loved ones and a home because of the negligence of park workers.The lawsuit...

Report Blames PG&E Power Lines for 4 of Northern California Wildfires

May 28 2018 // PG&E Corp.’s equipment was responsible for causing four of the smaller wildfires that tore through Northern California last year, according to the first report issued by state investigators.The fires in Butte and...

PG&E Judge Won’t Rule Out California Fire Cost Claim

May 21 2018 // PG&E Corp. suffered another legal setback with a judge saying he won’t release the company from a key legal claim over the most destructive wildfires in California history.PG&E has been challenging a...

Agent’s California Senate Bid Driven by Need for Better Representation

May 14 2018 // Tom Pratt, an insurance agent who specializes in procuring fine art coverage in a rural Northern California community, has worked in the insurance industry for more than 20 years.By day he is an insurance agent. In his...

Wildfire Damage to Oklahoma Farms, Ranches Estimated at $26M

May 14 2018 // A report from Oklahoma State University says wildfires that scorched western and northwestern parts of the state and killed two in April caused an estimated $26 million in damage to livestock, pastures, fences and...

US Disaster Assistance OK’d for County After Oklahoma Wildfires

May 7 2018 // Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin says home and business owners in Dewey County who sustained uninsured damage from wildfires can now receive disaster assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Fallin says the...

Strong Winds Fanning Fires, Dangerous Dust Storms in Midwest

May 1 2018 // A fire fueled by strong winds extensively damaged a grain elevator in Wisconsin’s Brown County.The fire broke out about 11:30 a.m. Sunday in Mina. Because of 40 to 45 mph winds, smaller fires caused by blowing,...

Judge Tentatively Rejects PG&E Bid to Set Aside Liability in California Fire

Apr 27 2018 // PG&E Corp. tentatively lost a bid to inoculate itself from a finding of liability in a 2015 fire, a court decision that deals the company a potentially more serious setback in its strategy to shield itself from deeper...

Bills Addressing Last Year’s California Wildfires Have Insurers Concerned

Apr 26 2018 // Insurance industry representatives said on Thursday they are working with the authors of pair of controversial bills approved by a committee in the California state Senate that are designed to give relief to victims of the...

California Bill Would Shield PG&E, Edison from Some Wildfire Liability

Apr 26 2018 // Utility giants PG&E Corp. and Edison International could gain at least some protection against future wildfire damages under a bill that’s advancing in California’s legislature.An amended bill being weighed...