Latest Catastrophe Headlines
All the headlines from our Catastrophe Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Deadly Wildfires Ravage Southwest France as Heat Wave Builds
Aug 6 2025 // France’s biggest wildfire in about two decades ravaged vineyards and farms in southern France, leaving one person dead and forcing residents to flee. About 2,100 firefighters, assisted by aircraft, are working to...
California’s Largest Wildfire of 2025 Threatens 870 Structures
Aug 6 2025 // A wildfire in California that has become the biggest fire in the state this year, prompting evacuation orders and threatening hundreds of structures, has grown to 83,933 acres. The fire, which started on Aug. 2 and covers...
California Wildfire Burns 72,460 Acres, Threatens Hundreds of Structures
Aug 5 2025 // A wildfire in California that covers two counties, and prompted evacuation orders and threatened hundreds of structures, has grown to 72,460 acres. The fire is threatening more than 870 structures, according to CalFire. At...
California Wildfire Burns 65,000 Acres in Los Padres Forest, Prompts Evacuations
Aug 4 2025 // A wildfire in California has prompted evacuation orders and threatened hundreds of structures. The wildfire has grown to 65,062 acres, and was only 3% contained. Firefighters have been battling the Gifford fire in Santa...
No Major Impact Reported as Small Earthquake Shakes New Jersey-New York Area
Aug 4 2025 // A small earthquake rattled the New York metropolitan area Saturday night. The U.S. Geological Survey said the tremor had a magnitude of 3.0. It hit in the New Jersey suburb of Hasbrouck Heights, less than 8 miles (13...
The New Approach to Hurricane-Strong Homes? Concrete Walls, Wind-Resistant Roofs, But Affordable and Stylish
Aug 4 2025 // If wind mitigation and stronger homes are the paths to reducing insurance claims and bringing down premiums in hurricane-prone areas as a growing number of industry experts believe, then homeowners, builders and insurers...
Florida Meteorologist Predicts Where the Next Hurricane Will Hit–For a Price
Aug 4 2025 // Colorado State University’s hurricane research team, perhaps the best-known and most-often quoted forecasting service, in early July revised its prediction for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season downward slightly...
KCC Completes Review of California Wildfire Model
Aug 1 2025 // The California Department of Insurance completed a review of the KCC US Wildfire Reference Model Version 3.0, making it the state’s second wildfire catastrophe model. The new model for use by insurers in assessing...
Newsom Seeks $18B for Utilities’ Wildfire Fund as California Faces Future Blazes
Jul 31 2025 // California Gov. Gavin Newsom is circulating a legislative proposal to shore up a state fund for utilities that’s at risk of being depleted following the deadly wildfires that struck Los Angeles County in January. The...
Suspect in Michigan Walmart Stabbings Charged With Rarely Used Terrorism Count
Jul 31 2025 // A Michigan prosecutor filed a terrorism charge this wek against a man accused of stabbing 11 people at a Walmart store. The charge has been rarely used in the state’s courts since it was adopted more than 20 years...
Huge Quake Rocks Russia’s Far East, Triggering Tsunami Warnings Around Pacific
Jul 30 2025 // A very powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka coast on Wednesday triggered tsunami warnings as far away as French Polynesia and Chile, and was followed by an eruption of the most active...
Update: Shanghai Evacuates 280,000 Residents as Tropical Storm Arrives
Jul 30 2025 // Shanghai has evacuated around 280,000 people and canceled flights as a tropical storm crossed China’s financial hub, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall that threatens flash flooding. Storm Co-may — known...
Volunteers Repair Appalachian Trail Damage Almost a Year After Hurricane Helene
Jul 29 2025 // UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (AP) — In a rugged patch of the Appalachian Trail in eastern Tennessee, volunteers size up a massive, gnarled tree lying on its side. Its tangled web of roots and dark brown soil, known as a root...
Panel Passes Bill to Curb Vacation Rentals, Boost Housing Supply After Lahaina Wildfire
Jul 29 2025 // Lawmakers on Maui passed legislation aimed at eliminating a large percentage of the Hawaiian island’s vacation rentals to address a housing shortage exacerbated by the wildfire that destroyed most of Lahaina two...
Europe Inc Swerves Trump Trade War ‘Hurricane’ but Laments Higher Tariffs
Jul 28 2025 // European companies were left wondering on Monday whether to cheer a hard-won U.S. trade deal or lament a still sharp jump in tariffs versus those in place before President Donald Trump’s second term. A day earlier,...
California Department of Insurance Completes Final Review of Wildfire Model
Jul 24 2025 // The California Department of Insurance completed a review of the state’s first wildfire catastrophe model, marking a dramatic change in the state’s property/casualty insurance ratemaking process. The new model...
Wildfires in Mediterranean Leave a Dozen Dead as Heat Soars
Jul 24 2025 // Wildfires fueled by soaring temperatures and strong winds across the eastern Mediterranean left a dozen people dead in Turkey and Cyprus. Ten forest workers and search and rescue volunteers were killed in Turkey’s...
Arizona Governor Tours Wildfire Destruction Along Grand Canyon’s North Rim
Jul 22 2025 // Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs toured the destruction left by a wildfire along the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, on Saturday, surveying what she described as devastating damage. The governor, who has called for an...
How Crockett, Texas Turned a Devastating Tornado Into Funding for Sirens
Jul 21 2025 // A small East Texas community is in the final stages of installing a state-of-the-art disaster warning system officials have been working toward for years. Six new sirens will be placed strategically throughout the city of...
The New Approach to Hurricane-Strong Homes? Concrete Walls But Affordable
Jul 21 2025 // If wind mitigation and stronger homes are the paths to reducing insurance claims and bringing down insurance premiums in hurricane-prone areas, as a growing number of industry experts believe, then homeowners, builders and...
