Latest Wildfire Headlines
All the headlines from our Wildfire Topic Page, ordered by recency.
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...
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...
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...
Los Angeles Sues Airbnb for Alleged Price Gouging Following Wildfires
Jul 18 2025 // Los Angeles sued Airbnb, accusing the home rental company of allowing price gouging affecting at least 2,000 properties during January’s wildfires in Southern California, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto said on...
High Temperatures, Wildfire Smoke May Trigger Protections for Washington Workers
Jul 15 2025 // Worker safety regulators in Washington are warning businesses that temperatures and wildfire smoke are making for hazardous conditions for outdoor workers. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries issued a...
Unhealthy Smoke From Canadian Wildfires Blankets Upper Midwest
Jul 14 2025 // Much of the Upper Midwest on Saturday was dealing with swaths of unhealthy air because of drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires, covering the northern region of the U.S. at a time when people want to be enjoying lakes,...
Wildfire Destroyed Historic Grand Canyon Lodge After Being Allowed to Burn
Jul 14 2025 // A wildfire raging along the Grand Canyon’s North Rim that leveled a historic lodge erupted over the weekend after burning for more than a week, raising scrutiny over the National Park Service’s decision not to...
Containment Increases on California Wildfire That Forced Evacuations
Jul 8 2025 // Firefighters are making progress on the biggest wildfire in California this year. Containment has increased on the Madre Fire to 35%. The wildfire on the central coast of California has burned 80,603 acres, prompting...
Viewpoint: State Farm’s Wildfire Claims Response Is a Test of Trust and Preparedness
Jul 8 2025 // State Farm has long positioned itself as the dependable “good neighbor” ready to help when disaster strikes. Through carefully crafted advertising, the company promotes a sense of comfort, security, and...
Wildfire Smoke Brings a Forgotten Danger to the Arctic: Black Carbon
Jul 8 2025 // In 2023, the Canada wildfires that incinerated more than 17 million hectares (42 million acres) of boreal forest were so hot they melted the paint on approaching fire trucks and smoldered underground all winter. That heat...
California Wildfire Grows to Nearly 80,000 Acres, Forcing Evacuations
Jul 7 2025 // A wildfire on the central coast of California has grown to 84,080 acres, prompting evacuation orders and closing part of a highway. The Madre Fire, the biggest the state has seen this year, started on Wednesday and is...
Verisk: Q1 Claims Volume Hits 5-Year Low but Severity Up on Wildfire Losses
Jul 7 2025 // The first three months of 2025 brought devastating wildfires to California, significant wind and hail events to Texas, and substantial increases in tornado activity to “Tornado Alley,” but claim volume...
Wildfire Experience Inspires New Contents Claims Insurtech
Jul 7 2025 // When Michael Balarezo emerged from the basement office of his Boulder, Colorado, home in December 2021, smoke plumes from the nearby Marshall Fire were visible from his driveway. Balarezo, his wife, and daughter swiftly...
Wildfire Season Preview: Rest of 2025 Is High-Risk, May Follow LA Wildfires Paradigm
Jul 7 2025 // Following the “paradigm-shifting” Los Angeles wildfires in January, the 2024-2025 wildfire season will be remembered as a turning point for the insurance industry, and a warning that “wildfire is no...
Containment Grows on Southern California Wildfire As Evacuation Orders Lifted
Jun 30 2025 // Firefighters made quick progress battling a wildfire in Southern California, which is now 25% contained after burning 485 acres in San Bernardino County and prompting evacuations. The Lake Fire erupted Saturday afternoon...
Wall Street Backs LA Wildfire Lawsuits, Chasing Billions
Jun 30 2025 // The Los Angeles wildfires have generated potentially thousands of new clients for lawyers and prospects for billions in fees. Wall Street wants in on the action, too. The chance at a piece of strong returns has encouraged...
Oregon Legislature Repeals Contested Wildfire Hazard Map
Jun 27 2025 // Oregon lawmakers have voted to repeal the state’s contentious wildfire hazard map, which subjected homeowners in certain areas at high risk of wildfires to stricter building codes and requirements to reduce...
