Latest Wildfire Headlines
All the headlines from our Wildfire Topic Page, ordered by recency.
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...
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...
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...
California Commissioner Doing Battle with Insurers over Wildfire Bills
Apr 25 2018 // California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones appears to be poised for a fight with the insurance industry over a legislative package supports say will protect survivors of last year’s wildfires that struck in the...
Markets Not Getting Better at Insuring Disasters: Viewpoint
Apr 24 2018 // Last year was the second-costliest year for disasters since 1970, according to a new analysis from reinsurance firm Swiss Re AG. Global economic losses from these events reached $337 billion in 2017, behind only...
Sheriff: Arson a Possibility in Deadly Oklahoma Wildfire
Apr 23 2018 // Authorities are investigating the possibility of arson in connection with one of two large wildfires burning in Oklahoma, a blaze that’s resulted in the death of one person. Dewey County Sheriff Clay Sander said that...
Firefighters Hope Better Weather Will Aid Oklahoma Wildfire Fight
Apr 20 2018 // Firefighters are hoping higher humidity and milder winds will help them fight wildfires in Oklahoma, though conditions are critical in Arizona and New Mexico. U.S. Forest Service spokesman Todd Schroeder said on April 19...
California Wildfire Insurance Bills Moved Forward by Committee
Apr 19 2018 // A policy committee in California Legislature has unanimously approved a pair of wildfire-inspired bills by Assemblyman Marc Levine requiring insurance companies to notify homeowners whether their policies are sufficient to...
2 Killed in Oklahoma Wildfires, Threat Continues
Apr 17 2018 // Wildfires have killed two people and burned more than 400,000 acres in western Oklahoma, and dry, windy weather already hindering firefighting efforts there will only get worse as the week progresses, fire and forestry...
California Governor Suspends Mobile Home Regulations to Help Fire Victims
Apr 17 2018 // Gov. Jerry Brown has signed an executive order removing barriers to mobile home construction and placement in an effort to help residents displaced by the recent Southern California mudslides and wildfires. The order...
