Articles by Michelle Ma

California at Risk of New Insurance Bailout Amid Fire Danger

As Los Angeles-area residents recover from one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history, California’s insurer of last resort is careening toward another hot and dry summer with its coffers already strained. That’s raising the prospect that state residents …

Los Angeles Pushes to Rebuild Homes Fast, Despite Wildfire Danger

California politicians are rushing to make it easier for residents to rebuild their homes incinerated in the Los Angeles firestorms. That means waiving green construction mandates designed to combat climate change — which is driving such conflagrations by making conditions …

Hydrogen Wildcatters Are Betting Big on Kansas to Strike It Rich

A new Gold Rush is taking shape on a quiet stretch of Kansas prairie. There, a clutch of startups backed by the likes of Bill Gates are searching below the surface for naturally occurring hydrogen, a fuel that can generate …

Lithium Startups Bet on High Demand in Battery-Powered Future

As the world leans into electrification, it will need more lithium. A key ingredient in the batteries that power everything from electric vehicles to cell phones, demand is projected to accelerate over the next decade. To meet it, a new …

Hurricane Ernesto Threatens Bermuda, Leaves Puerto Rico in Dark

Hurricane Ernesto took aim at Bermuda as almost half of Puerto Rico remained without power in the storm’s wake, the island’s fragile electric grid battered by high winds. Officials declared a hurricane watch for Bermuda, saying Ernesto could strike the …

Maui Fire Officials Defend Response to Deadly Lahaina Blaze

Maui Fire Department officials defended their initial response to what became the deadliest fire in Hawaii history, saying they stayed at the scene of the Aug. 8 blaze until it was fully extinguished. The officials commented at a press conference …

California Hillsides Are at Risk of Floods After Days of Downpours

The latest in a series of robust storms is drenching California again with rain and snow, prompting officials to warn residents to stay on high alert for floods as weakened terrain gets further tested. Some hillside communities — including affluent …

Automated Weather Insurance Could Offer Help in an Increasingly Hot World

Carlos José Báez experienced the full brunt of Hurricane Maria when it made landfall in Puerto Rico as a catastrophic storm in 2017. The auto paint shop owner, who lives in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, saw his home badly damaged …