2024 wildfires News

Thousands of Fires Are Burning in the Drought-Wracked Amazon

Much of Brazil is burning as tens of thousands of fires rage around the country, half of them in the Amazon rainforest. Exacerbated by a severe drought, the fires threaten one of the world’s most crucial ecosystems and are consuming …

Firefighters Face Blazes Across Northern Portugal for Fourth Day

Firefighters are battling blazes in the region of Aveiro and other areas of northern Portugal for a fourth day after temperatures increased earlier this week. About 4,000 firefighters as well as 22 aircraft were facing active wildfires as of 9 …

A Continent Ablaze: South America Surpasses Record for Fires

South America is being ravaged by fire from Brazil’s Amazon rainforest through the world’s largest wetlands to dry forests in Bolivia, breaking a previous record for the number of blazes seen in a year up to Sept. 11. Satellite data …

Canada’s Wildfire Season Ranks Among Worst but Less Severe Than Feared

With summer drawing to a close in Canada, the 2024 wildfire season is shaping up as one of the most destructive on record, largely due to the devastation caused by a blaze that ripped through a tourist town in the …

Claims From 4 Summer Weather Events in Canada Exceed Prior Year Total: IBC

Four natural catastrophes over four weeks during Canada’s summer season have resulted in about five times the amount of claims than the 20-year average, reported the Insurance Bureau of Canada. About 228,000 home, auto and business insurance claims have been …

Canada’s 10 Worst Natural Disasters Totaled C$30 Billion in Annual Insured Losses

Insured losses have surged in the past decade as climate change in Canada sparks wildfires, intense hailstorms and thunderstorms with severe flooding in major cities. Insured losses from natural disasters averaged C$2.2 billion ($1.63 billion) a year over the last …

Insured Losses From Canada’s Jasper Wildfire Surpass C$880 Million

This summer’s devastating wildfire in Jasper, Canada resulted in more than C$880 million (US$653.4 million) in insured damage, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), quoting data provided by Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ). The sudden and intense …

Storm Warnings Issued Across Southern Europe – From Italy to Serbia

Thunderstorm alerts are in place for a swath of Europe from the south of France to the Balkans. There are orange warnings for Lombardy, Piedmont, Tuscany and Umbria in Italy, as the summer heat gives way to violent storms. Serbia …

Update: Greece Battles Wildfires While Storm Lilian Crosses UK

Greek wildfire risks increased as temperatures climb and near gale force winds blow across the Aegean Sea, while Storm Lilian is battering parts of the UK. Firefighters, supported by helicopters, are trying to control an outbreak in Paiania, on eastern …

Remnants of Hurricane Ernesto Trigger Wind and Rain Warnings in Scotland

Yellow weather warnings are in place for Scotland on Thursday, as the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto bring strong winds and heavy rain. There’s an alert for rain across western Scotland, with more than 100 millimeters (4 inches) forecast for higher …