California wildfires News

California Firefighter Says State Should Consider Home Ban in Fire-Prone Areas

California’s increasingly deadly and destructive wildfires have become so unpredictable that government officials should consider banning home construction in vulnerable areas, the state’s top firefighter says. Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Director Ken Pimlott will leave his job Friday …

About $9B in Insured Losses After Three California Wildfires

Three of last month’s California wildfires will cost insurers about $9.05 billion, according to preliminary information from state regulators. That figure is based on initial claims that insurers have received from the Camp, Woolsey and Hill fires, California Insurance Commissioner …

Los Angeles-Area Development Approved in Wildfire-Prone Zone

The conflict between the need for more housing in California and the danger of building in fire-prone mountains was decided in favor of homes Tuesday as Los Angeles County supervisors approved a massive rural housing development. The supervisors voted 4-1 …

Study Examines Deadly California ‘Firenado’

A rare fire tornado that raged during this summer’s deadly Carr Fire in Northern California was created by a combination of scorching weather, erratic winds and an ice-topped cloud that towered miles into the atmosphere, according to a study released …

PG&E Faces Lawsuits, Coverage Questions After More California Wildfires

Homeowners living in Paradise, Calif., are just now returning home after a devastating wildfire caused up to $10 billion in damage, according to RMS estimates. The Woolsey Fire, which overlapped the Camp Fire, has a damage price tag of about …

Floods Recede in California Wildfire Burn Areas

After fleeing a wildfire that came dangerously close to his Northern California home earlier this month, Dale Word evacuated again when flash floods inundated roads and trapped motorists and residents. Swift water teams used boats to make rescues at three …

PG&E Fire Relief Bill Nears While Long-Term Fix Remains Elusive

PG&E Corp., suspected of starting California’s deadliest wildfire, may soon get help from state lawmakers – just not the help it most wants. As early as Dec. 3, a lawmaker plans to introduce a bill that would give the state’s …

Southern California Wildfire Structure Losses Rises to 1,500

The tally of structures destroyed by the huge wildfire that swept through Southern California communities increased to 1,500 on Monday, fire officials said. With 95 percent of the burn assessment completed, the count also showed 341 structures damaged. The fire …

Utility Requested Rate Hike Last Month Over California Fires

A utility facing severe financial pressure amid speculation its equipment may have sparked a deadly Northern California wildfire asked U.S. energy regulators last month for permission to raise its customers’ monthly bills to harden its system against wildfires and deliver …

Firefighter Sees Lessons for Montana in California Wildfires

Last week, Evergreen Fire Chief Craig Williams stood in a neighborhood near Malibu, California, and took in a blackened, devastated landscape. ‘There is a lot of destruction,” he said by phone on Nov. 14 as he and his team of …