wildfires News

Maui Fire Is Deadliest in US in 105 Years, With 93 Killed

The death toll from fast-moving wildfires in Maui rose to 93, making them the deadliest in the US in more than 100 years, as concerns grew about the effectiveness of the island’s emergency alarm system. The number of fatalities is …

Europeans Lack Insurance Protection as Wildfires and Drought Batter the Region

Europeans are among the least insured against certain types of extreme weather and other natural disasters in the developed world, a predicament made more worrisome as the continent suffers a summer of devastating heat, wildfires and drought. In recent months, …

Wildfire Risk Climbs for Spain as Heat Wave Moves to Iberia

The focus of Europe’s heat is switching to Spain, with a high risk of wildfires in southern parts of the Iberian peninsula. Southern Spain is expected to exceed 40C (104F) on Monday, with regions around Cordoba under alert for hot …

Update: Greece Fights Almost 200 Wildfires as Wind Raises Risk in Mediterranean

Greece is fighting almost 200 wildfires as strengthening winds put a sting in the tail of the Mediterranean’s fading heat wave. More villages in mainland Greece were evacuated on Thursday as blazes threatened, while two people died in Velestino. A …

Greece Wildfires Raise Questions for Tourists About Their Travel Insurance Cover

Wildfires and evacuations on the Greek island of Rhodes, and a heat wave blasting much of southern Europe, have raised questions for tourists about their travel insurance coverage. As the threat of fires remains high throughout Greece and heat continues …

Wildfires Rage Across Greece With Record Heat Forecast for Italy

Wildfires are raging across Greece after about 19,000 people were evacuated from the island of Rhodes over the weekend, while record temperatures are forecast for Sardinia. Over the past 24 hours, 162 fires have been reported across Greece amid high …

European Heat Wave Sees Temperatures Reaching 115F in Sardinia as Greece Burns

Europe baked in intense heat, with temperatures reaching almost 46C (115F) on the Italian island of Sardinia on Wednesday, as wildfires continued to rage in Greece. Authorities warned lives were in danger after the latest blast of Saharan heat saw …

Utility Investors Wary of Exposures After Buffet’s PacifiCorp Held Liable for Wildfires

Destructive wildfires are now an almost routine part of summer in the American West, and electrical utilities have likewise become used to having their power lines and equipment blamed for igniting the blazes. But a jury verdict last month ordering …

Warren Buffett’s PacifiCorp Sued by Oregon Wineries Over Fire Damage

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s PacifiCorp was sued by Oregon wineries claiming that smoke from wildfires ignited by the utility’s equipment in 2020 destroyed their grape harvests, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in damages and lost wine sales. The lawsuits …

Canada’s Wildfires Burn Record 25 Million Acres With No End in Sight

Canadian wildfires have scorched more than 10 million hectares (25 million acres) this summer, an area about the size of Iceland, with no end to the burning expected anytime soon. About 900 active fires were reported as of Saturday, most …