Wildfire

5/14/2019 - 4 min read

Fighting wildfire with fire and fuel reduction

Wildfires need three things—conducive weather, a source of ignition, and a supply of fuel.

5/8/2019 - 4 min read

Growing wildfire exposure feeds need to grasp risk factors

A record 2018 wildfire season in California, with signals suggesting more of the same to come, is driving insurers to seek better risk assessment tools.

2/11/2019 - 3 min read

California wildfire destruction aligns with identified risks

Property destruction from the November 2018 Camp and Woolsey Fires in California shows a strong correlation with areas identified as at risk by FireLine®, Verisk’s wildfire risk management tool.

Camp Fire 11 08 18 Landsat Brighter Closeup

11/13/2018 - 2 min read

Raging California wildfires burn thousands of properties

Wildfires in California surpassed 215,000 acres burned as of November 12, destroying thousands of structures, forcing mass evacuations, and reportedly causing 43 fatalities.

11/9/2018 - 1 min read

Special Hazard Zones capture wildfire risk beyond the flames

When wildfires hit populated areas, flames may not be the only cause of insured loss. Beyond the perimeter of a fire, smoke and ash can damage properties that don’t actually ignite during a wildfire.

10/4/2018 - 3 min read

Wyoming fires’ growing footprint threatens hundreds of homes

Wildfires continue to burn near the Wyoming/Colorado border, and the largest, most destructive ones—the Roosevelt, Marten Creek, and Ryan fires—are at various stages of containment.

9/27/2018 - 5 min read

California wildfires spark state insurance legislation

Recent record-breaking, destructive California wildfire seasons highlighted insurance issues that drove the introduction of over 17 bills during the 2017–2018 state legislative session.

8/13/2018 - 1 min read

Mendocino Complex Fire, California’s largest, keeps burning

Verisk's FireLine categorized more than 99 percent of the Mendocino Complex Fire area as at risk, with over 94 percent at high or extreme risk.

8/1/2018 - 2 min read

Slow progress reported against destructive Carr Fire

FireLine, Verisk’s wildfire risk management tool, is guiding analysis of risk factors seen within the Carr Fire’s perimeter. FireLine categorized more than 99 percent of the fire area as at risk, with more than 90 percent at high or extreme risk.

7/17/2018 - 3 min read

Multiple wildfires scorch U.S. West; 300 structures destroyed

Just four of the dozens of wildfires burning across the western United States have consumed nearly a quarter million acres, killed one person, and destroyed more than 300 structures, according to reports from federal and state agencies fighting the blazes. For some affected areas, the threat remains active in an already-busy wildfire season.

6/26/2018 - 1 min read

416 Fire’s spread resumes as dry conditions build

The 416 Fire approached 35,000 acres as it spread along the west side of State Route 550 north of Durango, Colorado. Rainfall temporarily slowed the fire’s growth.

6/15/2018 - 1 min read

Ute Park Fire threat diminishes despite dry weather

The Ute Park Fire approached 37,000 acres in size as it burned an area along U.S. 64 in Colfax County, New Mexico. The fire started near the highway between Eagle Nest Lake and Cimarron, according to the New Mexico Fire Information website, which reported the fire as 77 percent contained in its June 11 morning update. The cause was still under investigation.

6/4/2018 - 1 min read

Tinder Fire launches wildfire season, burns Arizona parkland

FireLine, Verisk’s wildfire risk management tool, guided analysis of risk factors seen within the Tinder Fire’s perimeter. Verisk determined that areas considered to be at high to extreme risk accounted for about 83 percent of the total fire area.

12/12/2017 - 2 min read

Still-raging Thomas Fire proves tough challenge for firefighters

Using FireLine—Verisk’s wildfire risk management tool—to analyze risk factors seen within the Thomas Fire’s perimeter, Verisk has determined that areas considered to be at high/extreme risk account for more than 96 percent of the total area. This is due to heavy fuels and difficult terrain.

12/8/2017 - 3 min read

California's December wildfires: Assessing the risk

To get a preliminary view of risk within the wildfire-affected areas of California, we used FireLine—Verisk’s wildfire risk management tool.