Patricia Wells

Canada faced a tough year in 2023 with wildfires burning across 42 million acres of its forest land. These fires pushed air pollution levels in both Canada and the US to highs not seen in years, wiping out progress made in cleaning the air. According to researchers at the University of Chicago, this wildfire season … Read more

This summer, wildfires swept through parts of Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus with a strength and frequency far beyond what was typical in the past. Scientists say climate change played a big role, making these fires about 22% more intense and ten times more likely to happen than they would have been if the climate hadn’t … Read more

Kenya’s largest insurer company by market value, Britam Holdings Ltd., is planning to expand its presence in African countries where insurance is still uncommon. The company aims to increase its revenue by growing in regions with low insurance use. Britam, which already operates in seven African nations, said it prefers buying existing businesses over starting … Read more

Liberty Mutual Reinsurance and Safehub have teamed up to launch a new earthquake insurance product called ShakeNet Parametric. This innovative insurance solution uses detailed earthquake shaking data from Safehub’s network of sensors, backed by Liberty Mutual’s reinsurance support. The partnership aims to offer faster and more accurate payouts after earthquakes, helping those affected recover sooner. … Read more

Heavy rain swept through parts of Southeast Asia this week, causing severe flooding and landslides that have claimed at least eight lives. The storm’s impact was most felt in northern and central Vietnam and northern Thailand, where communities are still coping with the damage. In Vietnam, heavy rains led to flooding across several provinces. Officials … Read more

A Los Angeles jury has awarded more than $2 million to a protester who was shot in the face with a less-lethal projectile by a sheriff’s deputy during a 2020 demonstration. The man, Cellin Gluck, was injured at a protest against police brutality following the killing of George Floyd. The jury decided that L.A. County … Read more

When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in August 2005, it caused the biggest insurance losses ever seen from a natural disaster. The city’s flood defenses – walls, levees, and pumps – failed to hold back the water. But it wasn’t just the infrastructure that let people down. The models insurers used to predict and price … Read more

A massive dust storm swept through the Phoenix area late Monday, darkening skies and knocking out power for thousands. The storm, known as a haboob, sent a towering wall of dust hundreds of feet high rolling over city neighborhoods, leaving a trail of downed trees and scattered debris in its wake. About 55,000 customers lost … Read more

Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have developed a new tool to better predict wildfire risks across the United States. Based in Boulder, Colorado, NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory spent several years creating an index that provides hourly updates on wildfire potential. This means forecasters, firefighters, and land managers can get more detailed … Read more

Houston’s efforts to prevent devastating flooding have hit a new twist as Elon Musk has entered the conversation with a bold proposal. After Hurricane Harvey flooded the city in 2017, local experts have studied building massive tunnels to carry floodwater to the Gulf of Mexico. Now, Musk’s Boring Company, backed by Houston Congressman Wesley Hunt, … Read more