Wildfire
Public health risks of urban wildfire smoke prompt push for more monitoring
In February, nearly a dozen lawmakers from California called on the EPA to create a task force of local and federal authorities to better monitor what’s in the air and inform the public.
Legislation creating statewide emergency communication system advances in Texas House
The legislation was written after the state’s largest wildfire scorched more than 1 million acres in the Panhandle last year.
How LA is using tech to get wildfire victims financial help
The Los Angeles Department of Economic Opportunity selected a solution from AidKit, which uses mapping, fraud detection and real-time reporting and analytics to vet applications for relief.
AI translation tools could improve trust in public safety efforts
Los Angeles County leveraged an AI tool to generate live translations during press conferences about wildfires and deliver critical safety information to residents more effectively.
How satellites and AI help fight wildfires today
COMMENTARY | Fire spotters used to watch with binoculars from forest towers. Now, technology can help forecast fire behavior, but human experience is still essential.
Local fire department testing new wildfire risk reduction app
The wildfire mitigation app uses AI to recommend tips for making people's homes more fire resistant.
Wildfires are coming to the Southeast. Can landowners mitigate the risk in time?
No other part of the country has seen such a sharp rise in the number of big fires. The bigger challenge, though, is getting people to embrace the prescribed burns that can prevent them.
As wildfires burn throughout the West, officials are turning to AI
In California, fire officials began using artificial intelligence last year to scan cameras for smoke.
A year after the Maui wildfires, are new housing policies keeping locals housed?
Hawaii has adopted several laws to head off disaster gentrification and ensure affordable housing is available to local residents. The nation is watching to see how those efforts play out.
Mapping clean air centers to protect residents against wildfire risks
As wildfire smoke or poor air quality descends upon California residents, officials hope a data map will help them find pockets of fresh air across the state.
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What is your home’s wildfire risk?
An updated online tool allows towns and counties to get a sense of their wildfire risk without having to pay for expensive studies.
Nursing homes are left in the dark as more utilities cut power to prevent wildfires
As preemptive power cuts become more widespread, nursing homes are being forced to evaluate their preparedness.
Community groups step up to help rural agencies’ disaster recovery
Organizations like long-term recovery groups can help rural agencies get housing, financial, health care and food assistance to victims of natural disasters.
Today’s real-time wildfire data helps prepare for a changing climate
Rapid response and early detection data tools are helping agencies paint a clearer picture of incoming wildfire risks.
‘Disaster gentrification’ looms over Lahaina
The Hawaii city is recovering after a wildfire killed at least 115 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings. A top concern for officials is preventing local residents from being priced out.
AI can help forecast air quality, but freak events like 2023’s summer of wildfire smoke require traditional methods too
COMMENTARY | As state and local governments grapple with worsening wildfire conditions, one expert says a combination of machine learning and chemical transport models can produce more accurate air quality forecasts.
Researchers demo geotargeted wildfire alerts sent to vehicles
The Department of Homeland Security is testing how remote sensors and public warning systems can deliver timely, actionable wildfire alerts to the public.
How NYC Officials Failed to Prepare for an Air Quality Crisis
"It’s been a lackluster, underwhelming, frankly problematic response."
Controlled Burns Help Prevent Wildfires. Regulations Have Made It Nearly Impossible to Do Them.
Even though the 2021 Marshall Fire made it clear that the fire threat posed by Colorado’s grasslands endangers large urban areas, federal, state and local rules continue to make it difficult to address the risk.
Spring Wildfires in the Eastern US Got Off to a Roaring Start This Year
It may not be as dramatic as when the West burns, but an unseasonably warm, dry winter could make fire season longer and more intense.
