Monster California Fires Threaten Dozens of Communities as Tens of Thousands Flee

wildfires and smoke

Evacuations widened in the San Francisco Bay Area overnight as wildfires ringing the region scorched hundreds of square miles, edged toward San Jose and produced perhaps the world’s worst air quality. In all, more than 349,000 acres have burned in Northern and Central California — the equivalent of 546 square miles, more than the land… Continue reading Monster California Fires Threaten Dozens of Communities as Tens of Thousands Flee

CA Wildfires More than Double in Size, Force Thousands to Evacuate

The Eagle Creek fire on the night of September 3rd 2017.

Wildfires touched off by a barrage of lightning strikes in central and northern California continue to expand, with one grouping of fires — known as the LNU Lightning Complex in Napa and Sonoma counties — more than doubling in area since Wednesday, to 124,100 acres. According to Cal Fire, the state firefighting agency, this fire… Continue reading CA Wildfires More than Double in Size, Force Thousands to Evacuate

PG&E Achieves Bankruptcy Court Confirmation of its Plan of Reorganization

Natural disasters and homeowners insurance

PG&E Corporation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (together “PG&E”) announced today that the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California has confirmed the company’s Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization (the Plan). This follows the California Public Utilities Commission’s approval of the Plan on May 28, 2020. “Today’s ruling in the Chapter… Continue reading PG&E Achieves Bankruptcy Court Confirmation of its Plan of Reorganization

Why Tech Has Been Slow to Fight Wildfires, Extreme Weather

Ca property insurance reforms

For three years running, California’s wildfires have sent plumes of smoke across Silicon Valley. So far, though, that hasn’t spurred much tech innovation aimed at addressing extreme-weather disasters associated with climate change. It’s true that tech companies from enterprise software-maker Salesforce to financial-technology firm Stripe have pushed to dramatically reduce their climate impact. Individual investors… Continue reading Why Tech Has Been Slow to Fight Wildfires, Extreme Weather

FEMA Reassures California Wildfire Survivors

FEMA disaster aid distribution

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is assuring survivors of recent Northern California fires that financial assistance they received will not be taken back as part of the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. bankruptcy settlement negotiations. FEMA Region 9 Administrator Robert Fenton wrote an open letter addressed to wildfire victims that said FEMA and the… Continue reading FEMA Reassures California Wildfire Survivors

PG&E Moves Forward with $11 Billion Settlement Plan

Meadow back burn and Oregon ash tree. River Complex fire in Trinity County, California.

PG&E Corp. said on Monday that it has formalized an $11 billion settlement with insurance companies over wildfire claims and denounced an alternative bankruptcy plan made last week by bondholders. The deal covers insurance carriers and hedge funds that were seeking compensation from PG&E for payouts insurers made to homeowners and businesses in connection with… Continue reading PG&E Moves Forward with $11 Billion Settlement Plan

Insurers Offer Competing Plan to Rescue PG&E from Bankruptcy

Natural disasters and homeowners insurance

Insurance companies that say Pacific Gas & Electric owes them more than $20 billion from wildfire claims wants to take over the California utility and pull it out of bankruptcy. The group of insurers filed court documents Tuesday seeking to end PG&E’s exclusive right to file a reorganization plan. They want the right to submit… Continue reading Insurers Offer Competing Plan to Rescue PG&E from Bankruptcy

California Legislature Approves Multibillion-Dollar Wildfire Fund

Ca property insurance reforms

California lawmakers on Thursday approved a multibillion-dollar fund meant to stabilize the state’s largest utilities amid fears of sizable future liability costs from deadly wildfires tied to their equipment. The creation of the wildfire fund, one of the biggest challenges in the first year of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration, is part of a broader… Continue reading California Legislature Approves Multibillion-Dollar Wildfire Fund

California Lawmakers Race to Pass Wildfire Legislation by July 12

two silhouette on housefire background

Lawmakers in Sacramento may be on the cusp of making significant changes in the way utilities pay for the cost of devastating wildfires caused by their own equipment and maintenance programs. But they are racing against the clock and, in some cases, criticism over whether their legislative fixes amount to a big bailout for power… Continue reading California Lawmakers Race to Pass Wildfire Legislation by July 12

PG&E to Pay $1B to Local Governments for CA Wildfire Damage

Ca property insurance reforms

A California utility agreed Tuesday to pay $1 billion to 14 local governments to cover damages from a series of deadly wildfires caused by its downed power lines. The settlement is a sliver of the more than $30 billion in potential damages Pacific Gas & Electric is facing in lawsuits filed by local governments, insurance… Continue reading PG&E to Pay $1B to Local Governments for CA Wildfire Damage