Wildfire

Oregon’s wildfire season started early this year and is expected to last into October, according to state fire experts.

As record-breaking heat and an abysmal snowpack raise concerns about severe wildfires, states across the fire-prone West are adding AI to their wildfire detection toolbox, banking on the technology to help save lives and property.

A dry winter has forecasters predicting a potentially active fire season in Oregon. Federal agencies are trying to minimize the threats from large wildfires by first clearing fuels near communities.

PacifiCorp has agreed to pay $575 million in a settlement with the federal government over six wildfires in Oregon and California.

If conditions don’t change, it could spell a challenging year ahead for cities, aquatic wildlife, outdoor recreation, farming, hydropower facilities, and, possibly, a longer-lasting wildfire season.

Ashland Sen. Jeff Golden is trying again to get the Legislature to create a fund to pay for natural disasters with damages collected from big oil.

As fire survivors continue to navigate life after disaster, California lawmakers roll out new bills attempting to further regulate insurance companies like State Farm.

The proposal, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, comes at a time of rising property insurance premiums and policy cancellations or non-renewals across the country and much of the West.

New Safe Homes grants program, taking effect on Jan. 1, 2026, could begin taking applications in the spring, CA insurance department says.

Congress failed to vote on an extension of the 2024 Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act that was co-sponsored by Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden.

The Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative helps Jackson, Josephine and Klamath County students understand wildfire science.

Insurance experts say it’s a national warning sign, as the effects of climate change cause private insurance companies to pull back on coverage in disaster-prone areas, leaving states and their residents to assume more of the risk.