2023
What happens after the fire
NPR’s Pien Huang speaks to Jennifer Gray Thompson, founder and CEO of After the Fire USA, about what to expect from long-term recovery after a wildfire. PIEN HUANG, HOST: I want to stay on that last point that we heard from Greg about the plans to rebuild those communities that were lost building back after…
Read MoreConcerns over ‘climate gentrification’ rise after devastating fire in Maui
Kim Cuevas-Reyes, a 38-year-old cellphone store owner, snuck into Lahaina last Friday to see the remnants of her home with her own eyes. She took backroads and walked. What she saw stunned her. “When you step into the house, it’s like an inch or two of ash. There is nothing,” she said, adding that she…
Read MoreAffordability and availability of insurance in Colorado may depend on fire-hardening your home
As temperatures heat up across Colorado so too does wildfire danger, and firefighters aren’t the only ones tracking that danger closely — so is the insurance industry. Some insurers are already pulling out of Colorado and rates are doubling and tripling across the state because of wildfire danger. Experts say Colorado is at a crossroads.…
Read MoreSonoma Valley resident, After the Fire CEO joining Rep. Mike Thompson at Biden’s State of the Union address
Rep. Mike Thompson from California’s 4th District announced Friday morning that Jennifer Gray Thompson, founder and CEO of After the Fire, will be his guest for President Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday. As a lifelong resident of the valley and local leader in disaster relief from the 2017 fires, Rep. Thompson believes Gray…
Read MoreConsumer advocates say other insurance companies can help after State Farm won’t take on new policies for property owners
Consumer advocates say other insurance companies can help SACRAMENTO, Calif. — New neighborhoods going up in the Foothills could be in the path of grassfires, and homeowners are required to have insurance. But some are asking now what? State Farm announced it would no longer be accepting new applications for home and business owners. “I…
Read MoreHow California can better adapt to extreme weather
Takeaways: Climate change is expected to make atmospheric rivers like the ones that struck California even more destructive. A major atmospheric river event in the state could cost at least $200 billion, according to a model by USC Price School Professor Adam Rose. Potential solutions include banning construction in certain areas, buying out at-risk homes,…
Read MoreCA wildfire survivors lobby on Capitol Hill for tax-free PG&E settlement payments
Stream local breaking news and original programming, live 24/7, from ABC7 Bay Area. SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A group of California wildfire survivors and delegates lobbied at Capitol Hill this week to pass a bill that would make PG&E Fire Victim settlement payments federally tax-free. Right now, those payments are considered income by the federal government.…
Read MoreThe Fire Within: Jennifer Gray Thompson Has a Passion for Community Recovery
You might say that Jennifer Gray Thompson, a Sonoma resident helping communities rebuild after life-changing wildfires and megafires, was destined for this line of work. But with her mission rooted in community disaster, she continues to suffer an inherent degree of unease. “I still get afraid, and I’ve learned to live with a certain degree…
Read MoreLocal Perspectives on Federal Wildfire Assistance
In August, Hawai’i experienced one of the deadliest wildfires in American history, with at least 100 deaths and thousands of buildings destroyed or damaged. Unfortunately, this disaster is part of larger trend of wildfire destruction that extends to much of the mainland U.S. Over the past 30 years, wildfires have resulted in more than $100 billion in…
Read MoreLocal State of the Union guest details experience
North Bay congressional representative Mike Thompson was notably absent from this year’s State of the Union address. That’s because he was a designated survivor, meaning the congressman took in the speech from a secure location in case of a catastrophe at the U.S. capitol. KRCB spoke with Thompson’s guest attendee about her experience. “I love America,” Jennifer Gray…
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