December 7 Digest: This Week in Wildfire Recovery News
This is a digest of selected news and media that emerged over the last week related to wildfire emergencies, recovery efforts, and resilience building efforts in the American West.
Pilot Project on Caldor Fire Tested Resource Tracking and Mesh Communications
From Wildfire Today, by Bill Gabbert | December 3, 2021
An interagency team tested three different hardware tracking systems and real time video feed made instantly available to firefighters during the late stages of the Caldor Fire
Startup Uses AI, Panoramic Cameras for Wildfire Detection
From Government Technology, by Gregory Thomas | December 3, 2021
A system of rotating cameras placed on California mountaintops will snap photo of landscape every sixty seconds to help spot wildfire signs
'Charcoal as Food': UC Berkeley Study Analyzes Role of 'Fire-Loving' Fungi
From The Daily Californian, by Lauren Cho | December 3, 2021
Study from UC Berkeley researchers has found that Pyronema fungus plant may be able to consume charcoal and bring back charred materials into the ecosystem for other organisms
A Rare Winter Wildfire is a Sign of Climate Change Lenghtening Fire Season
From NPR, by Shaylee Ragar | December 4, 2021
Fire ecologist describes how rare winter wildfire in Montana that destroyed dozens of homes and businesses is evidence that fire season is lengthening due to climate change
Headwater Refuges: Combined Effect of Drought and Fire on Stream Communities
From Science Daily | December 1, 2021
Streams and rivers in the Pacific Coast region foster plants and wildlife, also providing sanctuary during droughts and can serve as the path for recovery after fires.
West Wind Fire Burns Grain Elevators and Dozens of Structures in Denton, Montana
From Wildfire Today, by Bill Gabbert | December 2, 2021
The town of Denton, Montana prepares for the recovery process after fire that destroyed grain elevators and 25 homes
Firefighters Responding To The West Ranch Fire In Jefferson County
From CBS Denver, by Danielle Chavira | December 5, 2021
More than 30 firefighters continue to fight fire burning in Jefferson County near Morrison
Merkley, Wyden Announces $2.4M FEMA Grant to Shelter Victims of Wildfire Disasters
From The News Guard | December 5, 2021
Major federal grant is announced by Oregon's senators that will come from FEMA and will help reimburse significant costs for providing non-congregate shelter to Oregonians who lost their homes or were displaced during the 2020 wildfires.
PG&E Agrees to Remove Debris Left On CZU Complex Fire Survivors' Land
From The Mercury News, by Hannah Hagemann | December 3, 2021
To settle a lawsuit with Santa Cruz County, PG&E will remove dead trees and wood debris it left on CZU Lightning Complex Fire survivors’ properties
Homeowners Willingness to Pay to Reduce Wildfire Risk in Wildland Urban Interface Areas: Implications for Targeting Financial Incentives
From Science Direct, by José J.Sánchez, Tom Holmes, John Loomis, Armando González-Cabána | November 27, 2021
Study that estimates homeowner's willingness to pay for public and private fuel reduction programs in wildland urban interface areas using a choice experiment implemented in California
As Wildfires Get Hotter and More Common, These Start-Ups Are Helping People Protect Their Homes
From CNBC, by Salvador Rodriguez | December 5, 2021
With climate change posing a danger to homes and buildings, homeowners are looking for new technology that will harden their properties against natural disasters
Kettle Books $25M For Its Reinsurance Platform Against Fire and Other Catastrophies
From TechCrunch, by Ingrid Lunden | November 19, 2021
Insurance startup Kettle believes it has built reinsurance underwriting product that will account for severe forest fire burns and intense floods
Insurtech Startup Kettle Raises $25M to Expand Wildfire Reinsurance Protection
From Insurance Journal | November 24, 2021
San Francisco-based reinsurance startup, Kettle, has claimed it is bringing advanced technology to the $400 billion-a-year reinsurance industry, starting with California wildfires
After Wildfire, How Do We Rebuild for a “Resilient Recovery”?
From Public Policy Institute of California, by Sarah Bardeen | November 29, 2021
With climate change causing more fires and displacement among communities, a report on ways communities can rebuild after a wildfire recommends retreating, clustering, or maintaining the status quo for state and local land use policies
Cal OES Debris Program Working On Cleanup in Lake County, Across the State
From Lake County News | November 27, 2021
Crews from California's Consolidated Debris Removal Program have removed burned metal, concrete ash and contaminated soil from 458 properties to date
Pine Creek Community Restoration Group Receives $750,000 Grant to Assist with Wildfire Recovery
From Big Country News | December 3, 2021
The Pine Creek Community Restoration group will receive a grant up to $750,000, which will primarily help with housing, relocation assistance, community development, health and wellness, and disaster preparedness.
'You Can't Kill Little Towns Like This': Denton Starts Long Recovery After Wildfire
From Independent Record, by Holly Michels | December 5, 2021
Residents of Denton prepare for recovery process after wildfire destroys many homes, and receive support from Custer County, Big Timber, Bozeman, and Oregon to help strategize monitoring for flare-ups and starting to remove hazards and debris.
Proposed Regulation to Require Discounts for Wildfire Mitigation Measures Must Also Regulate Scores Secretly Used to Deny Home Insurance, Consumer Groups Urge Insurance Commissioner
From PR Newswire, by Consumer Watchdog | November 10, 2021
Regulation posed by California Insurance Commissioner will require discounts for homeowners who take home-hardening steps to reduce their risk of damage from wildfires, but must also apply to insurance companies' decisions about which properties they will insure