Bushfires Prompt State of Emergency in New South Wales, Potential for “Mega-Fire” to Threaten Sydney and Environs: AIR

October 22, 2013 PR Article

BOSTON, Oct. 22, 2013 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, on Thursday, October 17, bushfires exacerbated by hot, dry, and windy conditions spread across the state of New South Wales, where authorities declared a state of emergency on Sunday. Bushfires are common during the summer in Australia from December through February, but are unusual for this time of year. “Their unseasonal arrival is being attributed to record high temperatures in the previous 12 months and only half the normal amount of rainfall thus far this spring,” said Dr.…

Arizona continues to wrestle with wildfires

June 15, 2011May 15, 2013

As much of the Southeastern U.S. continues to recover from an onslaught of disastrous storms, Arizona is battling several relentless wildfires. The fires have already scorched over 400,000 acres of land and destroyed a number of residences. To date, this is the most destructive fire to have struck Arizona, spurred by a prolonged drought that is plaguing many of the surrounding states. Adding to the issue is a new report from the National Interagency Fire Center, which suggests that every state in the country is now at risk of forming…