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Natural Disaster content

Executive Order 14308: Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response

Executive Order 14308: Empowering Commonsense...

The January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires exposed dangerous delays in local and state wildfire response efforts, prompting swift federal action. Executive Order 14308 calls for modernizing and unifying wildfire strategies…

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The New Space Tech Stack

The New Space Tech Stack

The future of space operations is being reshaped by AI, edge computing, and immersive tech. Government agencies are leveraging these tools to extract insights from satellite imagery, streamline disaster response,…

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Artificial Intelligence in the Fire Service

Artificial Intelligence in the Fire Service

As artificial intelligence continues to transform public safety, the fire service stands to gain powerful new tools—but only if AI is implemented responsibly. This NIST publication explores how AI can…

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Disaster Assistance: Updated FEMA Guidance Could Better Help Communities Apply for Individual Assistance

Disaster Assistance: Updated FEMA Guidance Could...

FEMA revised how it evaluates disaster assistance requests, aiming to better support communities—especially smaller or more vulnerable ones. However, its guidance still relies on outdated data, making it harder for…

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WUI Fire Evacuation and Sheltering Considerations: Assessment, Planning, and Execution (ESCAPE)

WUI Fire Evacuation and Sheltering Considerations:...

This updated NIST report introduces a structured methodology to help wildland-urban interface (WUI) communities assess, plan, and execute fire evacuations when time is critically limited. Drawing on lessons from the…

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Wind-Driven Fire Spread to a Structure from Landscape Timbers

Wind-Driven Fire Spread to a Structure from...

This NIST study examines how landscape timbers contribute to fire spread during wildland-urban interface (WUI) events. Through 16 wind-driven experiments, researchers found that landscape timbers can ignite spot fires, transfer…

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Gross Domestic Product: 1st Quarter 2025

Gross Domestic Product: 1st Quarter 2025

In the first quarter of 2025, real U.S. GDP declined by 0.3%, reversing the 2.4% growth from the previous quarter. This contraction was mainly due to a sharp rise in…

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Aging and Wildfire Risk to Communities

Aging and Wildfire Risk to Communities

As wildfires grow more intense and frequent, an aging population is increasingly at risk, especially in rural and wildland-urban interface areas. This report highlights how older adults disproportionately live in…

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Flood Risk and the U.S. Mortgage Market

Flood Risk and the U.S. Mortgage Market

Flooding is the most expensive natural disaster in the U.S., yet many homeowners remain underinsured against its financial impact. A new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) highlights…

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Resilience Planning: What Communities Can Do to Keep Hazards from Turning into Disasters

Resilience Planning: What Communities Can Do to...

When disaster strikes, communities that plan ahead are better equipped to recover quickly and minimize damage. The Resilience Planning report by HUD highlights how communities can integrate resilience into long-term…

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Disaster Assistance

Disaster Assistance

When disasters strike, access to nutritious food becomes a critical need for affected communities. The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) plays a key role in ensuring that families receive…

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Eruptions of Hawaiian Volcanoes: Past, Present, and Future

Eruptions of Hawaiian Volcanoes: Past, Present,...

Volcanic eruptions are more than nature’s spectacle, they tell the story of our planet’s dynamic forces. Hawaiian volcanoes, like Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, are among the most active in the…

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Recovering Financially After a Flood

Recovering Financially After a Flood

When flood disasters strike, knowing what your flood insurance and disaster assistance cover is crucial. Flood insurance is a powerful tool that allows you to recover financially without the burden…

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Be Prepared For a Hurricane

Be Prepared For a Hurricane

Hurricanes are powerful storms that bring strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding, and they can impact areas more than 100 miles inland. With hurricane season peaking in September, it’s essential…

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Extreme Weather: Opportunities for Improved Preparedness and Resilience

Extreme Weather: Opportunities for Improved...

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has broad national security and disaster preparedness responsibilities. Resilience across homeland security missions, systems and communities is of increasing importance as natural disasters, extreme…

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