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Tag: wildfires

Gavin Newsom declares state of emergency of CA wildfires

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday in a bid to fast-track wildfire prevention projects.

Newsom announced the move after President Donald Trump blasted the governor’s handling of previous wildfire disasters. The order suspends certain environmental regulations that would have delayed forest management projects and other wildfire prevention measures.

“This year has already seen some of the most destructive wildfires in California history, and we’re only in March. Building on unprecedented work cutting red tape and making historic investments – we’re taking action with a state of emergency to fast-track critical wildfire projects even more,” Newsom said in a statement.

“These are the forest management projects we need to protect our communities most vulnerable to wildfire, and we’re going to get them done,” he added.

NEWSOM CALLS TRUMP’S CLAIMS ‘PURE FICTION’ AFTER HE POINTED FINGER OVER CALIFORNIA FIRE TRAGEDY

California’s wider efforts will cost roughly $2.5 billion, funding controlled burns, reducing fuel in burn areas, as well as implementing public tracking of wildfire prevention efforts.

TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND

The state of emergency announcement comes weeks after Trump blasted Newsom for “gross incompetence” in handling the recent wildfires.

“Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!” Trump charged in a social media post on Jan. 8, repeating a derogatory name he often uses for the governor.

President Trump criticized Gov. Newsom’s handling of wildfires. (AP/Getty Images)

Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., in early February in a bid to secure federal backing for the disaster relief efforts. He said he had a “very productive” meeting at the White House at the time.

The governor held two meetings on Capitol Hill before traveling to the White House and petitioning Trump for “unconditional disaster aid,” his office said.

A large wildfire near Carolina Forest. (Horry County Fire Rescue)

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“As we approach one month since the devastating wildfires across Southern California, we continue to cut red tape to speed up recovery and clean up efforts as well as ensure rebuilding efforts are swift,” Newsom said in a statement. “We’re working across the aisle, as we always have, to ensure survivors have the resources and support they need.”

Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to [email protected], or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

March 2, 2025
Allstate says California wildfires to bring company $1.1 billion in losses

New York City real estate agents Dolly and Jenny Lenz discuss the Los Angeles wildfires and the impact it will have on the local housing market on ‘FOX Business Live.’

Allstate said the wildfires that blazed through Southern California last month will bring the insurance company a sizable loss.

CEO Tom Wilson said in a statement Wednesday that the wildfire-related losses are “expected to be about $1.1 billion, pre-tax, net of reinsurance, reflecting a decision to reduce market share beginning in 2007 and a comprehensive reinsurance program.”

Allstate’s expected loss from the Los Angeles-area wildfires was disclosed in the insurance company’s fourth-quarter earnings release.

A sign is shown on the entrance of an Allstate brokerage office on February 7, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois. Allstate Corp. today reported fourth-quarter earnings which exceeded Wall Street expectations. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) (Scott Olson/Getty Images / Getty Images)

The company’s share of the California homeowners market stood at 5.8% at the end of 2023, down significantly from 12.6% 15 years ago, according to Allstate.

STATE FARM ASKS CALIFORNIA TO APPROVE RATE HIKES AFTER WILDFIRES

Allstate Property Liability President Mario Rizzo said during the company’s earnings call that it had “responded quickly and empathetically to help customers and communities after the tragic wildfires in Southern California.”

Multiple wildfires devastated parts of the Los Angeles area last month, killing over two dozen people. One of the blazes, the Palisades Fire, scorched through 23,700 acres and razed over 6,800 structures.

View of damaged structures and homes caused by the wildfires in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on January 11, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

A view of fire-ravaged beach property overlooking the Pacific Ocean, which burned as a result of the Palisades Fire on January 12, 2025, in Malibu, California. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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“We deployed mobile claim centers and over 900 team members to assist customers. Helping our customers recover from the fires is our principal priority,” Rizzo said. “The financial impact of the wildfires reflects the comprehensive risk and return approach we’ve taken to managing the homeowners insurance business.”

The estimated $1.1 billion loss will appear in the company’s first-quarter earnings.

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ALL THE ALLSTATE CORP. 191.88 -1.13 -0.59%

Rizzo said that Allstate would “continue to monitor the development of this event and give an update later in February.

LA BUSINESSMAN RICK CARUSO LAUNCHES FOUNDATION TO REBUILD AFTER WILDFIRES

The company generated $64.1 billion in 2024, including $16.6 billion in the fourth quarter. Its adjusted annual net income came in at $4.9 billion.

As of Friday, shares of Allstate were roughly flat from the start of 2025. Over the past 12 months, they have posted an over 20% increase.

February 7, 2025
Rick Caruso launches foundation to rebuild after LA wildfires

New York City real estate agents Dolly and Jenny Lenz discuss the Los Angeles wildfires and the impact it will have on the local housing market on ‘FOX Business Live.’

Los Angeles real estate developer Rick Caruso has launched a nonprofit to help rebuild and restore communities impacted by the wildfires.

Caruso, whose real time net worth is $5.8 billion, according to Forbes, and who ran for Los Angeles mayor against Karen Bass in 2022, started Steadfast LA on Monday.

“You have to have private enterprise involved in this because government alone can’t do it,” Caruso told local FOX 11. “It’s too big.”

Caruso is using his business leader connections in the effort, looking at issues like putting power lines underground and using AI for building code plan checks and corrections.

LA WILDFIRES DRIVE SURGE IN RENTAL HOUSING PRICES, PROMPTING PRICE GOUGING CONCERNS

From left to right, former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, developer Rick Caruso and Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin attend the Palisades Village grand opening private ribbon-cutting ceremony at Palisades Village on Sept. 22, 2018 in Pacific Pa (Amanda Edwards / Getty Images)

He has called Mayor Bass but has not connected with her yet.

“I want to make her very efficient and productive in this,” Caruso said, adding that his nonprofit’s work has nothing to do with politics, even if Bass’ supporters accuse him of politicizing the tragedy.

LA OFFICIALS WERE WARNED ABOUT BUDGET CUTS TO FIRE DEPARTMENT: ‘SOMEONE WILL DIE’

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Congresswoman Karen Bass speaks as developer Rick Caruso listens as they participate in the second one-on-one mayoral debate at the KNX Newsradio SoundSpace Stage in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times / Getty Images)

“There’s nothing about politics in this,” Caruso told FOX 11. “This is so much bigger than politics and that’s an insulting comment.”

He added that at this time, he is not considering a bid for either governor of California or Los Angeles mayor.

LA mayoral candidate Rick Caruso conducts a town hall with residents of South LA on Aug. 28, 2022. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times / Getty Images)

Steadfast LA is spearheaded by Najla Kayyem, a commercial real estate marketing executive who used to work for Caruso, FOX 11 reported. The local TV station says Upfront Ventures general partner Kobie Fuller; head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios Mike Hopkins; Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and his wife; former U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas Nicole Avant; co-chair of Gensler Andy Cohen and executives from banking, insurance, real estate and private equity companies are all involved.

The foundation’s funding will come solely from Caruso, he told the Los Angeles Times. None of the companies or executives will be paid for their roles in the assistance.

View of damaged structures and homes caused by the Palisades Wildfires in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 11, 2025 in Los Angeles. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images)

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Caruso, 66, and his family lost three homes as a result of the Palisades Fire, according to FOX 11. He said he would like to see people rebuilding their homes in the communities devastated by fire within a year.

February 5, 2025
Researchers blame CA wildfires on climate change, peddle ‘alarmist’ non-peer reviewed studies: experts

An international research group backed by billionaire Jeff Bezos and the progressive George Soros Foundation has made headlines in major news outlets recently for its study claiming that the LA wildfires were caused by “human-induced” climate change.

The World Weather Attribution (WWA) group, founded in 2014 by Dr. Friederike Otto and Dr. Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, has published many scientific studies built on the presupposition that climate change may affect, and even cause, extreme weather events. The group also receives funds from the Grantham Institute and the European Climate Foundation.

On Jan. 28, the research group published what it called a “rapid attribution” study titled, “Climate change increased the likelihood of wildfire disaster in highly exposed Los Angeles area,” and was subsequently picked up by several major media outlets.

EDERAL AGENCIES SCRUB CLIMATE CHANGE FROM WEBSITES AMID TRUMP REBRANDING

Burned residential areas in Los Angeles on Jan. 12, 2025. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Some environmental critics are pushing back on the group’s rise to notoriety in the media and classified it as “alarmist,” fueled by “leftist organizations that are driving the climate narrative.”

“They’re just trying to manipulate people, and it’s effective. It works. I’ve talked to people that are saying that this is caused by climate change, and it’s frustrating,” Jason Isaac, founder and CEO of the American Energy Institute, a nonprofit think tank group platforming environmental policies that “promote economic freedom,” told Fox News Digital in an interview.

“There’s no peer review that’s been done on this data,” he added. “They rush out a flash study that supposedly found that global warming boosted fire weather conditions in the area by 35% and intensity by 6%. Well, what about the fires that happened in 1895? Who’s to blame for those? This is just a geography that’s sort of right for this situation to happen from time to time.”

Isaac added that California’s “poor management” is largely to blame and will “happen when they’re telling people they can’t clear their land.”

Isaac criticized California’s spending priorities, noting that while the state allocates tens of billions of dollars to its climate commitment – originally over $50 billion, later reduced to around $45 billion – it spent roughly $4.2 billion on fire prevention in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

TRUMP ELIMINATING LNG PAUSE TO HAVE ‘QUICKEST EFFECT’ ON ENERGY INDUSTRY: RICK PERRY

A helicopter drops water on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Etienne Laurent/AP Photo)

“You would think it would be a major priority for California, because of how susceptible they are to wildfires,” he said.

Steve Milloy, former Trump EPA Transition Team member, also told Fox News Digital that the WWA’s recent study was problematic, and dubbed it “pal-reviewed.”

“There’s no peer review going on. It’s not science,” Milloy said. “You know, this whole attribution thing is bogus. There’s no scientific foundation for it. It’s good propaganda, because they have the whole system organized where no one in the media asks any questions, they hide the origin and everything, and it makes for good headlines.”

The sun rises over the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, in the aftermath of devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area, Jan. 9, 2025. (Maria Alejandra Cardona/Reuters)

Both Milloy and Isaac agreed that there will likely be an uptick in climate change-driven initiatives after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month to axe the Biden-era U.S. climate commitments, which aimed to reduce emissions 61-66% by 2035.

The WWA co-founder, Otto, has previously claimed in a 2022 U.K. magazine article that “Who ‘does science’ is a hugely important issue,” and that if “climate change is worked on exclusively by white men, it means that the questions asked are those that are relevant to white men.”

“But people most affected by climate change are not white men, so if all these other people are effectively excluded from the scientific process, the problems we have to face in climate change will not be properly addressed and you will not find solutions for how to best transform a society,” Otto wrote.

CLIMATE ACTIVISTS HIT WITH FELONY CHARGES AFTER DEFACING US CONSTITUTION’S DISPLAY CASE

There is an ongoing debate on whether climate change has any impact on wildfires. (iStock)

According to the WWA’s FAQ page on its website, “rapid attribution studies are published before peer review in order to release the results soon after events have taken place” and adds that its studies are later published in peer-reviewed journals.

“Scientific studies on extreme weather events, going through peer-review, are usually published months or even years after an event occurred, when the public has moved on and questions about responsibilities, rebuilding or relocating have been debated without taking scientific evidence on the influence of climate change into account,” the WWA website states.

TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND

President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders at the White House on Jan. 20, 2025. (Jabin Botsford /The Washington Post via Getty Images)

On its website, WWA lists several papers included in peer-reviewed journals, including in the Weather and Climate Extremes, Environmental Research: Climate and Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, among others.

WWA conducts its studies by analyzing real-world weather data from regional weather stations to determine how rare and intense an extreme weather event is, according to its website. Researchers then compare the likelihood of such events currently with their expected frequency before the widespread burning of fossil fuels in the late 1800s.

WWA researchers occasionally face difficulties that prevent them from providing numerical results in their studies. These challenges may arise, its website states, if there isn’t enough reliable weather data available or if the computer models used for analysis are not well-suited to accurately simulate the specific weather event being studied.

“If a study does not have a conclusive result because of these challenges, that does not necessarily mean that climate change played no role in the weather event,” the WWA website states.

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WWA did not respond to repeated requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

February 4, 2025
Researchers blame CA wildfires on climate change, pedal ‘alarmist’ non-peer reviewed studies: Experts

An international research group backed by billionaire Jeff Bezos and the progressive George Soros Foundation has made headlines in major news outlets recently for its study claiming that the LA wildfires were caused by “human-induced” climate change.

The World Weather Attribution (WWA) group, founded in 2014 by Dr. Friederike Otto and Dr. Geert Jan van Oldenborgh, has published many scientific studies built on the presupposition that climate change may affect, and even cause, extreme weather events. The group also receives funds from the Grantham Institute and the European Climate Foundation.

On Jan. 28, the research group published what it called a “rapid attribution” study titled, “Climate change increased the likelihood of wildfire disaster in highly exposed Los Angeles area,” and was subsequently picked up by several major media outlets.

EDERAL AGENCIES SCRUB CLIMATE CHANGE FROM WEBSITES AMID TRUMP REBRANDING

A general view of the burned residential areas as wildfires continue to wreak havoc, reaching their fifth day and leaving extensive damage in residential areas in Los Angeles, California, United States on January 12, 2025. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Some environmental critics are pushing back on the group’s rise to notoriety in the media and classified the group as “alarmist,” fueled by “leftist organizations that are driving the climate narrative.”

“They’re just trying to manipulate people, and it’s effective. It works. I’ve talked to people that are saying that this is caused by climate change, and it’s frustrating,” Jason Isaac, founder and CEO of the American Energy Institute – a nonprofit think tank group platforming environmental policies that “promote economic freedom” – told Fox News Digital in an interview.

“There’s no peer review that’s been done on this data,” he added. “They rush out a flash study that supposedly found that global warming boosted fire weather conditions in the area by 35% and intensity by 6%. Well, what about the fires that happened in 1895? Who’s to blame for those? This is just a geography that’s sort of right for this situation to happen from time to time.”

Isaac added that California’s “poor management” is largely to blame and will “happen when they’re telling people they can’t clear their land.”

Isaac criticized California’s spending priorities, noting that while the state allocates tens of billions of dollars to its climate commitment – originally over $50 billion, later reduced to around $45 billion – it spent roughly $4.2 billion on fire prevention in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

TRUMP ELIMINATING LNG PAUSE TO HAVE ‘QUICKEST EFFECT’ ON ENERGY INDUSTRY: RICK PERRY

A helicopter drops water on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Etienne Laurent)

“You would think it would be a major priority for California, because of how susceptible they are to wildfires,” he said.

Former Trump EPA Transition Team Member, Steve Malloy, also told Fox News Digital that the WWA’s recent study was problematic, and dubbed it “pal-reviewed.”

“There’s no peer review going on. It’s not science,” Malloy said. “You know, this whole attribution thing is bogus. There’s no scientific foundation for it. It’s good propaganda, because they have the whole system organized where no one in the media asks any questions, they hide the origin and everything, and it makes for good headlines.”

Sun rises over the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of west Los Angeles, in the aftermath of devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area forcing people to evacuate, in California, U.S., January 9, 2025. (Maria Alejandra Cardona/Reuters)

Both Malloy and Isaac agreed that there will likely be an uptick in climate change-driven initiatives after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last month to axe the Biden-era U.S. climate commitments, which aimed to reduce emissions 61-66% by 2035.

The WWA co-founder, Otto, has previously claimed in a 2022 UK magazine article that “Who ‘does science’ is a hugely important issue,” and that if “climate change is worked on exclusively by white men, it means that the questions asked are those that are relevant to white men.”

“But people most affected by climate change are not white men, so if all these other people are effectively excluded from the scientific process, the problems we have to face in climate change will not be properly addressed and you will not find solutions for how to best transform a society,” Otto wrote.

CLIMATE ACTIVISTS HIT WITH FELONY CHARGES AFTER DEFACING US CONSTITUTION’S DISPLAY CASE

Firefighter spray water to bushfire. Tropical wildfires release carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that contribute to climate change and global warming. (iStock)

According to the WWA’s FAQ page on its website, “rapid attribution studies are published before peer review in order to release the results soon after events have taken place” and adds that its studies are later published in peer-reviewed journals.

“Scientific studies on extreme weather events, going through peer-review, are usually published months or even years after an event occurred, when the public has moved on and questions about responsibilities, rebuilding or relocating have been debated without taking scientific evidence on the influence of climate change into account,” the WWA website states.

TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND

Washington , DC – January 20: President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders at the White House on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford /The Washington Post via Getty Images) (Getty)

On its website, WWA lists several papers included in peer-reviewed journals including in the Weather and Climate Extremes, Environmental Research: Climate and Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, among others.

WWA conducts its studies by analyzing real-world weather data from regional weather stations to determine how rare and intense an extreme weather event is, according to its website. Researchers then compare the likelihood of such events currently with their expected frequency before the widespread burning of fossil fuels in the late 1800s.

WWA researchers occasionally face difficulties that prevent them from providing numerical results in their studies. These challenges may arise, its website states, if there isn’t enough reliable weather data available or if the computer models used for analysis are not well-suited to accurately simulate the specific weather event being studied.

“If a study does not have a conclusive result because of these challenges, that does not necessarily mean that climate change played no role in the weather event,” the WWA website states.

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WWA did not respond to repeated requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

Jamie Joseph is a writer who covers politics. She leads Fox News Digital coverage of the Senate.

February 4, 2025
State Farm asks California to approve rate hikes after wildfires

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California homeowners, already devastated by last month’s wildfires, could see their insurance rates go up by more than 20% if they’re covered by State Farm.

California’s largest private insurer, State Farm, is seeking a 22% average rate increase for homeowners. In a letter urging the California Department of Insurance (CDI) to “immediately approve” the request, State Farm said the hikes would help “avert a dire situation.”

An aerial view of homes which burned in the Eaton Fire on Jan. 19, 2025, in Altadena, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images / Getty Images)

CALIFORNIA INSURANCE CRISIS: LIST OF CARRIERS THAT HAVE FLED OR REDUCED COVERAGE IN THE STATE

The insurer is looking to increase rates by 22% for non-tenant homeowners, 15% for renters and condo owners, and 38% for rental dwellings. In its open letter to the CDI, State Farm says the increased rates would go into effect on May 1, 2025.

“As of February 1st, State Farm General (Fire only) has received more than 8,700 claims and has already paid more than $1 billion to customers,” the insurer wrote in a press release on its website. “State Farm General will ultimately pay out significantly more, as collectively these fires will be the costliest disasters in the history of State Farm General.”

Homes burn as powerful winds drive the Eaton Fire on Jan. 7, 2025 in Pasadena, California. (David McNew/Getty Images / Getty Images)

WILL HURRICANES AND WILDFIRES CAUSE INSURANCE PRICES TO RISE NATIONWIDE?

The insurer added that it must increase current rates to ensure it could pay possible future claims. Additionally, State Farm announced that rates for Californians would be going up because the “risk is greater” in the Golden State.

“We look forward to working alongside regulators, policymakers and industry leaders on creating a sustainable insurance environment in California – one that balances risk and increased rates, ensures long-term market stability and keeps insurers like State Farm General a vital part of California’s future,” the company said.

State Farm faced backlash at the height of the wildfires over a March 2024 announcement that it would discontinue coverage of 72,000 home and apartment policies in the summer. In March 2024, the insurer issued a letter to the CDI, saying the depletion of State Farm’s capital was “alarm signaling the grave need for rapid and transformational action.”

A firefighting plane makes a drop on the Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images / Getty Images)

STATE FARM, OTHER INSURERS SLAMMED FOR DROPPING COVERAGE

While insurers can and do receive approvals for larger increases — State Farm secured a 20% increase in home and auto premiums in January 2024 and subsequently requested a 30% increase for home policies last summer — the process can be time-consuming and the size of rate hikes approved by the regulator may not be sufficient for insurers to continue offering policies while preserving their financial stability.

The January 2025 wildfires only highlighted California’s ongoing insurance crisis as several providers had already fled the state, stopped writing new policies or otherwise reduced their risk exposure in the Golden State. This includes Allstate, Nationwide, and Farmers.

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As of Tuesday, according to Cal Fire, the wildfires burned more than 57,600 acres and destroyed over 16,200 structures.

February 4, 2025
Tennis great Pam Shriver reunited with stolen trophies taken while evacuating Los Angeles wildfires

Tennis legend Pam Shriver has finally been reunited with her stolen trophies.

The Hall of Fame tennis pro confirmed on social media that several pieces of hardware and sentimental items were returned to her by the Los Angeles Police Department after they were stolen, along with her car, while she was staying in a hotel after evacuating her home because of the devastating wildfires.

FILE – USA Pam Shriver and USA Martina Navratilova victor in Flushing, NY, September 4, 1987. (Jacqueline Duvoisin /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

“Good news on my trophies (& family photos) – the LAPD detective in charge of the investigation has them at the police station being fingerprinted,” she said in a post on X this week.

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“It’s too long a story for a post. We still hope to find black Dodge Durango Hellcat in one piece.”

Shriver, who won 21 Grand Slam doubles championships, told The Associated Press that she had loaded up her vehicle with some of her personal belongings, including her trophies and some family photos, before evacuating the area.

While staying at a hotel, her car – and everything inside – was taken.

July 9, 2024 – Former player and TV Commentator, Pam Shriver in attendance as coach for Donna Vekic of Croatia (not shown) during her match against Lulu Sun of New Zealand (not shown) on day nine of The Championships at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. (Susan Mullane-USA Today Sports)

US SWIMMING GREAT GARY HALL JR WILL HAVE 10 OLYMPIC MEDALS LOST IN LA WILDFIRES REPLACED, IOC SAYS

“The trophies were buried in the back of the car. You couldn’t look in the window and see them,” she said. “I don’t think they were of any good to the people who took the car. So they ended up returning them.”

The trophies were later dropped off at the hotel, where a detective picked them up to be fingerprinted.

“Then the trophies were released to me,” she said. “I regained custody.”

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According to ESPN, security camera footage revealed that a person driving a car that “fit” the description of Shriver’s stolen Dodge Durango Hellcat was seen dropping off the trophies.

Among the trophies returned to Shriver included five that she had one for winning the U.S. Open women’s doubles event and the four French Open doubles trophies she had won alongside Martina Navratilova. Shriver won 20 of 21 titles with Navratilova.

USA Pam Shriver and USA Martina Navratilova before Women’s Doubles at National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY, September 4, 1987. (Jacqueline Duvoisin /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

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Shriver said she returned to find that her home had, thankfully, not been damaged by the wildfires, but she wonders where her belongings had traveled.

“It was an interesting chapter. I wish the trophies could talk,” she said. “I would like to have known where they’ve been.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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February 1, 2025
Will hurricanes and wildfires cause insurance prices to rise nationwide?

Former Million Dollar Listing star and Los Angeles real estate agent Josh Altman provides an update on wildfire recovery and rebuilding efforts, and previews President Donald Trumps visit to disaster sites.

Property insurance rates have been soaring in the U.S. for years, and a number of factors are contributing to the problem, including inflation, building expansion into high-risk areas, and record natural disaster losses.

The devastation from ongoing wildfires in California and last year’s hurricanes in the Southeast are fueling fears that the enormous hit insurance companies will take in those states will be recouped – at least in part – by national carriers jacking up rates in other states that were not impacted.

An aerial view of the sun rising beyond homes which burned in the Eaton Fire on January 21, 2025 in Altadena, California. Multiple wildfires which were fueled by intense Santa Ana Winds have burned across Los Angeles County leaving at least 27 dead w (Mario Tama/Getty Images / Getty Images)

One source supporting this concern comes from a 2022 study from Harvard Business School, titled “Pricing of Climate Risk Insurance: Regulation and Cross-Subsidies,” that concluded “households in low friction [risk] states are disproportionately bearing the risks of households in high friction states.”

The insurance industry says that is not true.

STATE FARM DROPS SUPER BOWL AD PLANS AFTER WILDFIRES

Robert Gordon, SVP of policy research at the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), says he does not challenge some of the data the study uses, but argues its conclusion is wrong.

He explained in an interview that insurance is state-regulated, and every state prohibits rates that are discriminatory or excessive. So, regulators don’t allow companies to arbitrarily charge excessive rates.

A homeowners inspects damages of his house after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Horseshoe Beach, Florida, on September 28, 2024. At least 44 people died across five US states battered by powerful storm Helene, authorities said on September 27, aft (CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Beyond such regulations, insurance is one of the most competitive industries, he noted. There are thousands of insurance companies, with hundreds in every state, and many of those are not national companies, but rather, state-only companies or regional insurers.

WEST COAST WILL HAVE ‘LONG-TERM’ INSURANCE CHALLENGES IN WAKE OF FIRE DESTRUCTION

“So, if a national insurer is losing money in California, that doesn’t mean it can increase its rate in Iowa or Vermont or any other state, because it’s competing with all these carriers, many of whom aren’t even doing business in California, so they’re not raising their rates because of California losses,” Gordon told FOX Business.

He compared the situation to gas stations. Where, if Chevron, for instance, had losses in California, the company wouldn’t raise prices by 50% in Oklahoma, because everyone in The Sooner State would then go to a different gas station.

Plumes of smoke are seen as a brush fire burns in Pacific Palisades, California on January 7, 2025. (DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Any time insurance rates increase significantly, companies see a surge of policyholders shopping around and switching companies. That is what the industry is seeing right now.

While the Harvard study’s authors and the insurance industry disagree on the study’s conclusion, they do agree on multiple points, including what is happening in California, which has sent insurers fleeing in recent years because regulators will not allow carriers to raise rates to meet the market.

WHICH INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE THE MOST EXPOSURE IN CALIFORNIA?

“What we see in a lot of states with rate suppression is that you have these exploding residual markets – essentially government-run insurance programs,” Gordon said. “And those government insurance programs subsidize rates, particularly the highest risk properties – which ironically, then eliminates the very socially important environmental risk signals like: don’t build in the forested areas or don’t build in the hurricane prone areas, and if you do, make sure there’s appropriate risk mitigation, [like] better building codes and so forth.”

San Diego County supervisor Jim Desmond criticizes California’s insurance regulations implemented prior to the Los Angeles County wildfires on ‘The Bottom Line.’

He added that when states suppress insurance rates and subsidize building in disaster-prone areas with government insurance programs like California’s FAIR Plan, it appears as though such programs are lowering rates in the market. But all that really does is mask those signals.

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The Harvard authors, Sangmin Oh, Ishita Sen, and Ana-Maria Tenekedjieva, wrote in their conclusion that, “When rates no longer reflect risks, the informational role of insurance rates breaks down.”

They added, “[O]ver the long-run, rate-setting frictions could make insurers less prepared to deal with large losses and insurers may respond by exiting markets altogether or dropping important product features.”

January 27, 2025
Cali Rep. Chu says ‘wildfires have no political affiliations’ after Trump floated conditions for federal aid

U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., said she does not believe conditions should be placed on federal support for wildfires sweeping through Southern California, after President Donald Trump suggested he wanted wildfire aid to be conditional.

The district Chu represents includes Altadena and northern Pasadena, which have been impacted by the deadly Eaton Fire.

“There have never been conditions laid on disaster aid in the history of America,” Chu told Inside California Politics.

“I know that I have voted for disaster aid in red states and for blue states, she continued. “I’ve never considered whether they were Republican or Democrat. And let me say, wildfires have no political affiliations. They don’t have a political party.”

TRUMP MEETS WITH CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, FIRE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO SEE LA WILDFIRE DAMAGE FIRST HAND

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif. during an Eaton Fire press conference on January 9, 2025, at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. (Getty Images)

This comes after Trump said on Friday that two conditions must be met in California before the federal government offers disaster relief. He said he wants lawmakers to approve voter identification legislation and that water needs to be allowed to flow across the state.

“I want to see two things in Los Angeles. Voter ID, so that the people have a chance to vote, and I want to see the water be released and come down into Los Angeles and throughout the state,” Trump told reporters in North Carolina as he was touring hurricane recovery efforts in that state. “Those are the two things. After that, I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen.”

Trump visited Los Angeles later on Friday to view damage from the wildfires and meet with local officials and residents.

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tour a fire-affected area in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 24, 2025. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Chu said she wants Trump to tell the working-class victims of her district that they would only see aid to address the devastation if there are conditions.

“I want him to see how these everyday Americans are being terribly devastated and also I want him to hear from their voices,” Chu said. “I want him to look, in fact, in the victim’s eyes and say that he wouldn’t provide aid unless there were conditions.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, responded to Trump’s comments about conditional aid. The governor’s office said several other states — including some won by Trump — do not generally require identification at the voting polls and that California residents must provide identification when they register to vote. Newsom’s office also said the state pumps as much water as it could under policies from Trump’s first-term.

LOS ANGELES AGENCY REVEALS ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT OF DEADLY WILDFIRES AS INFERNOS STILL RAGE

A view of homes destroyed by the Eaton Fire on January 9, 2025, in Altadena, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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“Conditioning aid for American citizens is wrong,” Newsom’s office said on X.

Republicans in Congress have suggested tying wildfire aid to a debt ceiling increase or changes to California’s fire-mitigation policies, but Democrats have argued against placing conditions on federal assistance to Southern California.

January 27, 2025
Tiger Woods moves Genesis Invitational to San Diego after wildfires damage LA course

Tiger Woods’ famed annual golfing event, The Genesis Invitational, is being moved from Los Angeles to San Diego after the devastating wildfires damaged the original course.

The PGA announced Friday the event will move 123 miles south to Torrey Pines Golf Course in the La Jolla neighborhood in San Diego, the site of this week’s Farmers Insurance Open.

Woods says the event will be a platform to help fire victims.

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“We are grateful to the City of San Diego and Torrey Pines for hosting the 2025 Genesis Invitational, and to everyone who has reached out in support of the tournament,” Woods said in a statement. “While Riviera remains the home of The Genesis Invitational, we look forward to playing on another championship caliber golf course this year and using the tournament to support those affected by the fires in the Los Angeles area.”

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GOLF COURSE’S CLUBHOUSE BURNS DOWN AMID WILDFIRES: ‘WE WILL COME BACK STRONGER’

Tiger Woods plays a shot from the 13th tee during the second round of The Players Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass May 11, 2018, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan also expressed gratitude.

“Our thanks to Tiger Woods, TGR Live and Genesis for their leadership in these efforts,” Monahan said. “We are grateful to Farmers Insurance, [San Diego Mayor] Todd Gloria and the City of San Diego and the Century Club for extending the invitation to relocate The Genesis Invitational to Torrey Pines.”

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“Highlighting the resilience of Los Angeles and the need for continued support for the ongoing recovery efforts is what our collective teams are working towards with the playing of The Genesis Invitational at Torrey Pines,” Monahan added in his statement.

The Riviera Country Club, where the event was originally supposed to be played, was not destroyed by the fires. However, it is dealing with power and water issues, and the tournament is being moved out of respect to fire victims.

The Genesis Invitational is expected to return to The Riviera Country Club in 2026.

“The devastation that is ongoing with the LA fires is such a tragedy and being from California, it hits home,” Woods said in a statement shared on his social media platforms. “My heart is with those who have suffered unimaginable loss. Thank you to the incredible heroes that are the first responders helping to contain and save the community of Los Angeles.”

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

January 24, 2025