Recovery

About half of the United States’ $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation market is at risk from wildfire and flooding, but there are steps communities can take to shore up both the landscape and their economies.

The funding comes after Gov. Mike Dunleavy requested a federal disaster declaration last week, although the total cost of recovery from Typhoon Halong could greatly exceed $25 million.

St. Paul, Minn., is the latest city to join a lawsuit filed in Illinois alleging the Trump administration is placing “unlawful and unrelated conditions” on more than $100 million in public safety and disaster grants.

While the full extent of damage from Typhoon Halong is not yet clear, officials say the federal government shutdown should not affect response and recovery efforts, and the Alaska National Guard has been activated.

The 70-page report from the Los Angeles Fire Department details challenges during response to the January Palisades Fire including staffing shortages and intense winds, as well as how it is planning for future events.

State Rep. Jimmy Panetta announced Monday that he had helped secure almost $7 million of federal reimbursements meant to restore local coastal infrastructure that received a heavy beating in 2023 and 2024.

When Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina in September 2024, 100 lives were lost and thousands of homes were destroyed. Here, reporters dig into where things stand with FEMA payments, housing and roads.

The new federal funds would go toward restoring homes and small businesses, supporting local government services, and rebuilding roads and bridges for the long haul.

The state’s integrated digital approach to providing emergency services in one online location, following this year’s fires, is unprecedented. It is intended, officials said, to serve as an example in future disasters.

The origins of the agreement with technology and services firm CGI stretch back to 2012, when the state was recovering from Hurricane Sandy. CGI has helped it distribute and track more than $7 billion in assistance.

Lidar, which measures how long it takes for pulses of laser light to bounce off surfaces and return, has been used in topographic mapping for decades, and now it has a very timely function.

A year after Hurricane Helene, Gov. Josh Stein said the state is still waiting on $100 million in federal funds. FEMA said the agency’s response has been on par with or exceeded other storms in the region.

The ruling stops the federal government from spending the funds originally earmarked for FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program for other purposes until the court issues a final judgment.

The law would add to an existing fund for wildfire victims, which officials have warned could be exhausted by the Eaton wildfire. Funds would come from customers and shareholders of the state’s three biggest for-profit utilities.

Plus, a study explores the digital divide for tribal households in Michigan, a report indicates that better broadband data can improve deployment efforts, states are advancing with the BEAD program, and more.