Natural disasters, such as wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes, are inevitable, and governments and individuals will continue to face the challenges of covering the many costs that come with them.
Considering wildfires in the United States –
In all of 2019, 50,477 wildfires were reported in the United States, burning about 4.66 million acres of land.
In 2019, Arizona experienced the highest number of acres burnt due to wildfires: 384,942. That same year, California experienced the nation’s most wildfires: 8,194.
About 4.66 million acres of land were burned in American wildfires in 2019, compared to 7.39 million acres in the year 2000.
The world’s deadliest wildfire on record happened in the state of Wisconsin in 1871. The Peshtigo Fire killed 2,500 people, the highest estimate on record.
In September 2020, insurance companies released data that identified the top states with the most wildfires from 2020 (through first 9 months of the year). Across the top 10 most at-risk states, over 4 million properties are at risk of wildfire damage and destruction, according to the data. Below are the findings from the published data.
Considering hurricanes –
Historically, the top U.S. counties most frequently hit by hurricanes from 1960-2008 are:
America's States where single-family homes are at risk by storms include:
Historically, the top 10 U.S. states most frequently hit by tornadoes in 2019 were:
The top 15 U.S. metropolitan areas by storm surge risk (flooding) 2020 include –
One reflection of how Americans prepare for earthquakes includes looking at Earthquake Insurance. Below are the 2018 Direct Premiums Written by State, in BILLIONS:
Where do you live and what disasters are prone to your area?
How do you prepare for those disasters?
What advice would you provide someone moving to your neighborhood?
Comment below!