Stories by Thomas Frank

The annual FEMA summary is at odds with government research showing that warming is exacerbating natural disasters

A new federal report points to major potential losses in key fisheries and protective coral reefs

While California had some success at minimizing wildfires in 2019, much work remains to mitigate flooding

The decision comes as the federally funded Army Corps of Engineers is under pressure to improve flood protection

A new Government Accountability Office report finds little progress has been made in reducing the nation’s vulnerability to climate change

Rather than emphasizing the harm climate change will cause, promoting the economic benefits of mitigation does more to spur public action

An intentional blackout was aimed at keeping power equipment from sparking a wildfire

Officials pressure wireless companies so first responders and residents can communicate and save lives

Researchers try to fathom why half the residents who drowned in Superstorm Sandy were in homes where evacuations were mandatory

Global warming is already taking a higher toll than researchers projected, a new study says

Water from the swollen Mississippi River fueled algae blooms and reduced salinity in the Gulf of Mexico

Rather than simply rebuilding, the $7.65 billion is intended to reduce communities’ vulnerabilities to storms, floods and fires

After pummeling the Bahamas, the storm is expected to skirt the East Coast of the U.S.

Responding unnecessarily to smaller events has left FEMA understaffed and short of funds for major disasters

Though one of the least resilient counties is New York County, or Manhattan

Louisiana and Texas accounted for half the money paid out by the National Flood Insurance Program since 1973

The Department of Defense was the biggest benefactor, with money going to rebuild bases

A stark new report lays out the ways the state will need to adapt, beyond traditional engineering approaches

The National Institute of Standards and Technology inquiry will also examine communications failures and the storms’ death toll

The National Flood Insurance Program, scheduled to expire on May 31, will likely be temporarily renewed unchanged

Sea-level rise and ground subsidence will render the flood barriers inadequate in just four years

Beach communities that rely on dredging to replenish protective dunes object to expanded federal protections

New technology and increased investment could help expand paltry flood coverage

The timing and frequency of tornadoes has changed, and events are becoming costlier