As climate change warms the planet, wildfires have become so unpredictable and extreme that new words were invented: firenado, gigafire, fire siege — even fire pandemic. California has 78 more annual “fire days” — when conditions are ripe for fires to spark — than 50 years ago.

Industry officials warn of widespread economic damage on par with some of the biggest fire disasters in recent memory.

Even before this week's wildfires in Los Angeles County, California was in the middle of an insurance crisis spurred by the threat of intensifying wildfires and other extreme weather events. Since 2022,