Principal, Science & Analytics Wildfire SME at Cotality 30+YR P&C insurance professional. Wildfire risk management/mitigation. Opinions mine. Clarion U
SW Ohio
Joined July 2009
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Proud to be part of the team that developed this new Wildfire Conflagration model for Cotality. insurancejournal.com/blogs/c…
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
Situation report from SWCC for #wildfires in AZ and NM on 08/15/2026
gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/predictiv…
#AZFire
#NMFire
🔥🔥🔥
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
It’s been a busy summer for New Mexico firefighters, with more lightning-sparked fires breaking out in recent weeks.
#NMFire
🔥🔥🔥
Typically, most wildfires are human caused. But this past month has been unusual.
🔴Since July 1, more than 50% of wildfires New Mexico has responded to have been started by lightning – double the five-year average.
The state is seeing a lot of lightning but without accompanying wetting rainfall.
#nmwx
“If the fuels had started off in a better place as we entered the monsoon season, we’d probably not be seeing this activity,” said Clay Anderson, senior forecaster for the National Weather Service #Albuquerque office.
As it stands, storms are continuing to bring strong winds and erratic weather across the state. You can’t control lightning, but you can control how you prepare for wildfire:
1. Sign up for emergency alerts in the counties where you live, work and travel
2. Build defensible space and harden your home. Clear all vegetation within 5 feet of your home.
3. Get ready to get out: Prep your go-bag and map your evacuation routes.
Preparation matters. An active incident is not the time to be scrambling. Take steps to protect yourself, your home and your loved ones.
📰 Read the full story: krqe.com/news/latest-news/ne…
Great information from IBHS!
#DidYouKnow when building a new home or during home renovations are optimal times to add #wildfire mitigation features to your home? 🔥
Upgrades like noncombustible siding, enclosed eaves and dual pane tempered windows can help protect vulnerable parts of your home from wind-driven embers and radiant heat.
Learn more ways to strengthen your property against wildfire: ibhs.org/wildfire-ready
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
Want to learn more about Wildfire Prepared Home? Visit here: wildfireprepared.org/
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
An Ohio lawmaker is pushing to examine the feasibility of reintroducing elk to the Buckeye State. nbc4i.co/4civspc?utm_medium=…
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
🔥 Lower your wildfire risk with a noncombustible five-foot safety buffer surrounding your home, also called Zone 0. Keep this area clear of anything that can burn, like vegetation, mulch, trash bins and furniture.
Learn more at wildfireprepared.org/.
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
Vent check! ✅ During a wildfire, wind-blown embers can enter your home through vents in your attic, roof, gables and crawlspace and ignite materials inside.
🔥 To keep embers out and better protect your home, install flame- and ember-resistant vents with proper sealants or retrofit existing vents by covering them with 1/8-inch corrosion-resistant metal mesh at roof openings, attic, soffits, wall vents and crawlspace.
Find more ways to protect your home at ibhs.org/wildfirereadycritic….
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
“I will say that the kinds of attributes here are the exact ones that insurers find attractive," IBHS @roysterwright said when describing the details of @KBHome's Stone Canyon to @JamieSkennedy. "And as they seek to grow, this is good risk.”
Stone Canyon brings IBHS’s Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood program to Northern #California for the first time, reflecting a broader move toward making #wildfire resilience a core part of how communities are built in wildfire-prone areas.
Read the full story ⤵️
spectrumnews1.com/ca/souther…
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
Putting #science into action: @kbhome's Dixon Trail is the first-ever Wildfire Prepared Neighborhood, IBHS’s highest home- and neighborhood-level #wildfire resilience standards.
@justcalmajourno shares the importance of this community in southern #California in @verge: theverge.com/features/861950…
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
Property-level mitigations are your first line of defense against #wildfires. 🔥
IBHS's Wildfire Ready guide offers a science-based, affordable system of mitigation steps that - when implemented together - are proven to meaningfully reduce the risk of home ignition during a wildfire.
Learn about the critical actions that you can take that are proven to reduce your risk at ibhs.org/wildfireready.
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
To go deeper in our research on fire behavior in landscaped environments, IBHS ran tests after post-disaster investigations and recent wildfire discussions to examine how flames move through hedges. 🌿These insights are further shaping our approach to defensible space and advancing wildfire research.
Explore more at ibhs.org/wildfire.
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
Vegetation too close to your home can be fuel for embers. 🔥
🌿 Yet you don’t need to clear all greenery to be Wildfire Prepared. Healthy trees, lush grass and native plants still have a place in your landscaping – as long as the final five feet around your home stays clear of all flammable materials.
Learn more ways to reduce your #wildfire risk at wildfireprepared.org/willitb….
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
When it comes to wildfires, the five feet around your home could make all the difference. 🏠
That’s exactly what local leaders witnessed yesterday alongside IBHS experts and @CAL_FIRE.
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
Wildfire Science In Action 🔥 Lead Research Engineer Faraz Hedayati shared insights from our post-disaster investigations and lab testing with the @washingtonpost that helped inform the science behind the #Wildfire Prepared Home program. Read the full article at wapo.st/463xp5e.
ALT Aerial view of a suburban area with scattered houses and trees under a clear sky, with a distant city skyline visible on the horizon.
Robert J Kowalski retweeted
Dive into a decade of IBHS #science with our new online learning experience and see why you should choose a Wildfire Prepared Home! 🔥
Each interactive module breaks down the #wildfire vulnerabilities around your #home and shows how mitigation strategies can help lower your risk.
Check it out at wildfireprepared.org/online-….
ALT Computer screen displaying the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety's online learning platform focused on wildfire science, placed on a desk with a wooden backdrop.