As we wrap up another year of Disaster Discussions, we’re taking a moment to look back at the conversations that shaped 2025. From wildfire resilience and severe weather preparedness to the latest research on building standards, this season brought together experts and stories that matter for safer communities. Join us as we revisit key insights, highlight memorable moments, and celebrate the guests who helped make this year impactful.

This episode features interviews from experts at IBHS, UC Berkeley, James Cook University Cyclone Testing Station, KB Home, ICECHIP, Geotrek, Alabama Department of Insurance, University of Alabama Center for Risk and Insurance Research, and McRoof Roofing and Insurance Experts.

In this episode of Disaster Discussions, we journey to the heart of tornado alley—to Oklahoma, where tornadoes and hailstorms are a way of life and homeowners face some of the highest insurance rates in the nation. This episode explores how the FORTIFIED Roof program and the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes initiative are transforming resilience, offering grants and insurance discounts to help families weather the storm. With insights from Fortified contractor and Master Haag Certified Inspector Scott McCollum Sr., we’ll unpack the mindsets of consumers, contractors, adjusters, and insurers, and examine the real-world impact of incentives, awareness, and lived experience on the adoption of stronger, safer roofs. Discover what’s working, what’s not, and what the future holds for building a more resilient Oklahoma—one roof at a time.

Today, nearly 50 million Americans live in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)—zones where wildfire meets suburbia, and ordinary wildfires can escalate into full-blown conflagrations. In these extreme events, homes and their contents become fuel, driving structure-to-structure fire spread and releasing a toxic mix of chemicals far more hazardous than those from natural biomass burns. Heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other pollutants are propelled into the air via contaminated ash and smoke, posing serious health risks to first responders and residents alike.

In this episode of Disaster Discussions, we spotlight a groundbreaking research initiative led by IBHS collaborators from UC Berkeley and funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). For the first time, scientists are quantifying the emissions produced during large-scale conflagrations—work that’s reshaping our understanding of air pollution, public health, and climate resilience.

This month's guests include: Dr. Nathan Kreisberg, Senior Research Scientist for Aerosol Dynamics Inc, Dr. Allen Goldstein, Professor for the Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Dept of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, and Michael Milazzo, Graduate Student Researcher & PHD Candidate, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.