Knowledge Base highlights and editors' picks

Top stories and editors' picks from the most recent additions. Explore the whole Knowledge Base.

Every week the PreventionWeb team of editors selects the latest news and research, reports and publications on disaster risk reduction – here is their selection of the latest must-read content.

Triborough bridge along the East River in New York City with massive air pollution from wildfire

Update

18 July 2023

Forest fires in British Columbia are 30 times worse than average, say researchers

This summer has seen a violent outbreak of forest fires across Canada and North America. According to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center (CIFFC), there were 911 active fires across the country on July 13.

PhysOrg, Omicron Technology Ltd

Update

13 July 2023

NOAA launches new hurricane forecast model as Atlantic season starts strong

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center has a new model to help produce hurricane forecasts this season. The Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) was put into operations on June 27 and will run alongside existing models for the 2023 season.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Flash flood mud from runoff after a forest fire

Research briefs

14 July 2023

What causes mudslides and floods after wildfires? Hint: It’s not what scientists thought

Researchers believed a waxy coating in burnt soil caused water to run over the ground’s surface. They now find that burnt ground can absorb water, findings that can help them more accurately predict flooding and mudslides after a fire.

University of Southern California

Woman standing on a field holding organic vegetables.

Update

13 July 2023

What this year’s El Niño means for wheat and global food supply

WMO has declared the onset of the first El Niño event in seven years. It estimates 90% probability the climatic phenomenon, involving an unusual warming of the Pacific Ocean, will develop through 2023, and be of moderate strength.

Conversation Media Group, the

An agronomist using a tablet computer collecting data with meteorological instrument to measure the wind speed, temperature and humidity and solar cell system in grape agricultural field.

Research briefs

14 July 2023

Weather forecast accuracy is crucial in a heat wave – 1 degree can mean the difference between life and death

Weather forecasts have gotten quite good over the years, but their temperatures aren’t always spot on – and the result when they underplay extremes can be lethal. A 1-degree difference in a forecast’s accuracy can be the difference between life and death

Conversation Media Group, the

Outdoor view of people on a street in Leon, Nicaragua.

Update

19 June 2023

A community-driven flood resilience information platform for Nicaragua

IIASA researchers and colleagues from Plan International are using modern digital tools to enhance community-driven flood resilience in rural flood-prone communities in Nicaragua.

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis

Documents and publications

13 July 2023

CRED Crunch Newsletter, Issue No. 71 (July 2023): Happy birthday CRED

This newsletter travels back in time to explore the early days of CRED and the birth of its flagship project, the EM-DAT international disaster database.

Aerial view of coastline of the Seychelles.

Update

12 July 2023

Climate threat: Rising sea levels and stronger storms highlight the need for coastal resilience

Climate change is threatening coastal communities worldwide. Using local knowledge, as well as innovative practices such as parametric insurance, is needed to enhance coastal resilience and mitigate the impact of climate change.

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Starting sand storm in desert of high altiude with cumulonimbus rain louds.

Update

12 July 2023

Launch of the SDS Toolbox of the UNCCD on the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms (SDS)

The frequency of sand and dust storms (SDS) is on the rise in various regions across the globe. This rise is attributed to factors such as human-driven climate change, desertification, land degradation, and persistent droughts.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

Documents and publications

13 July 2023

Sand and dust storms compendium: Information and guidance on assessing and addressing

The aim of the Compendium is to provide information and guidance on how to assess and address the risks posed by sand and dust storms and plan actions to combat sand and dust storms.