The beauty of burn scars
The little birds are back. Blackened trees sprout leaves on the highest branches. Excavators clear plots, leaving shallow graves where homes once stood. At the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, in the foothill town of Altadena, things seem to be moving along. In time, reenvisioned and reconstructed, the future landscape will trace the path of one of the most destructive wildfires in California history, the Eaton Fire.
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Fox News
3 hours ago
- Fox News
Hikers rescued by helicopter from remote beach after rising tides cut off their only way out
Dramatic video captures the moment two hikers were rescued after becoming stranded on a secluded beach near one of Point Reyes National Seashore's most dangerous hazards. The pair became trapped near Elephant Rock when rising tides cut off their only way out, according to a social media update from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office. After spending several hours in the area, the hikers realized they were stuck and called emergency services, department spokesperson Emily Fuller said in a statement to SFGATE. Due to the lack of safe access by land or sea, a helicopter crew was dispatched to carry out the rescue. Using a 100-foot line, responders hoisted the hikers from the beach after securing them in a "hot seat," a harness designed for aerial rescues. The hikers were then flown to the Marin County Fire Department, the sheriff's office confirmed. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Video of the rescue shows the dramatic scene as a rescuer descends to the rocky shoreline, then lifts off with both hikers suspended above the water. While Point Reyes is a popular destination for hiking and coastal exploration, it poses serious risks, the National Park Service warns. "The ocean is among the most dangerous features at Point Reyes," the park's website notes. Visitors are cautioned about dangers such as powerful surf, unexpected "sneaker" waves, strong currents, polluted water, cold temperatures and hidden hot coals. There are no lifeguards, and the area features challenging terrain, including unstable cliffs and bluffs. Fuller emphasized that some beach areas can become "completely locked in" once the tide rises, leaving no safe path out. She advised that anyone exploring the coastline should check tide charts and carry a reliable way to call for help. "Having access to emergency communication is crucial," she added. "Some parts of the coastline don't have cell service, so carrying a satellite communication device like a Garmin inReach could be a lifesaver." Fox News Digital reached out to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office and National Parks for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Las Vegas is down on its luck as tourism drops. Why it's kind of California's fault
Sin City is facing a summer swoon, and Californians — by far the largest tourist contingent, data show — are partially to blame. Visits to Las Vegas were down 11.3% in June 2025 versus a year earlier, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Traffic on Interstate 15 at the California-Nevada border was down 4.3% over the same period, suggesting fewer visitors from the Golden State heading for Vegas casinos. The number of air travelers into Las Vegas overall declined 6.3% over the previous June. In 2024, Californians made up more than a fifth of air travelers into Vegas, with nearly half of those coming from the Los Angeles metro area. A demographic report from the visitors authority estimated that Southern California provided 30% of all visitors to Las Vegas in 2024. Add it all up, and Californians could be responsible for a significant portion of the decline in Vegas tourism. Tourism within the U.S. is only part of the picture, though, as experts previously predicted slumps in international tourism across the country. The convention and visitors authority estimates that 12% of the city's visitors are international. A report from the World Travel and Tourism Council projected that the U.S. would lose $12.5 billion in international travel spending in 2025. "While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the 'closed' sign,' Julia Simpson, the council's president, said in a statement. The report cited air-travel booking data from March that showed a 15% to 20% drop in expected travel from major tourism sources including the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada. Visitors from Canada and Mexico made up more than half of international tourists to Las Vegas in 2024, according to data from the visitors authority. But President Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st state and his decision to hit Canada with tariffs have not endeared him to Canadian travelers. Meanwhile, media overseas have been bombarded with stories of capricious denials and detentions at U.S. border crossings. Las Vegas is not alone in its travel woes. In May, Gov. Gavin Newsom predicted a "Trump Slump" in international travel to California brought on in part by the president's tariff regime. "Las Vegas thrives on tourism," Rep. Steven Horsford wrote last week on X, "but under the Trump slump, the numbers are tanking." Horsford, a Democrat represents Nevada's 4th Congressional District, which includes a portion of Las Vegas. By many metrics — including visitor totals, convention attendance and room occupancy rates — Las Vegas has yet to recover fully since the onset of the pandemic. In dollar terms, however, Sin City continues to profit even as visitor numbers drop: Clark County collected $1.16 billion in gambling revenue in June 2025, up 3.5% from a year earlier. In the end, the house always wins. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Solve the daily Crossword

Travel Weekly
8 hours ago
- Travel Weekly
A Caesars Republic hotel is coming to California's Wine Country
Caesars Entertainment revealed plans for its third Caesars Republic casino hotel, a transformation of the River Rock Casino in Geyserville, Calif. The hotel will be called the Caesars Republic Sonoma County. Developed in partnership with the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, the project will completely transform the existing resort, which overlooks vineyards and the Russian River. Caesars did not say when the transformation would be completed. Plans call for a 100-room hotel with a spa, pool and fitness center, as well as a casino floor with more than 1,000 slot machines and 28 table games. The resort will be home to a variety of food and beverage venues, including a steakhouse, an upscale café, an Asian concept, a sports bar and a wine bar featuring an outdoor deck with valley views. The resort will be part of the Caesars Rewards loyalty program, joining the company's portfolio of 50-plus properties globally. The expansion news follows the recent opening of a Caesars Republic hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The lifestyle brand debuted its first property, the Caesars Republic Scottsdale, in Arizona last year.