Madre Fire explodes in size to become California's biggest this year
The big picture: The Madre Fire had grown to 35,530 acres on Thursday afternoon — surpassing January's destructive Los Angeles-area fires to become California's largest this year, as much of the state faces hot, dry conditions that raise the wildfire risk ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
Officials warn that the smoke impacts of the blaze that's one of several wildfires burning in the state will be "far-reaching."
Zoom in: The Madre Fire was burning at 5% containment in a wilderness area of central California near State Route 166 after igniting on Wednesday afternoon, per Cal Fire.
Part of the highway was closed due to the blaze, per a San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services Facebook post.
Evacuation orders and warnings were in effect for communities in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties near the highway as the blaze burned toward Carrizo Plain National Monument, a region some 125 miles northwest of LA that's known for its grasslands and spring wildflowers.
Between the lines: Research shows hot, dry and windy weather that helps wildfires spread is becoming more common across much of the U.S. amid climate change, per Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick.
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CNBC
an hour ago
- CNBC
Deadly storms slam Northeast and South Texas, forcing July 4 cancellations and power outages
Heavy overnight thunderstorms in the Northeast and South Texas left several people dead and caused widespread damage ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, authorities said. Officials with the City of Plainfield, New Jersey, just southwest of New York City, said two males, aged 79 and 25, were killed when a tree fell onto the vehicle they were traveling in at the height of the storm. The names of the victims were being withheld out of respect for the families, the officials said. "The devastating storm that struck our city has left deep scars, widespread damage, and thousands still without power," Plainfield Mayor Adrian O. Mapp said in a statement on Facebook. At 6 a.m., nearly 44,000 energy customers were in the dark in New York state, along with 24,000 in New Jersey and 23,000 in Massachusetts. The priority was to "begin the work of rebuilding," Mapp said. "In light of this tragedy we cannot, in all good conscience proceed with our Fourth of July parade, concert, or fireworks," he added. An additional overnight fatality in nearby North Plainfield, New Jersey, was confirmed by Mayor Lawrence La Ronde, who told WNBC that the city's West End area is "a mess." He said the city was working with utility officials to remove down wires and restore power. Footage posted on social media showed large trees toppled by strong winds in North Plainfield, while another video showed downed power lines in Salt Point, New Jersey. Videos also captured heavy hail falling across the region. New York City appears to have avoided the worst of the storm, but damage was reported from Connecticut into central New Jersey. Roughly 39 million people were subject to alerts and warnings for thunderstorms Thursday, putting holiday celebrations and travel plans at risk. By Friday morning, the number affected had dropped to 11.5 million, according to the weather service's Storm Prediction Center. Fireworks displays may be affected by storms or rain after dusk in these areas. Law enforcement in Kerr County, Texas, northwest of San Antonio, confirmed Friday that flooding from storms there had led to unspecified fatalities. NBC News 4 San Antonio reported a family in Kerrville, Texas, was missing after their house was swept away. Heavy rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to swell to levels not seen in decades, according to the National Weather Service. "The entire county is an extremely active scene," the sheriff's office wrote on Facebook. In an area near Hunt, Texas, the Guadalupe River jumped 22 feet in 3 hours, authorities said. Flood alerts remain in effect through Friday evening for 3 million residents across Abilene, San Angelo, and San Antonio, Texas. The NWS had earlier declared a flash flood emergency for the county, with between 5 and 10 inches of rain fell overnight. The agency said that automated rain gauges "indicate a large and deadly flood wave is moving down the Guadalupe River" and that "flash flooding is already occurring." A warning of "life-threatening" flash flooding was also issued for several counties across south-central Texas. The July 4 holiday will feature widely scattered showers across parts of the Rockies, Plains, and Southeast, while the Northeast and Southwest are expected to remain dry. Fourth of July celebrations were already canceled on Anna Maria Island in Southwest Florida due to the risk of storms and flooding, while a celebration in nearby North Port, Florida, was postponed. There were widespread flight delays across East Coast terminals Thursday night, with a ground stop or ground delays declared at New York airports, but there were minimal delays Friday morning.
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Crews in East Hollywood extinguish grass fire on side of 101 Freeway
Crews extinguished a grass fire on the side of the 101 Freeway on Friday morning. The Los Angeles Fire Department said around 10:51 a.m., a fire sparked on the side of the freeway just north of Santa Monica Boulevard. Firefighters were able to quickly put out the blaze and they will remain on the scene until all hotspots are completely cooled. The cause of the fire is unknown.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Deadly and 'catastrophic' flooding unfolding along Texas' Guadalupe River: Updates
Multiple fatalities have been confirmed as a "catastrophic" flooding emergency unfolded in Texas on the Fourth of July, caused by heavy rains that overwhelmed the Guadalupe River. People have died in Kerr County and roads were flooding in Kerrville, a city of 25,000 people about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio, authorities said. Authorities at a late morning news conference declined to say how many people have died but said they would have more updates later in the afternoon. "This is a catastrophic flooding event in Kerr County. We can confirm fatalities but will not release further information until next of kin are notified," the Kerr County Sheriff's Office said. "The entire county is an extremely active scene." Residents were urged to shelter in place and not attempt to travel. Anyone along creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River should seek higher ground, the sheriff's office said. "This has been a very devastating and deadly flood," Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said at a news conference as sirens sounded in the background. "When you look out your front door, and you see the Guadalupe River running, it'll wake you up, let me tell you." Officials are still working to identify most of the people who died, Kelly said. Officials have performed "dozens" of water rescues, he said. "This came at night, when people were asleep in bed," Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said, visibly emotional. "Please pray for our community." The area was under a flash flood warning and between 5 and 11 inches of rain had already fallen by about 9 a.m., the National Weather Service in Austin and San Antonio said. Another 1 to 2 inches could fall before the rain threat dissipates later in the afternoon, the weather service said. "This is a very dangerous and life-threatening flood event along the Guadalupe River! Move to higher ground!" the weather service there said. Earlier in the morning, the Guadalupe River at Hunt in western Kerr County had already reached the second-highest level on record at over 29 feet, surpassing levels of the 1987 Guadalupe River Flood at that spot, the weather service in Austin and San Antonio said. The 1987 flood killed 10 teenagers on a church camp bus and van on July 17 near Comfort, Texas. In San Angelo, Texas, about 150 miles from Kerrville in the central part of the state, the weather service shared a photo of a flooded-out intersection with water reaching the level of road signs. The weather service office in San Angelo said it had received multiple reports of flooded roads and homes in Tom Green County, calling the conditions "life-threatening." Texas mobilizes all resources, National Guard, to Kerr County Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he was "surging all available resources" to respond to the flooding in the Kerr County area, including water rescue teams, sheltering centers, the National Guard and the state's Department of Public Safety "The immediate priority is saving lives," Abbott said. Mandatory evacuations along Guadalupe River Officials in Comfort, Texas, issued mandatory evacuations for residents along the rapidly rising river, according to a post at about 8 a.m. local time. "We regret to inform everyone that the flood situation in Comfort is not improving," the Comfort Volunteer Fire Department said in an update at 11 a.m. "We have sounded the flood sirens and urge all residents in low-lying areas of town to evacuate immediately." Residents were instructed to bring necessary documents, medications, clothing and important valuables with them as they escape to higher ground. Police and firefighters in Kerrville were helping residents evacuate, with a reunification center set up at a local Walmart and a shelter at a church. Disaster declaration in Kerrville Herring, mayor of Kerrville issued a disaster declaration the morning of July 4. Fatalities and missing people have been reported in Kerr County with water rescues ongoing, the city of Kerrville said. "Search and recovery efforts are ongoing and will increase as the waters recede," the city said. The city said it cancelled its Fourth of July celebration, "Fourth on the River." Flooding impacts summer camps along river Kelly said in the late morning that authorities can't confirm whether campers at an all-girls Christian summer camp in Hunt along the Guadalupe River are accounted for. There were several camps affected in the area but Kelly said he didn't have more information about them and advised worried parents to reach out to the camps for more information. Was this flooding a surprise? The National Weather Service had placed Kerr County and other counties in the region under a flood watch ahead of the flooding on July 3, but Kelly said the extent of the flooding was a surprise. "No one knew this kind of flood was coming," he said, adding that Kerr County doesn't have a warning system that could have alerted residents the night of July 3. "We deal with floods on a regular basis," he said. "We had no reason to believe this was going to be anything like what's happened here." (This story was updated to include video.)
