California Today: Blaze Turns Pacific Palisades Into Evacuation Zone

Today's top stories from California.

January 8, 2025, 9:31 a.m. Eastern time Good morning. Here are the top stories from across California and the region, selected for you by Times editors. Today's Top Story Philip Cheung for The New York Times Blaze Turns Pacific Palisades Into Evacuation Zone Cars clogged scenic Sunset Boulevard and headed away from the Palisades, a seaside neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles. Read more More California News What We Know About the Wildfires Raging in Southern California The fast-moving fires are intensifying because of fierce winds, the strongest in Southern California in more than a decade. Wind-Fueled Fire Consumes a Los Angeles Neighborhood A fire in Southern California grew with dizzying speed on Tuesday forcing evacuations and threatening at least 10,000 homes. Thousands Face Mandatory Evacuations Across Los Angeles Area Three fires prompted fire officials to issue a swath of evacuation orders and warnings for some of the city's most heavily residential areas. Southern California Is Dangerously Dry for This Time of Year Ordinarily, the region would have seen some rain by January. Can San Francisco's New Mayor Make the City Shine Again? Daniel Lurie, an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, will soon take the helm of the liberal mecca. "Resistance" to Donald Trump isn't on his agenda. Four Fraternity Members Charged After a Pledge Is Set on Fire Prosecutors said that a skit last year left a San Diego State University student with third-degree burns over 16 percent of his body. Exxon Sues California Official, Claiming He Defamed the Company The lawsuit, an unusual strategy for the oil giant, comes after California's attorney general sued Exxon last year alleging it misled the public about plastics recycling. Biden to Designate Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments in California With these two new monuments, Mr. Biden has protected more federal land and waters than any other president, about 674 million acres. Local Conditions Look up the heat index in your area using The Times's heat tracker. See active fires using The Times's wildfire tracker. Today's Recipe Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Lemony Greek Chicken, Spinach and Potato Stew By Sarah DiGregorio 35 minutes Makes 4 to 5 servings Play a Game The Mini Crossword Solve this bite-sized puzzle in just a few minutes. Spelling Bee How many words can you make with 7 letters? Wordle Guess the 5-letter word with 6 chances. See all our games Sign up for Your Places: Extreme Weather. Get notified about extreme weather before it happens with custom alerts for places in the U.S. you choose. Get it in your inbox Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for California Today from The New York Times. To stop receiving California Today, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018