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(NEW YORK) — Record-breaking heat continues for parts of the desert Southwest into the weekend, with sweltering temperatures beginning to expand east into the Heartland.

Extreme heat warnings remain in effect for parts of the desert Southwest — including Palm Springs, California; Phoenix; and Tucson, Arizona.

High temperatures are expected to reach well into the 100s and up to 115 in spots.

Heat advisories are also in effect on Friday for other areas of the Four Corners region stretching into the Plains as the heat begins to shift east.

Places under these heat advisories include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Dallas, El Paso and Amarillo, Texas; Oklahoma City; Wichita, Kansas; Denver; and Sioux City, Iowa.

High temperatures between 100 and 110 are possible for these areas for on Friday.

Record-high temperatures are possible for Albuquerque through Saturday.

The heat is expected to be less extreme for the desert Southwest this weekend.

Later this weekend into next week, widespread heat will return to the Northeast and much of the country.

Later this weekend into next week, extreme heat will be possible for parts of northwest California, western Oregon and southwest Washington. Places from Yreka, California, up to Portland, Oregon, may see high temperatures push into the 100s and low temperatures only between 60 and 70 Sunday through Monday.

On Thursday, Phoenix saw a high temperature of 118 degrees. This not only was the hottest temperature recorded for the month of August, it is also tied for the ninth-hottest day all time since records began in 1895.

Fire weather danger persists
Red flag warnings are in places across five states in the West — Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico — for critical fire weather conditions that are keeping a strong foothold this week.

Single-digit humidity and wind gusts between 35 to 55 mph are possible anywhere in these areas, though it depends on exact location.

These conditions will be conducive to rapid fire spread with any new or existing wildfires in these areas.

Fire weather conditions are expected to remain critical through at least Saturday, but may persist into the beginning of next week.

A red flag warning is also in effect for Medford, Oregon, due to dry and breezy conditions.

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(LOS ANGELES) — The Canyon Fire, a rapidly spreading blaze in California, is impacting communities in the Los Angeles area as thousands have been placed under evacuation orders and warnings, according to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.

The local emergency proclamation issued by officials enables the county to “expedite access to critical resources and cut through bureaucratic red tape to enhance firefighting and recovery efforts,” according to a statement from Los Angeles County.

So far, the Canyon Fire burning in Ventura and Los Angeles counties has grown to just under 5,000 acres in a matter of hours and is 0% contained, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. On Thursday, the fire had burned 1,500 acres.

Five zones in Los Angeles County are under evacuation orders, with 2,700 residents evacuated and 700 structures threatened by the flames, officials said. Six other zones in this county are currently under an evacuation warning, with 1,400 residents and 5,000 structures at risk, officials said.

Ventura County also has five zones under evacuation orders and two areas under evacuation warnings.

“The issuance of this emergency proclamation is a crucial step in our fight against the Canyon Fire,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “It allows us to unlock vital state and local resources more quickly and removes barriers that could slow down our first responders. Our priority is to protect lives, homes, and critical infrastructure, and this proclamation will help ensure that we have the tools and support necessary to meet the urgent needs of our communities.”

The emergency declaration grants authorities the flexibility to “coordinate across agencies, mobilize additional firefighting personnel and equipment, and streamline procurement processes,” officials said.

The blaze, which began on Thursday afternoon, is burning east with a “rapid rate of spread in light to medium fuels,” according to Cal Fire. Multiple strike teams of engines, hand crews and dozers have been ordered to “reinforce the initial response,” with 250 personnel and seven helicopters assigned to fight the flames, officials said.

As of Thursday evening, there have not been any residences damaged or reported injuries, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Supervisor Barger urges all residents in affected areas to remain vigilant, follow evacuation orders, and stay informed through official channels as the situation evolves.

Officials said residents should visit the Los Angeles County Emergency Website for incoming updates and information.

This wildfire comes as the Gifford Fire — which is situated within the Los Padres National Forest in Solvang, California — has burned nearly 100,000 acres and is the largest blaze in the state this year, according to Cal Fire. This blaze, which began on Aug. 1, has destroyed 99,232 acres and is 15% contained, according to an update from officials on Thursday evening.

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(SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, Pa.) — A gunman in rural northeastern Pennsylvania shot and killed his neighbor then fired dozens of rounds at two responding troopers, injuring them, in what police described as an ambush.

An emergency medical technician who responded to the call of shots fired at the residence in Susquehanna County was also injured when he crashed his vehicle while trying to evade the gunfire, according to Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris.
“It’s been a very tragic and harrowing day for the community here in Susquehanna County and the Pennsylvania State Police,” Paris said during a press briefing Thursday evening.

 The incident occurred shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday, when a man reported shots fired near his and his girlfriend’s home on State Route 171 in Thompson Township, Paris said.

The caller’s 57-year-old girlfriend — Laurie Wasko — had been shot and killed in front of their residence near her vehicle, Paris said.

Two state troopers were dispatched to the residence. Upon exiting their vehicle, “they were ambushed from a very good distance away,” Paris said.

Several dozen rounds were fired from a rifle “from a position of tactical superiority,” he said. One of the officers was shot twice in the chest-torso area, and the other was shot once in each arm, Paris said.

An EMS worker was also injured while “trying to help others at the scene,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said. When fired upon, the EMT took “evasive action” and crashed his vehicle, Paris said.

“He was able to make it out of his vehicle, and he actually hid for fear that the actor would continue firing upon him,” Paris said.

The suspected gunman — 61-year-old Carmine Faino — lived several hundred yards away on the opposite side of the street, Paris said.

Troopers and law enforcement from multiple counties attempted to set up a perimeter around Faino, who was “moving about,” Paris said. He shot down a drone, and at one point was sitting on a propane tank, which sparked concerns it was an “improvised explosive device,” Paris said.

“After a period of attempting to negotiate with him, he continued to be a threat, and he was shot by members of the special emergency response team,” Paris said.

The suspect was confirmed dead, and authorities say there is no threat to the public.

The motive remains under investigation and police are looking into the suspect’s background, Paris said. The shooting does appear to have been planned, Paris said, pointing to the suspect’s “position of tactical advantage.”

“I would say it doesn’t lend itself to a spur-of-the moment-type decision, at least once he made the decision to open fire,” Paris said.

The troopers, identified as Joseph Perechinsky and William Jenkins, were seriously hurt and are hospitalized in stable condition, police said.

Despite his injuries, Perechinsky was able to apply a tourniquet to his partner’s arms, Paris said.

“Despite both of their patrol cars being riddled with bullets, a third trooper was able to get in and evacuate them,” Paris said.

Paris said the two injured troopers are “very lucky to be alive.”

The EMT is in stable condition, police said.

Shapiro commended the first responders and called Perechinsky a “hero” for his actions.

“He quite likely almost saved the life of his partner,” Shapiro told reporters.

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(CALIFORNIA) — Fox News has moved to dismiss California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $787 million defamation lawsuit against the network and collect attorney fees, calling the suit a “political stunt” that Newsom filed “to advance his presidential ambitions.”

“The tone and content of Newsom’s complaint and his conduct underscore that the purpose of this lawsuit is to create a press spectacle and harass Fox News, not to remedy any legitimate reputational harm,” the 45-page filing from Fox states.

Newsom’s lawsuit stemmed from the channel’s coverage of a spat that occurred between Newsome and President Donald Trump during the L.A. wildfires. Trump claimed at the time that he had spoken to Newsom “a day ago” to tell Newsome he was doing a “bad job,” but Newsom replied on social media that “there was no call” — prompting Trump to give Fox News a screen shot showing the record of a call that had occurred days earlier.

Fox News host Jesse Watters, that night on his show, accused Newsom of lying, saying, “Why would Newsom lie and claim that Trump never called him?”

Newsom’s attorneys, in a letter to Fox News, said they would proceed with the suit unless Fox News issued a retraction and an on-air apology.

In their court filing, Fox News said that Watters did that on July 17 when he said on the air that Newsome “didn’t deceive anybody on purpose. So I’m sorry, he wasn’t lying. He was just confusing and unclear.”

As a result, Fox News says the case should be dismissed on multiple grounds — including on the merits — writing that what Watters said was “substantially true.”

“At a minimum, Watters’ query about why Newsom would ‘lie’ is an opinion based on disclosed facts that enjoys full First Amendment protection,” the filing states.

Newsom’s $787 million suit seeks the same amount as the 2023 settlement Fox reached with Dominion Voting Systems after the voting machine company accused Fox News of knowingly pushing false conspiracy theories that Dominion rigged the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden’s favor. In its filing in the Newsome case, Fox News called Newsome’s use of that figure a “headline-grabbing gimmick.”

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(WASHINGTON) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily halted any further construction of the immigrant detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Mary Williams granted a temporary restraining order after two days of testimony about the environmental impact of the site.

The state of Florida and President Donald Trump’s administration can continue to use the facility and house detainees there, but any further construction must be halted for 14 days.

While the hearing was set to resume on Tuesday, Judge Williams granted the temporary order to prevent possible harm to the sensitive Everglades ecosystem in the meantime.

Environmental groups and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida urged Judge Williams to block the construction site because the detention center was completed without conducting necessary impact studies. The area is home to multiple sensitive species — including the endangered Florida Panther — and is considered sacred to the Miccosukee tribe.

“We welcome the court’s decision to pause construction on this deeply concerning project. The detention facility threatens land that is not only environmentally sensitive but sacred to our people. While this order is temporary, it is an important step in asserting our rights and protecting our homeland. The Miccosukee Tribe will continue to stand for our culture, our sovereignty, and the Everglades,” Miccosukee Chairman Talbert Cypress said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Florida AG James Uthmeier’s office released a statement to ABC News in response to the judge’s ruling.

“Judge Williams’ order is wrong, and we will fight it. However, it does not shut down Alligator Alcatraz, which will continue to send illegal aliens back to where they came from,” the statement read.

The judge’s decision on Thursday comes after Wednesday’s hearing only saw five witnesses called to the stand by the environmental groups that filed the lawsuit, instead of the multiple state and federal officials who were set to testify.

At issue is the question of whether federal and state officials bypassed legally required environmental impact studies during construction of the facility — which plaintiffs say should block it from being used as a detention center.

Attorneys representing Florida officials have argued that the facility was initially funded by, constructed and managed by the state and is therefore exempt from the National Environmental Policy Act — the main law being used to challenge the facility’s compliance.

Alligator Alcatraz has so far operated in what immigration advocates have described as a jurisdictional gray zone — with the facility funded by the federal government but run by the state of Florida — that they allege allows officials to skirt some legal requirements.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has previously argued that the state of Florida is “implementing” the federal government’s immigration policy with the expectation that the state would be fully reimbursed for the costs of Alligator Alcatraz, but local and federal officials have so far been unable to tell the federal courts who is actually in charge of the facility.

The hearing — at which federal, state, and tribal officials are testifying — comes amid heightened scrutiny of the facility, which was once touted as a “one-stop shop to carry out President Trump’s mass deportation agenda.”

Located 50 miles west of Miami in the heart of the Florida Everglades, Alligator Alcatraz was quickly constructed over a matter of weeks, utilizing hundreds of tents, trailers, and other temporary facilities to potentially house more than 3,000 detainees.

The facility was built on the grounds of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a sparsely used piece of tarmac owned by Miami-Dade County.

Alligator Alcatraz also neighbors land leased to the Miccosukee Indian Tribe, including villages, a school, traditional hunting areas, and sacred sites. The Miccosukee Tribe joined the lawsuit last month, arguing that the facility threatens to damage nearby tribal villages.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — Several top FBI officials were ousted from their jobs this week, sources familiar with the matter confirmed to ABC News, including the former acting director of the bureau who previously resisted efforts to compile a list of agents who worked on the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Sources tell ABC News that among those informed of their terminations are former acting FBI director Brian Driscoll, assistant director in charge of the Washington, D.C. Field office Steven Jensen, and agents Walter Giardina and Christopher Meyer.

It does not appear that any were informed of the rationale behind their terminations, the sources said.

The firings have alarmed many rank-and-file agents due to concerns over whether the moves were politically motivated, said the sources. Giardina and Meyer, for instance, previously worked on investigations involving President Donald Trump.

Driscoll, who had served for nearly 20 years in the bureau, including a variety of leadership positions, was elevated briefly to the role of acting director in the opening days of Trump’s presidency.

He received praise from some agents and law enforcement groups over his brief standoff with Emil Bove, Trump’s former defense attorney who pushed Trump’s agenda at the Justice Department prior to the confirmation of Attorney General Pam Bondi. Driscoll had resisted an order from Bove to compile a list of all agents who aided the Justice Department’s investigation into Jan. 6, which Bove later described in a memo as an act of “insubordination.”

After the Senate confirmed Kash Patel as FBI director, Driscoll was assigned to lead the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group.

In his parting email sent Thursday to staffers, which was obtained by ABC News, Driscoll said he was informed of his termination Wednesday night and was given no reason for the move.

“I understand that you may have a lot of questions regarding why, for which I currently have no answers,” Driscoll wrote, according to the email. “No cause has been articulated at this time. Please know that it has been the honor of my life to serve alongside each of you.”

Sources said that Jensen’s firing similarly came as a surprise to senior leadership at the U.S. attorney’s D.C. field office, where Jensen was set to appear Thursday at a press conference on the unsealing of a hate crimes indictment charging the suspect in the Capitol Jewish Museum shooting.

Jensen was instead replaced at the press event by the chief of the Washington field office’s criminal division.

Asked by ABC News about the reason behind Jensen’s dismissal, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro declined to answer.

“I’m not going to talk about politics today. I’m talking about crime, talking about hate crimes,” Pirro said.

Officials with the FBI and Justice Department also declined to comment on the firings.

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(SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, Pa.) — Two state troopers were shot while responding to a call in northeastern Pennsylvania on Thursday, according to the Pennsylvania State Police.

They were taken to hospitals in unknown conditions after the shooting on Route 171 in Susquehanna County, police said.

“The scene remains very active and information on the suspect will be released at a later time,” police said in a statement.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he planned to head to the scene and that he and his wife “are praying for them.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(CHARLOTTE COUNTY, N.C.) — A teenager from North Carolina has been missing for nearly a week after vacationing in Florida and trying to reconnect with relatives, the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office said.

Giovanni Pelletier, an 18-year-old who is described as “smart, kind and full of life,” disappeared early last Friday “under deeply troubling and suspicious circumstances,” according to the family’s GoFundMe page.

Pelletier was visiting Englewood, Florida, with his mother and her fiance and wanted to reconnect with relatives from his biological father’s family, his aunt, Desiree Pelletier, told ABC News. While he was unable to see his father, who is incarcerated, he made plans to see three of his cousins on that side of the family, his aunt said.

With only a few days left in his vacation, Pelletier’s cousins picked him up at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 to take him on the three-hour drive to their house in Mims, Florida, his aunt said. His mother was planning on picking him up the next day, according to Desiree Pelletier.

But within 25 minutes of leaving, he sent his mom a text: “Help me,” his aunt said.

That was the last time his mother heard from him, according to his aunt. He also sent messages pleading for help to his grandfather and another aunt, Desiree Pelletier noted.

“Somewhere along the ride, something happened,” his aunt said.

The next morning, the teen’s mother saw the messages and missed phone calls from her son, could not get ahold of him and immediately contacted authorities, Desiree Pelletier said. She also reached out to the cousins who were with Pelletier, who said the group had been smoking marijuana, which is when the teen began to panic and pull out a knife, Pelletier’s aunt noted.

But his aunt said that alleged behavior “is not Gio” and that it does “not align” with who he is.

The cousins also told police that Pelletier “began to act erratically before exiting the vehicle,” according to a statement from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

His family said he was “abandoned on the side of the road in Bardenton, Florida,” with his backpack and phone discovered in the area by a truck driver the same day he disappeared. Bardenton is about an hour away from Englewood by car.

His aunt said the family does not believe this is a run-away and that “something is not told right.”

“It doesn’t make sense. Why would he say ‘Help me’ three different times to three people?” his aunt said.

Since then, the family has been continuing their search for Giovanni Pelletier, with officials saying they have received “many, many tips that unfortunately turn out to be inaccurate.”

“We love him and want him home and we just want him to be OK. As a family, we can’t function normally. We’re not doing well right now. We just want him home,” his aunt told ABC News as she held back tears.

As of Thursday, the sheriff’s office said in a statement to ABC News they “do not have any updates on this investigation and continue to ask anyone with information to come forward.”

The family is currently offering a reward of $10,000 for information leading to the teen’s whereabouts, his aunt said.
ABC News

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(WASHINGTON) — Above-normal activity is still expected for the remainder of hurricane season, according to the updated hurricane forecast from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The agency is continuing to predict an above-normal number of named storms for the year but with slightly less confidence than when the initial hurricane outlook was issued in May.

There is now a 50% chance of an above-normal season, a 35% chance of a near-normal season and a 15% chance of a below-normal season, according to the updated assessment, which was released on Thursday. In May, the agency forecast a 60% chance of above-normal activity.

For the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season, NOAA is forecasting 13 to 18 total named storms with winds of 39 mph or greater — with five to nine of those storms predicted to become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or greater.

Two to five of those named storms are expected to become major hurricanes between Categories 3 and 5 and winds of 111 mph or higher, according to NOAA.

As of Thursday, the 2025 season has seen four named tropical storms and no hurricanes. The names Andrea, Barry, Chantal and Dexter have been used so far. Erin is the next name up.

Climatologically, the Atlantic season typically sees its first hurricane on Aug. 11.

“No two storms are alike,” NOAA’s National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said in a press release. “Every storm presents unique, life-threatening hazards that can impact people in both coastal and inland communities. Have a plan in place, and know the actions you should take before, during and after the wide range of hazards that the hurricane season can bring.”

On Wednesday, Colorado State University (CSU) updated its seasonal forecast for storm activity in the Atlantic Basin. While the university’s team have also maintained their previous forecast of a slightly above-average season, they said they have lower-than-normal confidence in their outlook due to a significant difference in wind speed and direction in the atmosphere over the Caribbean Sea in June and July.

Over the next two weeks, there is a 55% chance of above-average activity, a 35% chance of near-average activity and just a 10% chance of below-average activity, according to CSU.

CSU is predicting 16 named storms, eight hurricanes and three major hurricanes for the 2025 season. It will be issuing its two-week forecasts from Thursday through the peak of the season.

Several key weather and climate factors influenced the updated forecasts, according to NOAA and CSU. The sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Atlantic are warming and are now a bit higher than normal, and cool, neutral conditions in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are expected during the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. These conditions make it easier for hurricanes to form and strengthen.

“Many of the factors we identified ahead of the season are still at play, and conditions are largely tracking along with our May predictions,” Matt Rosencrans, the lead hurricane season forecaster at NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction, said.

ABC News’ Matthew Glasser, Dan Manzo, Kyle Reiman, Dan Peck and Sam Wnek contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — The alleged gunman who fatally shot two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., has been indicted on hate crime and murder charges, court records show.

The indictment against Elias Rodriguez, filed Wednesday, alleges he had “expressed support for violence against Israelis” in the days and months leading up to the killing of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside the Capitol Jewish Museum on May 21.

“Violence against anyone in this District will not be tolerated, especially violence which has hate at its core and is the genesis of violence,” D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said at a press conference on Thursday formally announcing the indictment. “The president put me here to do a job, to clean up the District, to make sure that crime doesn’t overshadow this phenomenal city, our nation’s capital.”

Pirro noted the indictment includes a provision that could allow the Justice Department to seek the death penalty if Rodriguez is convicted by a jury.

Pirro also said she personally spoke to Lischinsky and Milgrim’s parents prior to her announcement, who she described as “broken” as a result of Rodriguez’s alleged actions. She said they will have an “opportunity and a right to put their inputs into what decision we ultimately make” regarding the death penalty.

Rodriguez has remained in custody since his arrest and has not yet entered a plea in his case. A public defender representing him did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment.

He was initially charged via criminal complaint a day after the shooting with first-degree murder, murder of a foreign official, causing death through the use of a firearm, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Pirro emphasized at the time that the charges were only initial in nature.

The indictment adds two federal counts of hate crime resulting in death and two local counts of assault with intent to kill while armed.

Early last month, prosecutors in Rodriguez’s case sought an extension for time to return an indictment against him, noting the complex and unusual nature of the charges he was facing.

Federal prosecutors cite in the indictment a document allegedly authored by Rodriguez titled “Explication,” dated just one day before the shooting. In the writings, the author addresses the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and suggests the latest death toll has been underestimated.

Prosecutors also point to online posts and messages allegedly written by Rodriguez dating back to January 2024 that they say showed support for violence against Israelis. Among them, on Jan. 1, 2024, Rodriguez allegedly posted to social media, “Happy New Year, Death to Israel,” according to the indictment.

Rodriguez was seen in videos shouting “Free, Free Palestine!” inside the museum just minutes after he allegedly shot Lischinsky and Milgrim dozens of times, and later allegedly told police upon his arrest, “I did it for Palestine.”

The complaint alleges that Rodriguez shot the couple in the back and then fired again at Milgrim as she tried to crawl away.

Lischinsky, 30, was a researcher in the political department of the Israeli Embassy, while Milgrim, 26, organized U.S. missions to Israel.

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