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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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