Monday: President Trump approves a disaster declaration for California, a plane crash at an Orange County mall and Lance Bass loses a bid.
Good morning.
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Residents of the west Redding neighborhoods most devastated by the Carr Fire began returning to their damaged homes this weekend, marking the first steps of a long recovery ahead for the town and others throughout Shasta County affected by the blaze. Some made the familiar drives to their houses only to find empty lots piled with ash and debris.
Justin Sanchez, who lived in the Lake Keswick Estates neighborhood, described a chaotic scene the night he and his family pushed through bottlenecked traffic to escape a fire tornado that ripped through the area. Like many others, he said he did not initially believe the fire would jump the Sacramento River to reach his neighborhood. The situation escalated quickly, he said.
“I just knew this thing was going to take our whole neighborhood,” he said. “I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
All he was able to grab on his way out were some photos from the walls. Today, that’s all his family has left; when he returned one week later, he found everything burned down.
In a follow-up interview, Mr. Sanchez said his family was still mapping out what comes next; his first steps included getting an identification card and securing a temporary place to live for himself and his two boys. He is looking for more permanent housing. In the meantime, he has also signed up as a volunteer to help families clean the debris from their burned-down homes.
“I lost it all, and if I can help clean up, then that will make me feel better,” he said.
The fire continues to burn, though it has turned westward away from Redding. As of Sunday, it has burned 160,000 acres and is 43 percent contained.
Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday toured the Lake Redding Estates neighborhood and urged Californians to come together as “one state and one country” to respond to these disasters.
“This is part of a trend, a new normal, and we’ve got to deal with it,” Mr. Brown said. “These kind of horrible situations bring people together regardless of the lesser kind of ideologies and partisan considerations. It’s tragic that tragedy brings us closer together, but out of that we learn to depend on each other and work together,” he said.
President Trump on Saturday approved a disaster declaration for California, which will make federal assistance available for Shasta County residents affected by the Carr Fire. The White House, in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said that the assistance would take the form of grants and low-cost loans and that individuals can apply for them online; they did not specify a cap on the disaster assistance package.
Mayor Kristen Schreder of Redding said that city and county governments were going to be working with the state on a local assistance center where residents affected by the fire can go for information and services. “We just never thought this was going to happen,” she said. “But I’ve lost track of the number of people, friends who I know who have lost their homes. It’s heartbreaking.”
(Please note: We regularly highlight articles on news sites that have limited access for nonsubscribers.)
• Areas of Redding are barely recognizable after the Carr Fire. In this interactive, examine the damage in augmented reality. [ The New York Times]
• Not everyone was alerted of danger from the wildfires. Governor Brown responded to calls to improve the alert system, saying he would consider legislation. [ The Sacramento Bee]
• The Ferguson Fire has left Yosemite National Park empty during peak tourist season, and visitors to Lake Tahoe are choking on smoke. [ San Francisco Chronicle]
• John Cox, the Republican candidate for governor, earned more than $2.1 million last year, according to tax reports released by his campaign. [ The San Diego Union-Tribune]
• Friends and family remembered Nia Wilson, who was killed at a BART station last month. Her family plans to sue the transit agency this week. [ The New York Times]
• “I know you have a good heart, and I know you don’t want to hurt anybody.” This is how an artist negotiated with a gunman to end the Trader Joe’s hostage standoff in L. A. [ The Los Angeles Times]
• Five people were killed when their plane crashed in the parking lot of a strip mall in Orange County. [ The New York Times]
• Sunnyvale has banned sales of semiautomatic weapons to anyone under 21. [ The Mercury News]
• The construction of steel barriers to prevent suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge began over the weekend. [ San Francisco Chronicle]
• The fitness company Peloton raised $4 billion in six years and is the toast of Silicon Valley. [ The New York Times]
• The next great disruption: season tickets. The Oakland A’s will allow fans to buy access to all 81 home games without committing to a seat. [ The New York Times]
• One person is dead and two are hospitalized after a shooting on Bay Bridge. [ The Mercury News]
• At this sleek San Diego hotel, the focus is on food. [ The New York Times]
• The 11th annual Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival will be held in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco from Friday to Sunday .
• Wide Open Walls, Sacramento’s mural festival showcasing local and international street art, starts Thursday .
• Fox’s Teen Choice Awards will be held in Inglewood on Sunday .
A few weeks ago we told you about the latest famous property to hit the L. A. market: the “Brady Bunch” house.
The Studio City home, which was featured in the TV show, created quite a buzz when it was listed for nearly $1.9 million.
Among the eager bidders was Lance Bass of ’N Sync, who excitedly tweeted on Friday: “Super excited to announce they accepted my offer on the #BradyBunch house last night!!! This is going to be a fun project!”
But it was not meant to be. “I’m feeling heartbroken today,” Mr. Bass posted on Instagram on Saturday, adding that a “corporate buyer (Hollywood studio)” wanted the house “at any cost.
