Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Hughes Fire In Los Angeles County Has Another 19-Thousand People Under Evacuation Orders
As a red flag warning remains in effect in Los Angeles County until tomorrow morning, a new blaze broke out that has exploded in size. The Hughes Fire started yesterday morning near Castaic Lake off Lake Hughes Road. Less than two hours later, the fire had covered over 34-hundred-acres, and as of last night, the Hughes Fire had spread to an estimated 92-hundred-acres. At a press conference yesterday, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that around 4-thousand personnel were sent to the area to fight the Hughes Fire. Castaic is in northwest Los Angeles County, around 15 miles north of Santa Clarita. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said that roughly 31-thousand people were under mandatory evacuation orders yesterday, with another 23-thousand under evacuation warnings. Included in those that were evacuated were around 4,500 inmates from Pitchess Detention Center. While high winds are playing a large part in the explosive growth of the latest fire, officials said that the dryness of the vegetation is causing it to spread rapidly. LA County Fire Department spokesman Fred Fielding said, “It’s been almost 300-days since we’ve had any significant rainfall.”
2 One Student Killed And Another Wounded In Nashville High School Shooting
One student was killed and a second was injured when 17-year-old Solomon Henderson walked into the cafeteria at Antioch High School in Nashville and opened fire with a handgun. The student who was killed has been identified as 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante; an unidentified 17-year-old male student suffered a graze wound on the arm and was released from the hospital after treatment. Nashville Police Chief John Drake said that Henderson was an active student at the school. Henderson ended the incident by turning the gun on himself. At a news conference, Drake said police hadn’t figured out a motive, but did say that authorities are looking at “some materials on the internet.” There were two school resource officers at Antioch High School, but they were in a different part of the building and arrived right after the shooter took his own life.
3 Trump Administration Sends 1,500 Troops To Southern Border
The Pentagon started deploying 1,500 troops yesterday to help secure the southern border, something put into motion by President Trump with executive orders aimed at cracking down on immigration. Acting Defense Secretary Robert Salesses told reporters yesterday that the troops are being deployed to the area in helicopters, and military aircraft will be used for Department of Homeland Security deportation flights. More troops are reportedly going to be deployed in the effort in the coming days and weeks.
