(LOS ANGELES) — The Canyon Crest Fire, which began Thanksgiving evening to the east of Los Angeles, has now reached 250 acres and has sparked evacuation warnings for residents living in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
The fire was 0% contained as of 6 a.m. local time, according to Cal Fire. Officials warn of the threat to life and property, calling for those who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets or livestock to leave immediately.
Areas under evacuation warnings include those north of California 60, East of County Village Road, South of the Riverside/San Bernardino County Line, and West of Sierra Avenue.
“A large augmentation of fire engines, crews, bulldozers and night flying-water dropping helicopters assisted in the suppression of the fire yesterday,” Cal Fire said in an online statement. “Resources worked on containment throughout the night in challenging terrain with light flashy fuels and east blowing winds.”
Emergency services from San Bernardino County Fire, Cal Fire, Riverside County Fire Department and the Bureau of Land Management are responding to the fire.
(NEW YORK) — A man who went missing for more than five weeks deep in the Canadian wilderness has been found alive, authorities have confirmed.
Sam Benastick was reported missing on Oct. 19 after not returning from a trip to the back country of British Columbia in Canada, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia.
But on Tuesday at approximately 11:30 a.m. — more than five weeks after Benastick was initially reported missing — Northern Rockies RCMP were notified that he had been located by two people who were headed to the Redfern Lake trail for work when they saw a man walking toward them and recognized him to be Sam Benastick when they approached him, officials said.
The two men immediately took Benastick to the hospital where police attended and confirmed him to be the man reported missing, authorities said.
“Sam told police that he stayed in his car for a couple of days and then walked to a creek, mountain side where he camped out for 10-15 days,” according to the British Columbia Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Benastick then reportedly moved down into the valley and built a camp and shelter in a dried-out creek bed before he was fortunate enough to find the two men he flagged down and taken to safety, officials said.
“Finding Sam alive is the absolute best outcome. After all the time he was missing, it was feared that this was would not be the outcome,” said Cpl Madonna Saunderson of British Columbia Royal Canadian Mounted Police Communications.
“The RCMP would like to sincerely thank the Fort Nelson and North Peace and Search and Rescue teams including other Search and Rescue jurisdictions that provided mutual aid support, the Canadian Rangers along with many local volunteers with extensive back country knowledge of the area,” authorities said. “The time, effort and resources put in to locate Sam from the time of notification he was missing was beyond measure. We are thankful for the great outcome.”
(NEW YORK) — Once millions of Americans living in the Northern U.S. have had their fill of turkey, sides and pie, they could be treated with a dazzling event that could light up the night’s sky.
A geomagnetic storm watch has been issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center, meaning the northern lights — or aurora borealis — could be visible from parts of the U.S. over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
A G1, or minor, geomagnetic storm watch was issued for Thursday, while a G2, or moderate, geomagnetic storm watch was issued for Friday. NOAA’s space weather predictors calculated the timing of a coronal mass ejection associated with a filament eruption that took place on Sunday. A five-level scale is used to measure geomagnetic storms.
A coronal mass ejection is a burst of plasma and magnetic field that erupts from the sun’s corona — essentially a huge cloud of charged particles ejected into space at high speeds.
This event could also be brighter because the geomagnetic activity has a Kp index of 5, according to NOAA.
The geomagnetic storm could also have minor impacts on radios, satellites, GPS and power grids, according to NOAA.
What are the northern lights
The term northern lights refers to the natural display of pink and green hues in the sky that occurs when charged particles from a coronal mass ejection interact with Earth’s magnetic field — resulting in a geometric storm.
The auroras are normally seen closer to the North Pole but can be seen closer to the equator depending on the strength of the geomagnetic storm. However, the farther south you go, the more red the lights will appear rather than the usual green curtains because the curvature of the Earth causes the particles to interact higher in the atmosphere, where oxygen is less plentiful, resulting in a more reddish hue, according to the National Park Service.
Where the northern lights could be visible
Northern and upper Midwest states from New York to Idaho could be treated to the northern lights, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center’s experimental aurora view line, which predicts the intensity and location of the aurora borealis in North America.
States like Washington, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine could see potential auroras as well.
The geomagnetic storm could bring an encore display of the northern lights to New York City, where auroras were visible last month.
In some cities, the aurora may be visible low on the horizon, according to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.
How to see the northern lights
The hours before and after midnight, when the night sky is the darkest, are the best time to see the auroras, according to NOAA.
Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that are not visible to the naked eye, Shawn Dahl, coordinator for NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, told ABC News last month.
Getting away from light pollution, and even the bright light of a full moon, will also enhance the viewing experience
Dahl also reminded star-gazers to keep their eyes dark-adapted and avoid constant interactions with the bright screens of their cell phones.
In addition, a citizen science platform called Aurorasaurus allows people to sign up for alerts that an aurora may be visible in their area
Why northern lights events will be more common over the next year
For the next year or more, the likelihood of seeing the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, will increase as Earth remains in the solar maximum of Solar Cycle 25.
The peak of the current solar cycle occurs one every 11 years, when more sunspots with the intense magnetic activity are expected, according to NOAA.
(WASHINGTON) — The homes of multiple Democratic members of Congress in Connecticut were targeted by bomb threats on Thanksgiving Day.
Reps. Joe Courtney, Jahana Hayes, Jim Himes, and John Larson all said their homes were targeted on Thursday.
“This morning, I was notified of a bomb threat targeting my home where I was celebrating Thanksgiving with my family,” Himes said in a statement. “Thankfully, after a swift and thorough response from the United States Capitol Police, the Greenwich Police Department and the Stamford Police Department, no evidence of a bomb was found.”
Hayes said in a statement she was notified by local police that it received a threatening email stating a pipe bomb had been placed in her mailbox at home. Police did not find any evidence of a pipe bomb in his mailbox and said there’s no place for political violence in the country.
“State police, U.S. Capitol Police, and the Sergeant at Arms were immediately notified. The Wolcott Police Department and State Police responded and no bomb or explosive materials were discovered and the scene was cleared. At this time the investigation is ongoing. I thank law enforcement for their swift attention to this matter, their actions demonstrate there is no place in our country for political violence.”
Local outlets in Connecticut reported that Larson and Courtney have received similar threats. ABC News has reached out for comment.
Threats against multiple members of Connecticut congressional delegations come following several of Trump’s cabinet nominees receiving threats, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, former Rep. Lee Zeldin, and Pete Hegseth.
It’s unclear, though, if the threats against some of Trump’s cabinet picks are connected to the threats against many of Connecticut’s congressional delegation.
(PIEDMONT, CA) — Three people were killed and one was seriously injured when their Tesla Cybertruck crashed in Piedmont, California, according to police.
Just after 3 a.m. on Wednesday, police received a collision alert from an iPhone, which provided police with the location of the crash, according to Piedmont Police Department Chief Jeremy Bowers. Shortly after, someone called 911 to report a crash.
“Officers arrived on scene to find a single-vehicle collision fully engulfed in flames,” Bowers said at a press conference Wednesday.
Another motorist was able to pull one person from the Cybertruck, Bowers said.
Officers attempted to extinguish the flames, but the fire was too intense for the extinguishers to be effective, police said.
The Piedmont Fire Department responded and was ultimately able to extinguish the flames, according to Bowers.
Police believe it is possible the people involved in the crash were at a function together before the incident.
There is no evidence that a mechanical issue with the electric truck caused the crash, police said.
Police said they will not be releasing information about the identities of those killed in the Cybertruck at this time.
Speed was a factor in the collision, but there were other factors that likely contributed to the deadly crash, Bowers said.
The Piedmont Police Department is investigating along with the California Highway Patrol.
(NEW YORK) — Pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested for blocking the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Thursday.
For the second year in a row, the demonstrators jumped the barriers and ran into West 55th Street just before 9:30 a.m.
The exact charges the protesters will be facing are still pending.
The protesters sat on the ground, locking arms and chanting, “Free, free Palestine!”
Others held a banner behind them that said: “Don’t celebrate genocide! Arms embargo now.”
The brief interruption had spectators booing and then cheering as NYPD officers intervened.
The parade was delayed for about five minutes as the 21 protesters were removed from the road.
There have been international calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, but numerous efforts to reach an agreement to end fighting have not succeeded. More than 40,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war started on Oct. 7, 2023.
The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took place in 1927. It’s been a holiday tradition ever since.
(NEW YORK) — It’s Thanksgiving, you’re enjoying your favorite foods at the dinner table, when a family member brings up who they voted for in the 2024 presidential election.
Arguments ensue.
The food doesn’t taste as good.
And now everyone’s a politician.
In a contentious election year, conversations about politics at the dinner table are inevitable.
But Elaine Swann, a lifestyle and etiquette expert, has some tips on how to best handle these conversations this Thanksgiving.
“One of the things that I recommend for any host to do is set aside time and or space for people to talk politics,” Swann told ABC News. “This means you set the rules and you tell folks, listen, when you come here, here’s when we’re going to talk politics.”
Swann suggests chatting about the election is done before or after dinner. And move people to a different room for dessert to express themselves, she said.
Although talking politics is normally discouraged in settings like this, Swann said she believes people are really passionate about the past election. She wants these conversations to bring people together rather than drive them apart.
“It’s important for us to have these conversations in order to bring folks together,” she said. “But keep in mind, the purpose is not to convince one person of anything. It’s also to bring the family together and help people understand your own perspective and views.”
Swann encourages everyone to follow her three core values of etiquette, which are respect, honesty and consideration. She also said “to let folks know, look, you’ve got one chance, two chances, or three chances, and then you’re out.”
If conversations are getting a bit out of hand, Swann recommends changing the subject. In addition, she said to have a slideshow of family photos displayed on the TV or have a mediator to instill some control in these conversations.
Finally, Swann asks hosts to “bring that holiday vibe into their homes.”
“As a host, be present, be aware and also be an advocate for those who feel like they’re being beat up on,” Swann said.
(NEW YORK) — A man was nearly electrocuted to death after being hired to hang Christmas lights on a large tree in Massachusetts, police said.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at approximately 10 a.m. when the Wellesley Police Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a man had possibly been electrocuted on Falmouth Circle in Wellesley, according to a statement from the Wellesley Police Department.
“The victim, a contractor hired by a resident, was installing holiday lights on a large tree using a pole,” authorities said. “It appears that the pole being used came into close proximity, or contact with, a primary electrical line on a utility pole. The victim appears to have then received a life-threatening electrical shock.”
The man who suffered the electric shock immediately fell unconscious, appeared to be having a seizure and had stopped breathing, police said.
The Wellesley Police Dispatcher subsequently provided the person who called the emergency services CPR instructions and the caller administered CPR until officers arrived on scene a few moments later.
“Wellesley Police Officers Tim Gover, Mike Pino, and Scott Whittemore were the first emergency responders to arrive on scene and observed that the victim appeared to be in sudden cardiac arrest,” police said. “A co-worker of the victim was performing chest compressions as instructed by Wellesley Police Dispatchers. Wellesley Police Officers took over CPR and began to clear the area, as the actual cause of the electrocution was unknown at the time.”
Emergency responders then used a defibrillator on the victim while continuing to provide CPR. Multiple shocks were given to the man until he was revived and regained a pulse, police said.
“The victim was transported to Newton Wellesley Hospital by Needham Fire,” according to the Wellesley Police Department. “The victim was initially treated at Newton Wellesley Hospital, and then transferred to the Massachusetts General Hospital.”
Wellesley Police Detectives conducted an investigation and determined that the large pole the man was using to string the holiday lights came into close proximity, or actual contact with, a primary electrical line on the top of the utility pole and he was electrocuted when contact was made.
“The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was contacted per departmental policy to investigate,” police said. “OSHA investigators responded to the scene and are working with the WMLP and Wellesley Police. The Wellesley Police, Fire, and WMLP Departments extend our thoughts and prayers to the victim and his family during this tragic incident.”
The incident is currently under investigation and no further information is available at this time.
(CUMBERLAND, Md.) — A 28-year-old prison inmate has been killed in his own cell by another prisoner who was serving time in the same facility, police said.
The inmate, identified as Robert Warren — a state prison inmate serving time at the North Branch Correctional Institution in Cumberland., Maryland — was declared deceased in his cell on Monday by emergency medical service personnel, according to a statement from the Maryland State Police released on Wednesday.
A suspect, also an inmate, has been identified but police have not released his identity since he has not yet been charged at this time. Authorities are expected to release more information once the suspect has been charged, police said.
Maryland authorities did not say how the man was killed or how long they suspect he had been dead for when his body was discovered in his cell but they did confirm that Maryland State Police investigators are “continuing an investigation into the death of a state prison inmate in Allegany County.”
“The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit was contacted by investigators from the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Internal Investigative Unit (DPSCS IID) about an inmate death,” according to the Maryland State Police. “Autopsy results from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Warren’s death as a homicide.”
State Police Homicide Unit investigators are continuing the investigation and assistance is being provided by State Police crime scene technicians and investigators with the DPSCS Internal Investigative Unit.
“Upon completion, the investigation will be presented to the Allegany County State’s Attorney’s Office for review regarding charges,” police said.
(NEW YORK) — Amid the Thanksgiving travel rush, a stowaway was discovered Tuesday night onboard a Delta Air Lines flight out of JFK Airport in New York City headed to Paris.
Authorities said the stowaway was discovered on board Delta Flight 264 from JFK to Paris and removed after the plane landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
The person who boarded the flight bypassed the document check podium and a gate agent, but was fully screened at a security checkpoint at JFK, a TSA spokesperson told ABC News. That means they weren’t carrying any prohibited items and did not pose a security risk, TSA said.
It’s unclear how the person got around the document check podium.
The FBI is aware of the incident.
No other details about the person who boarded the flight have been made public.
A representative for Delta said the airline is “conducting an exhaustive investigation of what may have occurred and will work collaboratively with other aviation stakeholders and law enforcement to that end.”
A video taken by another passenger on board the flight shows the flight attendants walking down the aisle as the pilot’s voice on the intercom says, “We are just waiting for the police to come on board … They directed us to keep everyone on the plane until they sort out the extra passenger.”
