‘Murder hornet’ eradicated from US, officials declare
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(NEW YORK) — The so-called “murder hornet” has been eradicated from the United States, five years after the invasive species was first discovered in Washington state, officials declared Wednesday.
There have been no confirmed detections of the northern giant hornet — the hornet’s official name — for the past three years, the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.
The eradication was the result of a yearslong effort to find and eliminate the hornets that involved state, federal and international government agencies, officials said.
“We are proud of this landmark victory in the fight against invasive species,” Dr. Mark Davidson, the deputy administrator at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said in a statement. “The success of this effort demonstrates what’s possible when agencies and communities unite toward a common goal.”
WSDA Director Derek Sandison said in a statement he was “incredibly proud of our team, which has dedicated years of hard work to safeguarding our state and the nation from this invasive threat to our native pollinators and agriculture.”
The public also played a large part in helping eradicate the pest by reporting sightings, officials said.
“Without the public’s support for this effort, it is unlikely we would be announcing the eradication of northern giant hornet today,” Sven Spichiger, WSDA’s pest program manager, said in a statement. “All of our nest detections resulted directly or indirectly from public reports. And half of our confirmed detections came from the public. The people of Washington can be proud that we did this by working together.”
The northern giant hornet, which is native to Asian countries including China and Japan, was first detected in North America in August 2019 in British Columbia, Canada. It was confirmed in Washington state four months later when a resident in Whatcom County reported a dead specimen. That incident appeared to be a separate introduction originating from a different country than the British Columbia one, officials said.
Four hornet nests found inside alder tree cavities in Whatcom County were eradicated between October 2020 and September 2021.
Trapping efforts continued in Whatcom County through 2024, and no additional hornets have been detected in the area, WSDA said.
A community member reported a “suspicious hornet sighting” in Kitsap County in October, though WSDA was unable to obtain the hornet to confirm the species, the department said. Traps placed in the area and public outreach did not yield any additional evidence or reports of suspected sightings, it said.
“All we can say is that the image appears to be a hornet of some kind. How it came to be in Kitsap County, we don’t know,” Spichiger said.
WSDA said it will conduct trapping in the area in 2025 as a “precautionary measure.”
The northern giant hornet could have posed a “significant threat” to honey bees and other pollinators had it become established in the U.S., officials said. The hornets can kill an entire honey bee hive in just 90 minutes. Their sting is also more painful than that of a typical honey bee.
“By tackling this threat head-on, we protected not only pollinators and crops, but also the industries, communities, and ecosystems that depend on them,” Davidson said.
(WASHINGTON) — Members of Congress, the Supreme Court and other dignitaries will gather at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday afternoon for a lying-in-state ceremony for former President Jimmy Carter.
Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver one of the eulogies for Carter, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100.
Carter leaves Carter Presidential Center for final time
Former President Jimmy Carter is leaving the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta for the final time Tuesday morning as Carter Center employees and their families look on.
The former president had been lying in repose at the center since Saturday, allowing the public to come pay their respects.
At a Saturday service at the Carter Presidential Center, Carter’s son Chip Carter thanked his parents for their service and sacrifice.
“The two of them together changed the world,” he said, overcome with emotion.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter founded the Carter Center after his presidency to improve health around the world and enhance freedom and democracy.
Carter to head to DC for services at Capitol, Washington National Cathedral
Former President Jimmy Carter’s remains will be escorted from the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday for the 39th president’s final trip to the nation’s capital.
His remains will leave the Carter Center at 11:30 a.m. ET.
The first stop in D.C. will be the U.S. Navy Memorial in honor of the former president’s service.
At 4:30 p.m. ET, members of Congress, the Supreme Court, the Cabinet, the Joint Chiefs and other officials will congregate at the U.S. Capitol for a lying in state ceremony. Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson are expected to deliver eulogies and lay wreaths.
Carter’s remains will lie in state at the Capitol from Tuesday evening to Thursday morning, allowing the public to pay respects.
On Thursday morning, former presidents and other dignitaries will attend a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral. President Joe Biden will deliver a eulogy.
On Thursday afternoon, Carter’s body will return to his hometown of Plains, Georgia, for a private service and private interment. Carter will be buried next to his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn, who died on Nov. 19, 2023, at the age of 96.
(NEW YORK) — A developing winter storm may bring rare snow and ice to cities along the Gulf Coast, from Texas to Florida.
The storm is set to hit the region on Tuesday.
It is too early to say how much snow or ice will fall, but the rare event could pose a major problem on roads and for utility companies.
The last time New Orleans saw measurable snow was 2009, and the last time the city saw more than 1 inch of snow was 1963.
Tallahassee, Florida, last experienced measurable snow in 2018. The city last had more than 1 inch in 1989.
The storm will also bring unusually cold temperatures to the Gulf. The wind chill — what temperature it feels like — will plunge Tuesday to about 21 degrees in Houston, 26 degrees in New Orleans and 28 in Panama City, Florida.
(LOS ANGELES) — Los Angeles County has been devastated by two deadly wildfires that have become some of the most destructive in California history.
The Palisades and Eaton fires both erupted on Jan. 7, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds.
Dozens of people are believed to have died in the fires, which have burned down whole swaths of communities, including in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena and Pasadena. More than 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the two fires, with the Eaton Fire the most destructive in Los Angeles history.
With the fires continuing to rage, the full scope of the lives lost and destruction remains to be seen.
While working to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires, firefighters also have had to contend with several smaller fires that have ignited amid the hazardous fire conditions.
Here’s a look at how the deadly blazes unfolded.
Jan. 7
A dayslong red flag warning goes into effect for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with very strong winds in the forecast amid dry conditions.
“Strong, damaging and potentially life-threatening #SantaAnaWinds are still on track for #SoCal,” the National Weather Service in Los Angeles warns. “Be prepared for strong winds and high fire danger.”
10:20 a.m.: A live camera with AlertCalifornia, a UC San Diego program to monitor wildfires and disasters in real-time, picks up smoke rising. This is the first sighting of the Palisades Fire.
10:30 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Palisades Fire has started southeast of Palisades Drive in the Pacific Palisades.
11:44 a.m.: Evacuation warnings — voluntary notices to leave — begin to be issued in the Palisades Fire.
Noon: Mandatory evacuation orders start in the Palisades Fire. Long lines of vehicles can be seen amid evacuations, as well as abandoned cars.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency due to the Palisades Fire, which has grown to 1,200 acres at the time of his declaration.
6:18 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Eaton Fire has begun in Altadena, describing the incident as a “fast-moving fire burning brush fueled by high winds,” prompting evacuation orders.
6:26 p.m.: The Los Angeles Fire Department calls on all of its firefighters to report for duty.
10:29 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Hurst Fire has begun in Sylmar, prompting evacuations.
Jan. 8
Newsom says more than 1,400 firefighting personnel and hundreds of “prepositioned assets” have been deployed to battle the “unprecedented fires” ravaging parts of Los Angeles, with the Palisades Fire growing to nearly 3,000 acres and the Eaton Fire to 1,000 acres by the morning.
5 a.m.: A wind gust of 100 mph is recorded at Mountain Lukens in the San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of La Canada Flintridge — very close to the Eaton Fire.
6:15 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Woodley Fire has begun in the Sepulveda Basin.
At a morning press briefing, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone reports that two people have died in the Eaton Fire, as it continues to rage uncontrolled.
The city of Pasadena issues a do-not-drink-water notification alert due to damage to water reservoirs, tanks and pumping stations, and an air quality alert is issued for parts of Los Angeles County, amid the wildfire impacts.
President Joe Biden approves a major disaster declaration for California, allowing impacted communities to immediately access recovery funds and resources related to the major wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area.
2:07 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Lidia Fire has begun in Acton, prompting evacuations.
5:57 p.m.: A fire has begun in the famed Hollywood Hills, Cal Fire reports. The Sunset Fire prompts evacuations.
8:07 p.m.: The Woodley Fire in the Sepulveda Basin is now fully contained, Cal Fire reports.
By the evening, Newsom updates that more than 7,500 firefighting personnel are on the ground to respond to “California’s ongoing historic wildfires.”
Jan. 9
The Palisades Fire has now burned more than 17,000 acres, while the Eaton Fire has grown to more than 10,000 acres, as both are 0% contained.
Newsom announces he has approved a request from Los Angeles County to deploy the California National Guard to support law enforcement efforts in the region, including in efforts to target looting in evacuated communities.
Biden also announces the federal government will cover 100% of the disaster response to the Los Angeles wildfires for 180 days, up from the 75% to 90% that is typically covered.
3:34 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Kenneth Fire has started in West Hills, prompting evacuations.
3:55 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills is 100% contained.
Around 4 p.m.: An evacuation alert is mistakenly sent to millions of Los Angeles County residents, officials said. The county subsequently called the error a “serious breach of public trust” and said, for now, the state’s Office of Emergency Services would be handling alerts to the public.
Jan. 10
The Palisades Fire has grown to nearly 20,000 acres with 6% containment, and the Eaton Fire to nearly 14,000 acres with 0% containment.
Los Angeles officials announce that a 12-hour curfew, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., is in effect for all evacuated areas to protect homes and prevent looting.
11:24 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Archer Fire has begun in Granada Hills, prompting evacuations.
That afternoon, Newsom calls for an independent investigation into the “loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies” from the Santa Ynez Reservoir, following a Los Angeles Times report that the Pacific Palisades reservoir had been closed for repairs at the time the destructive fire started.
“We need answers to ensure this does not happen again and we have every resource available to fight these catastrophic fires,” he says on X.
Jan. 11
The Palisades Fire is now more than 21,000 acres with 11% containment, while the Eaton Fire is more than 14,000 acres with 15% containment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading a task force investigating the cause and origin of the fires, officials announce. The task force is made up of local, state and federal partners designed to investigate the cause of these fires and to see if there’s any connection between them.
Newsom also announces he is doubling the California National Guard’s deployment to the Los Angeles fires to 1,680 service members, as they are “continuing to rush in resources to rapidly respond to the firestorm in Los Angeles fueled by hurricane-force winds,” he says in a statement.
7:40 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Lidia Fire in Acton is 100% contained.
8:41 a.m.: The Archer Fire in Granada Hills is fully contained, Cal Fire reports.
Jan. 12
The Palisades Fire is now more than 23,000 acres and 11% contained while the Eaton Fire is more than 14,000 acres and 27% contained.
There have been at least 24 fire-related deaths — eight in the Palisades Fire and 16 in the Eaton Fire, according to the latest tally from the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner.
As the wildfires continue to burn, the National Weather Service issues another red flag warning for fire danger in Southern California through Jan. 15, with high winds again in the forecast. Power shutoffs in evacuated areas will remain through the red flag warning, fire officials said.
The California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund has collected more than $6 million in donations, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announces, with more than 13,000 people from across the country and the globe donating.
7:48 a.m.: Cal Fire reports the Kenneth Fire in West Hills is 100% contained.
Jan. 13
The Palisades Fire is now 14% contained, while the Eaton Fire is 33% contained. More than 15,000 firefighting personnel have been deployed for the fires, ahead of the latest fire threat, Newsom says.
Four separate lawsuits are filed against Southern California Edison, a utility company in California, by homeowners and renters who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire. The lawsuits each allege the company failed to de-energize all of its electrical equipment despite red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
A group of Pacific Palisades residents and businesses impacted by the Palisades Fire also files a lawsuit against Los Angeles’ Department of Water and Power, alleging that the city and its agency were unprepared for the Palisades Fire.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Fire agencies are investigating whether Southern California Edison — a subsidiary of Edison International — infrastructure sites caused fires in areas devastated by the Eaton and Hurst wildfires.
Pedro Pizarro, the president and CEO of Edison International, tells “Good Morning America” that the company cannot yet rule out the possibility that its energy infrastructure played a role in the fires, as they have not yet been able to examine the equipment.
6:27 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Hurst Fire is 97% contained after burning nearly 800 acres in Sylmar.
9:25 p.m.: Cal Fire reports the Auto Fire has started in Ventura, prompting evacuations.
Jan. 14
The Palisades Fire is now 17% contained, while the Eaton Fire is 35% contained.
More than 30 people remain unaccounted for in the fires, authorities say at a morning briefing. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department says it is following 24 missing persons cases, all adults, while the Los Angeles Police Department says it has 13 active missing persons cases, two of whom are believed to be dead.
In the afternoon, the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner reports an additional fire-related death in the Eaton Fire, bringing the total fatalities in the two wildfires to 25. The Eaton Fire is the fifth-deadliest in the state’s history, with 16 reported deaths.
Jan. 15
The Palisades Fire is now 19% contained and the Eaton Fire 45% contained, as firefighters continue to work to contain and suppress the fires with the red flag warning in effect through the afternoon.
ABC News’ James Hill, Laura Romero, Alexandra Myers, Kate Holland, Kerem Inal, Helena Skinner, Lena Camilletti, Kirsten Cintigo, Tonya Simpson, Tomas Navia and Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.
