(NEW YORK) — Tropical Storm Lala continues to track through the central Pacific Ocean and is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane as it approaches the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday.
As of 5 a.m. ET, Lala is moving west-northwest at 10 mph with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and is approximately 455 miles east-southeast of Hilo.
Hurricane warnings remain up for Hawaii County while tropical storm watches remain in place for Maui County, including the islands of Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Kahoolawe.
Lala is forecasted to continue gradually strengthening Friday into Saturday as it makes a close approach to the Big Island early Saturday.
While the exact timing and intensity of the impacts are still uncertain and will ultimately depend on how close Lala tracks to the Hawaiian islands, heavy rain, strong winds and rough surf impacts are likely this weekend.
Heavy rainfall and gusty winds will begin to impact the Big Island Friday, bringing the possibility of life-threatening mudslides and landslides, especially across areas with steep terrain.
Lala is forecasted to bring rainfall of 8 to 12 inches across Maui and the Big Island, with the highest totals reaching up to 25 inches across the higher elevations of the Big Island. The remainder of the Hawaiian Islands are forecasted to receive 4 to 6 inches of rainfall.
Large and dangerous surf, especially on the Big Island, is also expected this weekend. The greatest impacts are expected along exposed windward and southern shores. The prolonged period of heavy surf may cause localized coastal flooding and significant beach erosion.
A view of the highest mountain peak in North America. (Lance King/Getty Images)
(DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, Ala.) — A search and rescue mission is underway after four people fell while climbing Mount McKinley at 18,200 feet, according to the National Park Service.
Mount McKinley — located in Alaska’s Denali National Park and Preserve — is the tallest peak in North America, according to the NPS.
The climbers, part of a seven-member climbing team, fell in the vicinity of Denali Pass, according to the NPS.
The NPS received a report of the incident at around midnight Thursday after two other climbers were evacuated by helicopter from the mountain at around 11 p.m. Wednesday, as part of a separate incident, the NPS said.
Three members of the climbing team returned to High Camp at 17,000 feet after attending to their fallen partners, the NPS said.
The NPS said it is actively responding to the incident. Weather conditions on the mountain are improving and will soon enable helicopter operations, the NPS said.
The extent of the climbers’ injuries and their condition remains unknown, the NPS said.
Jonathan Rinderknecht is seen in a photo released by the Department of Justice. (Department of Justice)
(LOS ANGELES) — The judge declared a mistrial Friday in the federal trial of the man accused of starting the deadly blaze that devastated the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles last year, with the jury deadlocked.
Jonathan Rinderknecht was accused of “maliciously” starting a fire that six days later developed into what became known as the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in Los Angeles history.
He was indicted on three federal counts — destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire — which carry up to 45 years in prison. He pleaded not guilty.
The jury began deliberating Wednesday morning. They reported being deadlocked Thursday afternoon, noting that there were two jurors with unwavering stances. The jury remained deadlocked on Friday, with 10 for not guilty and two for guilty, and Judge Anne Hwang declared a mistrial.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said his office plans to retry the case.
“The evidence is strong that Jonathan Rinderknecht is responsible for igniting the fire on January 1, 2025, which eventually became the Palisades fire,” Essayli said in a statement on social media. “We fully intend to retry this case before a new jury and obtain guilty verdicts on all charged counts.”
Federal prosecutors alleged that Rinderknecht, who was working as an Uber driver at the time, ignited a brush fire that became known as the Lachman Fire just after midnight on Jan. 1, 2025.
Despite being suppressed by fire crews, prosecutors allege that the fire continued to smolder until it surfaced again nearly a week later amid high winds and eventually became the Palisades Fire, which leveled neighborhoods in Los Angeles County and left 12 people dead.
Rinderknecht, a former Los Angeles resident, was arrested in Florida nine months after the Palisades Fire.
Prosecutors alleged he was upset about a past relationship, was fixated on wealth disparity and climate change in messages with ChatGPT and wanted “revenge” against society for his problems.
The government also alleged he was fixated on Luigi Mangione, who has been charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Following the December 2024 shooting, they say he searched for news on Mangione as well as used the search terms “free Luigi Mangione,” “lets take down all the billionaires” and “reddit lets kill all the billionaires.”
Prosecutors said Rinderknecht ended up working on Dec. 31, 2024, because he had no plans to celebrate New Year’s Eve. They said he went to Skull Rock Trailhead in Topanga State Park after dropping off a passenger in the Pacific Palisades.
They alleged he used a BIC lighter to ignite the Lachman Fire, which they said was not found to be caused by lightning, fireworks or power lines.
Rinderknecht called 911 multiple times to report the fire while close to the ignition site of the Lachman Fire, and took videos of it, according to prosecutors. He also made a screen-recording on his iPhone of himself attempting to call 911, which prosecutors argued during closing statements was suspicious and pointed to his guilt.
When interviewed in the wake of the Palisades Fire, he told investigators that he saw no fireworks in the area when the Lachman Fire started, prosecutors said. When asked why someone would start a fire in the Pacific Palisades, he mentioned wealth disparity could be one of the reasons why, according to prosecutors.
The defense said Rinderknecht went to the area to watch fireworks, and argued that the Lachman Fire was started by fireworks. His defense attorney, Steve Haney said Rinderknecht called 911 to try to stop the fire, and that the government found no evidence that he was planning a fire.
During closing statements, Haney argued there was no direct evidence supporting that Rinderknecht started the Lachman Fire and questioned the government’s theory that it was a “holdover” blaze that developed into the Palisades Fire.
Over two weeks, jurors heard testimony from arson and fire experts, saw digital and cellular evidence and heard audio of Rinderknecht’s interviews with investigators and his 911 call reporting the Lachman Fire. They also heard testimony from those impacted by the Palisades Fire.
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7, 2025, burning more than 23,000 acres over more than three weeks and destroying nearly 7,000 structures, decimating the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to California fire officials.
It ignited the same day as the Eaton Fire, which burned more than 14,000 acres in Los Angeles County, destroying more than 9,400 structures and killing 19 people, according to officials.
The fires started burning during strong Santa Ana winds, which, combined with dry conditions, allowed them to spread quickly.
