Today’s Big Story

The Fires Rage On

More than 10,000 structures lost, at least 10 killed

The two biggest wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area have burned at least 10,000 homes, buildings and other structures, officials said Thursday as they urged more people to heed evacuation orders after a new blaze ignited and quickly grew.

The fast-moving Kenneth Fire started in the late afternoon in the San Fernando Valley just two miles from a school serving as a shelter for fire evacuees and then moved into neighboring Ventura County by the evening. Only hours earlier, officials expressed encouragement after firefighters—aided by calmer winds and help from crews from outside the state—saw the first signs of successfully beating back the region’s devastating fires that have killed at least 10 people so far.

According to the Associated Press, crews also knocked down a blaze in the Hollywood Hills with the help of water drops from aircraft, allowing an evacuation to be lifted Thursday. The fire that sparked late Wednesday near the heart of the entertainment industry came perilously close to igniting the famed Hollywood Bowl outdoor concert venue. AccuWeather, a private company that provides data on weather and its impact, on Thursday increased its estimate of the damage and economic loss to $135-$150 billion. And this is just the beginning.

The Palisades fire grew from around 17,200 acres Thursday morning to 19,978 acres by evening, at which time the blaze was 6% contained, according to fire officials who spoke with the Los Angeles Times. Authorities also say the death toll from the fires will likely grow. Although winds have diminished, much of Los Angeles County remains under a red flag warning, with forecasters warning of critical fire weather through Friday night.

As devastated Angelenos (and the nation as a whole) search for answers to the raging fires that have leveled entire neighborhoods, one oft-repeated explanation has been the slashing of the fire department’s budget. But as with much of the news swirling around the fires, the real picture is complicated. Facing lower tax revenues and higher operating costs, Mayor Karen Bass did indeed approve a budget for the fire department’s current fiscal year that was $23 million less than the previous year. But when the budget was approved last June, the city and firefighters’ union were still negotiating a new contract, and when the two sides did reach an agreement in November, this year’s fire budget is actually $53 million more than last year.

Trump Scheduled to Be Sentenced Today

Judge in hush money case expected to sentence him to ‘unconditional discharge’

A closely divided Supreme Court refused to delay Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case, clearing the way for the president-elect to face judgment in a New York courtroom today and to be formally classified as a felon before he returns to the White House. In a brief unsigned order, a five-justice majority noted that Trump was not facing jail time and that he could still challenge his conviction “in the ordinary course on appeal.”

The sentencing is now free to move forward this morning in the same Lower Manhattan courtroom where Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal that had endangered his 2016 presidential campaign. The president-elect has indicated he plans to appear virtually. At a news conference on Thursday evening at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump attacked the case and vowed to mount a formal appeal of his conviction, even though he was expected to avoid jail or any other substantive punishment.

Judge Juan Merchan in his ruling Friday, called an unconditional discharge (which means he’ll avoid prison, fines or probation) the “most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options.” While Trump would avoid serious punishment, the record of his felony conviction would remain on his record. Merchan wrote that an unconditional discharge would respect the sanctity of the jury’s verdict—which he called “a bedrock principle in our nation’s jurisprudence”—and the principle of presidential immunity.

The Rise in ‘Flaking’ Out

Some call it self-care. Others call it selfishness.

Have you noticed a rise in people canceling plans? Have you had to bow-out last minute? Has someone ditched a night out because they were feeling burned out? People from the U.k., the U.S., Australia and elsewhere shared with the Guardian how they experienced a flash of “flaking” recently.

You know, the canceling of plans at often short notice owing to not being in the mood, feeling demotivated or tired, or wanting to do something else instead—a phenomenon that many felt had become more prevalent. I don’t do this, but I’ve definitely been relieved when someone’s done it to me … “ahhhh, well I have the night off!” But now it’s become so common that researchers are digging into it and angry Reddit subs have sprouted up. Others are complaining on social media.

“I think a culture that encourages people to be increasingly inward looking, always thinking about themselves, how they feel, what they want,” one woman from Dublin said. “People don’t seem to think about how flaking might disappoint or hurt the feelings of their friends. Their thinking seems to only go as far as ‘ugh, I’m not in the mood’.” But for those with anxiety, the therapists at Anchor Therapy say that this kind of self-sabotage is actually feeding into your anxiety and letting it grow.

A Weekend Pairing

‘American Primeval ’ + a Barrel-Aged Old Fashioned

Set in 1857 Utah, American Primeval on Netflix is an explicitly violent series that strips away the glossy and righteous romanticism of so many westerns. The show depicts a more ruthless era when those crazy or desperate enough to venture into America's not-yet-settled frontier could quickly become victims or victimizers.

Mrs. Davis alum Betty Gilpin continues her thrilling streak of challenging roles as a mom fleeing terrible circumstances in the east, forced to trust a damaged loner played by Friday Night Lights' Taylor Kitsch. Toss in Boardwalk Empire co-star Shea Whigham as the weary, brutally practical owner of the area's only fort and a story that places Native American tribes squarely between rapacious settlers and fanatical Mormons, and you have the makings of a particularly subversive western story. Variety has praised the cast and Vulture says the gritty show tells the complicated American story as the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s definitely worth a watch.

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Reward yourself this weekend.