California wildfire explodes in size

Firefighters race to contain the Oak Fire. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

The Short List   Monday, July 25 California wildfire explodes in size Firefighters race to contain the Oak Fire. A wildfire in California near Yosemite National Park continues to burn out of control. Severe weather is in the forecast for millions of Americans. And one thing actually cooling down is the housing market. 👋 It's Laura Davis. It's Monday. And this is the news you need to know. But first, have you heard about the bird? One of "the weirdest birds in the world," that is. New Zealand's kakapo parrot was once thought to be extinct. But conservation efforts saved it. Here's how. The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here. Thousands flee as California wildfire expands One of California's biggest wildfires this year exploded to over 26 square miles Monday, forcing thousands to flee remote mountain communities as the blaze near Yosemite National Park burned out of control. Firefighters, meanwhile, made progress against the Washburn Fire 12 miles east near Yosemite that threatened the park's largest and most iconic sequoia grove. The Washburn Fire was 87% contained after two weeks of firefighting, and the Oak Fire was 10% contained as of Monday, according to Cal Fire. Keep reading for the latest on the fires. • Photos: Oak Fire near Yosemite forces evacuations, threatens homes. • How do you save giant sequoias from wildfires? Sprinklers, trenches and sometimes foil blankets. Firefighters mop up hot spots while battling the Oak Fire in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, Calif. They are part of Task Force Rattlesnake, a program made up of Cal Fire and California National Guard firefighters. Noah Berger, AP Severe storms will bring heat wave to an end More than 50 million people in the Northeast were at risk of severe storms Monday as a strong cold front brings a crashing halt to the extreme heat wave that set records across the region and was blamed for at least two heat-related deaths over the weekend in Boston.  Here's the latest: • Heat records broken: Boston broke a daily record-high temperature Sunday of 99 degrees, forecasters said. Providence (96 degrees) and Philadelphia (99) also set heat records Sunday, the National Weather Service said. • Severe storms from DC to Maine: While storms were set to bring an end to the heat, they come with a threat of damaging winds, hail and perhaps even a tornado, AccuWeather said. Cities such as Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington were at risk for severe weather. • Heat wave to persist in some places: Meanwhile, the persistent, sizzling heat in the south-central U.S. will last a few more days, and a heat wave will build across the northwestern U.S., the National Weather Service said. Photos: Extreme temperatures scorch U.S. under heat dome.🌤 What's the weather up to in your neck of the woods? Check your local forecast here.  Amir Brown, 15, tries to cool down while helping his mother set up a stand selling cold drinks near the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Nathan Howard, AP What everyone's talking about • Adele finally announces rescheduled Las Vegas residency dates. • Paul Sorvino, 'Goodfellas' and 'Law & Order' actor, dies at 83. • Chess-playing robot breaks boy's finger during Russian tournament. • Joni Mitchell gives surprise performance during Brandi Carlile's Newport Folk Festival set. The Short List is free, but several stories we link to are subscriber-only. Consider supporting our journalism and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today. Biden's on the mend: COVID-19 symptoms almost gone President Joe Biden's symptoms have "almost completely resolved" after testing positive for COVID-19 last week, his physician said Monday. Biden is reporting only some residual nasal congestion and minimal hoarseness, Kevin O'Connor, physician to the president, said in a letter. "The president continues to tolerate treatment well," he said. "He will continue Paxlovid as planned. He is experiencing no shortness of breath at all." He is expected to complete five full days of isolation before being tested again for COVID-19 on Wednesday. The latest from the White House. As market cools, some homebuyers get a second chance As U.S. homebuyers back out of purchases at the highest rate since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, other buyers are getting a second chance to get their first choice for a home. About 60,000 home-purchase agreements fell through in June, Redfin said, or about 14.9% of homes under contract that month. That's the highest percentage on record excluding March and April 2020, when the housing market came to a standstill as the pandemic hit. But is it a slight correction in pricing or a recession-prompted trend? It depends, experts say. Keep reading. • Buying a home? How the market could be shifting in your favor. • However: Mortgage rates just saw their biggest drop since 2008. Two reasons why that's not good news. Matthew Hambleton and his husband, Kevin Lowrie, move into their new home in suburban Philadelphia. The couple got a second chance to get their home after being outbid a couple of months ago and the original bidder's deal fell through. Handout Real quick • Woman shot by police after firing gun at Dallas Love Field Airport. • Russia expands its Ukraine goals, now seeks to oust Zelenskyy's 'unacceptable regime.' • Canadian police report shootings of homeless people in Vancouver suburb. • Elon Musk denies affair with Google co-founder Sergey Brin's wife. • Bishop, wife robbed at gunpoint of $1 million in jewelry during Sunday sermon. • Video shows swimmer attacked by endangered Hawaiian monk seal mother protecting her pup. Alex Jones' defamation trial begins in Texas Jury selection began Monday in Austin, Texas, for a trial that will determine for the first time how much money conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay Sandy Hook Elementary School parents for telling his audience that the deadliest classroom shooting in U.S. history was a hoax. It will be the first of three trials to assess monetary penalties for defamation and emotional distress caused by Jones. He and others in his Austin-based InfoWars media system repeatedly portrayed the shooting, which claimed the lives of 20 students and six educators, as a hoax meant to justify a crackdown on gun rights.  Keep reading for more about Jones' trial. Alex Jones speaks to reporters in Washington in September 2018 after Infowars filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Jose Luis Magana, AP A break from the news • 📲 Need to strike a healthier work-life balance? These apps can help. • 🚢 Around $2,200 for an 8-day, all-inclusive vacation? Why small-ship cruising might be the move. • 🐕 How often should you walk your dog? Best practices for keeping your pup healthy. This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here. Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here. MORE ARTICLES How Americans are surviving this heat wave Puzzle solutions for Sunday, July 24, 2022 Pope Francis Through The Years How long do rabbits live? And can they actually eat carrots?   Problem viewing email? View in browser Unsubscribe • Manage Newsletters • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights • Privacy Notice • Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy • Feedback © 2022 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 7950 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA 22102