Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Thousands Under Evacuation Orders As CA Wildfire Explodes
Evacuation orders remain in place for around two-thousand residents in NorCal as the McKinney Fire continues to burn out of control near the Oregon border. Officials say the blazed erupted on Friday – and since then? The fire has torched more than 51-thousand acres in Siskiyou County – that makes it the state's most destructive wildfire of the season. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office has revealed that about 60 hikers were evacuated from the famed Pacific Crest Trail in the Klamath National Forest and escorted to safety. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to allow for more emergency response efforts and access to federal aid. Containment was still at zero percent as of last check. “It’s a very dangerous fire,” says Tom Stokesberry, a spokesman with the U.S. Forest Service. “The geography there is steep and rugged, and this particular area hasn’t burned in a while.”
2 The KY Death Toll Rises As The Rain Returns
The death toll from flooding in eastern Kentucky now stands at 28. Adding to the misery? More rain in the forecast. As such, Governor Andy Beshear says they expect to find additional victims in the coming days. He has also said that the state is committed to paying for the funerals for all of the victims. Knott County was one of the hardest-hit areas. At least 15 people were killed in floods there – four of them children. “We have hundreds of millions of dollars of damage, hundreds of people displaced, but we are moving and moving fast,” Governor Beshear offered. “We want to make sure we wrap our arms around our eastern Kentucky brothers and sisters and make sure they are okay.”
3 Biden Tests Positive for COVID-19 Rebound Infection, Has No Symptoms
President Joe Biden tested positive for a COVID-19 rebound infection on Saturday but is not experiencing any renewed symptoms, his physician said. Kevin O'Connor, the physician to the president, said in a letter that Biden had tested negative for the coronavirus since Tuesday but tested positive late Saturday morning, marking what is described as a rebound infection. O'Connor noted that a small percentage of patients treated with Paxlovid can test positive for the virus after having tested negative. "The president has experienced no re-emergence of symptoms, and continues to feel quite well," O'Connor said. "This being the case, there is no reason to reinitiate treatment at this time but we will obviously continue close observation." However, O'Connor added that Biden will reinitiate "strict isolation procedures."