Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Wildfires Continue To Rage On Both Coasts
Firefighters continue to fight blazes on both coasts that have proven to be persistent in some places. In both the New York/New Jersey area and in California and Nevada, dry conditions have led to fires exploding in size. Several wildfires continued to burn in the Northeast yesterday. While a quarter-inch of rain fell overnight in the area Sunday night into yesterday morning, it only gave firefighters some slight relief. While most of the attention is going to the Jennings Creek Fire in New York that claimed the life of a volunteer firefighter when a tree fell on him while he was battling the blaze, there are several other fires also burning in the Northeast. The Mountain Fire in Ventura County caused thousands of California residents to evacuate, and as of yesterday the fire was only around 36-percent contained. It’s a large fire, covering around 32-square-miles, and has destroyed over 170 structures, with most of those being homes. Roughly 3,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Nevada yesterday southwest of Reno as winds whipped a wildfire into a full-blown blaze, spreading quickly. Health advisories were issued over the last several days for parts of New York and New Jersey because of smoke from the fires causing unhealthy air quality, but those conditions improved after rainfall and a change in the direction of the wind.
2 Biden Calls For US To "Come Together" On Veteran's Day
For the first time since last week’s election, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris made a joint appearance yesterday. The two were present at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday to recognize Veteran’s Day, and both participated in a full honor wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. After the wreath-laying, President Biden addressed the crowd, saying “This is the last time I will stand here at Arlington as commander in chief. It’s been the greatest honor of my life to lead you, to serve you, to care for you, to defend you, just as you defended us.” Biden also talked about the current climate in America, and said this is the moment for everyone to “come together as a nation.” He continued by saying the world depends on everyone “To keep protecting everything they fought for. To keep striving to heal our nation’s wounds. To keep perfecting our union.” The president and First Lady Jill Biden hosted veterans, members of the military, and caregivers at the White House before the ceremony.
3 Spirit Airlines Plane Struck By Gunfire While Trying To Land In Haiti
The sound of bullets ripping into your plane as it’s landing is not a sound you want to hear, but that was the experience of passengers on board a Spirit Airlines plane landing at Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The flight out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida was diverted to Santiago, Dominican Republic after gunfire hit the plane, with at least four shots hitting the aircraft. All airlines have now temporarily suspended flights into the Touissant Louverture Airport in Port-au-Prince; yesterday, a JetBlue flight from Haiti to New York City was found to have been hit by at least one bullet after it landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. The US Embassy in Haiti has issued a security alert warning that “The security situation in Haiti is unpredictable and dangerous.”