latimes--2020-10-27--LAPD gets approval to begin recording, storing aerial footage of protests

The Los Angeles Police Department received approval Tuesday to begin recording and storing aerial footage of protests and other large gatherings from its helicopters — a new capability that the department said would expand its “ operational readiness ” and protesters and civil liberties advocates denounced as unconstitutional government surveillance .
“ This is the height of state repression and surveillance , ” said Melina Abdullah , a co-founder of Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles and leader of some of the largest protests in recent L.A. history .
“ It ’ s criminalizing our right to protest.
” The approval came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accept a donation of $ 2,150 worth of recording equipment from the Los Angeles Police Foundation , a private philanthropic entity that has long bankrolled equipment desired by the LAPD but not budgeted for or prioritized by the city .
The vote followed a brief discussion about the practicalities of the equipment , its intended uses and the privacy issues it could raise .
Police drones and other law enforcement aircraft with aerial recording capabilities have raised concerns across the country in recent years , particularly when it comes to their use over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , when asked about those concerns Tuesday , Deputy Chief Peter Zarcone , who heads the LAPD ’ s counterterrorism and special operations bureau , did not equivocate .
He said it was the LAPD ’ s specific intention to use the equipment to record protests .
“ If the privacy concern is that that should not be done , then that would preclude what we ’ re trying to do , ” Zarcone said .
Right now , 10 LAPD helicopters — or about half the department ’ s fleet — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video to be transmitted to commanders on the ground , who can watch the feeds in real time .
However , those feeds can not be recorded or stored .
The new equipment — including two recorders , two mobile hard drives and two video encoders — will “ allow the footage to be preserved , expanding the Department ’ s operational readiness and capacity , ” the LAPD wrote in its pitch for approval of the donated equipment to the commission .
Zarcone said the LAPD keeps records on when aerial filming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that there are no explicit policies around what types of events can be filmed .
He said footage recorded from the helicopters would likely be held indefinitely , just like body-camera footage and police dashboard video .
Mohammad Tajsar , senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California , said the recording of protests — and the long-term storage of the footage — is extremely problematic .
“ It ’ s bad enough that Angelenos in overpoliced neighborhoods have to deal with constant surveillance and harassment from the skies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep that footage forever adds insult to injury , ” Tajsar said .
He said police recording of protests “ really should be understood as an intimidation tactic , to try to prevent people from exercising their right to free speech , ” and “ should raise red flags all over City Hall.
” Tajsar said the LAPD has a range of other technologies — including facial recognition software — that could be used in conjunction with the surveillance footage , escalating the potential for invasive breaches of people ’ s privacy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify individuals in crowds from above , adding to the concern , he said .
“ We ’ re heading for a real nightmare scenario where the LAPD ’ s secretive technology can identify anybody from a crowd of protesters with a click of a mouse , ” he said .
“ That to me is incredibly disturbing.
” Tajsar said Angelenos “ don ’ t need to know anything more to conclude ” that recording protests is “ a real problem and should not happen , ” but if it is going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to certain questions — including how powerful the cameras are on the LAPD ’ s helicopters , how the LAPD is going to use the footage , whether it will be used in conjunction with other technologies like facial recognition , who will have access to it and whether its use will be audited .
Abdullah said the LAPD already routinely hovers over protests with their helicopters .
“ We ’ re not surprised by it , ” she said .
However , to know that they intend to begin recording the events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , and she wonders “ what all of this could be used for , and how it criminalizes folks.
” Beyond the fears of protesters , recordings of protests could allow police to review large demonstrations days and weeks later , and could supplement body-camera and other ground-level surveillance footage in situations that later come under investigation .
Several incidents in which police officers badly wounded protestors with projectiles during demonstrations this summer were captured by officers ’ body cameras , but others have occurred without any footage being found .
Aerial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reviews of police tactics , such as are being conducted now for the summer protests , including by showing how crowds moved and where tensions first escalated .

The Los Angeles Police Department received approval Tuesday to begin recording and storing aerial footage of protests and other large gatherings from its helicopters — a new capability that the department said would expand its “operational readiness” and that protesters and civil liberties advocates denounced as unconstitutional government surveillance.
“This is the height of state repression and surveillance,” said Melina Abdullah, co-founder of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and leader of some of the largest protests in recent L.A. history. “It’s criminalizing our right to protest.”
The approval came via a unanimous Police Commission vote to accept a donation of $2,150 worth of recording equipment from the Los Angeles Police Foundation, a private philanthropic entity that has long bankrolled equipment desired by the LAPD but not budgeted for or prioritized by the city.
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The vote followed a brief discussion about the practicalities of the equipment, its intended uses and the privacy issues it could raise.
Police drones and other law enforcement aircraft with aerial recording capabilities have raised concerns across the country in recent years, particularly when it comes to their use over protests and other constitutionally protected activities.
However, when asked about those concerns Tuesday, Deputy Chief Peter Zarcone, who heads the LAPD’s Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau, did not equivocate. He said it was the LAPD’s specific intention to use the equipment to record protests.
“If the privacy concern is that that should not be done, then that would preclude what we’re trying to do,” Zarcone said.
Right now, 10 LAPD helicopters — or about half the department’s fleet — are equipped with technology that allows for video to be transmitted to commanders on the ground, who can watch the feeds in real time. However, those feeds cannot be recorded or stored.
The new equipment — including two recorders, two mobile hard drives and two video encoders — will “allow the footage to be preserved, expanding the Department’s operational readiness and capacity,” the LAPD wrote in its pitch to the commission for approval of the donated equipment.
Zarcone said that the LAPD keeps records on when aerial filming is requested and when it is approved but that no explicit policies exist around what types of events can be recorded. He said footage recorded from the helicopters would probably be held indefinitely, just like body-camera footage and police dashboard video.
Mohammad Tajsar, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California, said the recording of protests — and the long-term storage of the footage — is extremely problematic.
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“It’s bad enough that Angelenos in overpoliced neighborhoods have to deal with constant surveillance and harassment from the skies, but the LAPD’s plans to keep that footage forever adds insult to injury,” Tajsar said.
He said police recording of protests “really should be understood as an intimidation tactic to try to prevent people from exercising their right to free speech” and “should raise red flags all over City Hall.”
Tajsar said the LAPD has a range of other technologies — including facial recognition software — that could be used in conjunction with the surveillance footage, escalating the potential for invasive breaches of people’s privacy. Some modern cameras are powerful enough to identify individuals in crowds from above, adding to the concern, he said.
“We’re heading for a real nightmare scenario where the LAPD’s secretive technology can identify anybody from a crowd of protesters with a click of a mouse,” he said. “That to me is incredibly disturbing.”
Tajsar said Angelenos “don’t need to know anything more to conclude” that recording protests is “a real problem and should not happen,” but if it is going to happen, they should demand answers to certain questions — including how powerful the cameras are on the LAPD’s helicopters, how the LAPD is going to use the footage, whether it will be used in conjunction with other technologies like facial recognition, who will have access to it and whether its use will be audited.
Abdullah said the LAPD already routinely hovers over protests with its helicopters. “We’re not surprised by it,” she said.
However, to know that police intend to begin recording the events below is another thing entirely, she said, and she wonders “what all of this could be used for, and how it criminalizes folks.”
Beyond the fears of protesters, recordings of protests could allow police to review large demonstrations days and weeks later, and could supplement body-camera and other ground-level surveillance footage in situations that later come under investigation.
Several incidents in which police officers badly wounded protesters with projectiles during demonstrations this summer were captured by officers’ body cameras, but others have occurred without any footage being found.
Aerial footage of protests could also assist in reviews of police tactics, such as those being conducted now for the summer protests, including by showing how crowds moved and where tensions first escalated.


latimes--2020-10-27--Southern California counties see surge in new coronavirus cases

Top state and local health officials continued Tuesday to voice growing alarm over recent increases in the number of people becoming infected by the novel coronavirus .
In four Southern California counties — Imperial , San Bernardino , Riverside and Los Angeles — the average numbers of new daily infections per 100,000 residents over the past week rank among the top five statewide , according to The Times ’ coronavirus tracker .
Compared to the prior week , new cases in Los Angeles County jumped from an average of 63.4 for every 100,000 residents to 111.3 .
The average case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Bernardino and from 94.4 to 111.5 in Riverside , while in Imperial new cases soared from an average of 141.5 per 100,000 residents to 225.8 .
“ We are seeing increased disease in the community , ” Riverside County Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari told the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday .
“ This is consistent with what other areas of the country are seeing , and we are fortunate that we ’ re not seeing it to the level that many others are.
” In L.A. County , Public Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count of new cases has increased from an average of about 940 infections each day in early October to almost 1,200 as of last week .
The rise is “ a cause for concern , ” she said Monday , and came about because “ of decisions we collectively made two to three weeks ago , and the action we ’ re taking today will influence whether we continue our recovery journey , we stall , or we step backward.
” The increases in Southern California were contributing to an overall rise statewide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state data , the latest seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in California is 4,303 — notably higher than the 14-day average of 3,699 .
While the rising infection rates in Los Angeles County can be attributed in part to thousands of backlogged test results that were slow to be recorded , the fact that surrounding counties are experiencing rising case totals as well indicates backlogs may not be solely responsible .
Though tallying the number of new infections is a useful metric , the case totals are driven in part by how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gavin Newsom said Tuesday , “ we are never ashamed of testing more people.
” “ The real headline for us in terms of alarm bells and red flags ” is the positivity rate , Newsom said , referring to percentage of tests performed that come back postive for the virus .
The positivity rate is an important measure because it provides a clear indication of how widespread the virus is in the area being tested and whether the amount of testing being done is keeping pace with the infection ’ s spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has remained low for some time , though it has ticked up somewhat to a seven-day average of 3.2 % , compared with a 14-day average of 2.9 % , Newsom said during a briefing .
Overall , California has seen more than 911,000 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 17,300 deaths .
Newsom did express concern about COVID-19 hotspots in California and across the nation , saying experts continue to predict a second or third wave in the weeks and months ahead .
“ The hospitalization numbers here in the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state of California , now beginning to trend back up .
And the holidays in front of us , ” he said during a briefing .
New case and testing positivity rates are the determining factors of the state ’ s color-coded , four-tier reopening road map , which determines how widely individual counties can reopen businesses and other communal spaces .
Seven counties officially progressed into new tiers Tuesday : • Glenn and Mendocino graduated from the most restrictive purple Tier 1 to the red Tier 2 • Contra Costa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cruz moved from red Tier 2 , to the orange Tier 3 • Calaveras moved from orange Tier 3 to Tier 4 , the least restrictive “ yellow ” category Additionally , Shasta County — which officials said last week would move into the purple tier — has now been placed in red after state officials took a closer look at its data , according to California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly .
The nine counties remaining in the purple tier , which indicates widespread risk of community coronavirus transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facilities either can not operate indoors or can do so only at a strictly limited capacity , are Los Angeles , San Bernardino , Riverside , Imperial , Monterey , Tulare , Madera , Sonoma and Tehama .
By comparison , 10 counties — including San Francisco — are now situated in the yellow tier and considered to have minimal risk of transmission , according to the state .
During Tuesday ’ s Board of Supervisors ’ meeting , Ferrer said L.A. County is likely at least three or four weeks away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the increase in California ’ s case count remains relatively modest at this point , and pales in comparison to the sharp spikes seen elsewhere in the United States , officials say it ’ s vital that residents take steps now to curtail the trend .
Of particular concern is the coming holiday season , during which residents would traditionally travel and gather with family and friends .
This year , though , those celebrations with other households would create numerous new opportunities for the coronavirus to spread .
With Halloween just around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Californians shouldn ’ t plan on celebrating the way they have in the past .
Most notably , state health officials have advised Californians to skip trick-or-treating this year , though they ’ ve stopped short of a ban .
“ Trick-or-treating does pose a risk , and I say that knowing that my own children are not happy with me for saying that and lots of children around the county are not , ” Saruwatari said .
“ Really , it ’ s about harm reduction.
” For instance , officials say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past decorated houses , catching a drive-in movie or holding online costume and pumpkin-carving contests .
“ This pandemic has forced so many to sacrifice so much this year , and we recognize the frustration and disappointment with the holiday restrictions , ” Ferrer said .
“ For now , though , it ’ s simply not safe to celebrate holidays the way we normally do.
” L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis issued a health advisory Monday warning residents of the high potential risk of COVID-19 transmission at private gatherings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including those in anticipation of a potential Dodgers ’ World Series win this week — need to comply with public health protocols , he said , meaning they must be two hours or less , held outdoors with physical distancing and are limited to attendees from three different households .
Cloth face coverings are also required when not eating or drinking and food must be provided in single-serve disposable containers .
“ There have been too many instances of people unknowingly spreading the virus at these types of gatherings , which , sadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious illness and death , ” Davis said in a statement .
“ We can prevent cases , but it will take action from each of us personally and collectively.
” Newsom also said Tuesday that California is crafting a plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines once they become available .
Those at highest risk , including healthcare workers and nursing home residents , are expected to receive vaccines first .
Oregon , Washington and Nevada have also joined a California-led effort to review the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines that receive federal approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding an extra safeguard amid concerns that the White House could rush the process .
The scientific review panel will assess the publicly available data on the vaccines , a process Newsom said will not impede distribution .
“ It will not cause any delays , ” he said .
“ In fact , we would argue quite the contrary .
It ’ s going to increase transparency and trust that I think we are looking for to make sure that we ’ re not doing anything to meet an arbitrary deadline or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writers Phil Willon and Jaclyn Cosgrove contributed to this report .

A protester lies on Temple Avenue during a die-in rally by essential workers, clergy members, parents and others at a memorial service for the thousands who have died because of COVID-19.
Top state and local health officials continued Tuesday to voice growing alarm over recent increases in the number of people becoming infected by the novel coronavirus.
In four Southern California counties — Imperial, San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles — the average numbers of new daily infections per 100,000 residents over the past week rank among the top five statewide, according to The Times’ coronavirus tracker.
Compared to the prior week, new cases in Los Angeles County jumped from an average of 63.4 for every 100,000 residents to 111.3. The average case rate climbed from 77.5 to 140.3 in San Bernardino and from 94.4 to 111.5 in Riverside, while in Imperial new cases soared from an average of 141.5 per 100,000 residents to 225.8.
“We are seeing increased disease in the community,” Riverside County Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari told the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. “This is consistent with what other areas of the country are seeing, and we are fortunate that we’re not seeing it to the level that many others are.”
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In L.A. County, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said that the raw count of new cases has increased from an average of about 940 infections each day in early October to almost 1,200 as of last week.
The rise is “a cause for concern,” she said Monday, and came about because “of decisions we collectively made two to three weeks ago, and the action we’re taking today will influence whether we continue our recovery journey, we stall, or we step backward.”
The increases in Southern California were contributing to an overall rise statewide. According to the most recent available state data, the latest seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases in California is 4,303 — notably higher than the 14-day average of 3,699.
While the rising infection rates in Los Angeles County can be attributed in part to thousands of backlogged test results that were slow to be recorded, the fact that surrounding counties are experiencing rising case totals as well indicates backlogs may not be solely responsible.
Though tallying the number of new infections is a useful metric, the case totals are driven in part by how much testing is done. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday, “we are never ashamed of testing more people.”
“The real headline for us in terms of alarm bells and red flags” is the positivity rate, Newsom said, referring to percentage of tests performed that come back postive for the virus. The positivity rate is an important measure because it provides a clear indication of how widespread the virus is in the area being tested and whether the amount of testing being done is keeping pace with the infection’s spread.
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In California, the positivity rate has remained low for some time, though it has ticked up somewhat to a seven-day average of 3.2%, compared with a 14-day average of 2.9%, Newsom said during a briefing.
Overall, California has seen more than 911,000 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 17,300 deaths.
Newsom did express concern about COVID-19 hotspots in California and across the nation, saying experts continue to predict a second or third wave in the weeks and months ahead.
“The hospitalization numbers here in the state of California, the ICU numbers here in the state of California, now beginning to trend back up. And the holidays in front of us,” he said during a briefing.
New case and testing positivity rates are the determining factors of the state’s color-coded, four-tier reopening road map, which determines how widely individual counties can reopen businesses and other communal spaces.
Seven counties officially progressed into new tiers Tuesday:
Glenn and Mendocino graduated from the most restrictive purple Tier 1 to the red Tier 2
Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo and Santa Cruz moved from red Tier 2, to the orange Tier 3
Calaveras moved from orange Tier 3 to Tier 4, the least restrictive “yellow” category
Additionally, Shasta County — which officials said last week would move into the purple tier — has now been placed in red after state officials took a closer look at its data, according to California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.
The nine counties remaining in the purple tier, which indicates widespread risk of community coronavirus transmission and stipulates that many businesses and public facilities either cannot operate indoors or can do so only at a strictly limited capacity, are Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, Monterey, Tulare, Madera, Sonoma and Tehama.
By comparison, 10 counties — including San Francisco — are now situated in the yellow tier and considered to have minimal risk of transmission, according to the state.
During Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors’ meeting, Ferrer said L.A. County is likely at least three or four weeks away from getting into the red tier.
California How San Francisco became a COVID-19 success story as other cities stumbled San Francisco shut down early in the pandemic and later limited reopening. Now the city is the first urban center in California where the risk of infection is rated as minimal.
While the increase in California’s case count remains relatively modest at this point, and pales in comparison to the sharp spikes seen elsewhere in the United States, officials say it’s vital that residents take steps now to curtail the trend.
Of particular concern is the coming holiday season, during which residents would traditionally travel and gather with family and friends. This year, though, those celebrations with other households would create numerous new opportunities for the coronavirus to spread.
With Halloween just around the corner, officials are emphasizing that Californians shouldn’t plan on celebrating the way they have in the past.
Most notably, state health officials have advised Californians to skip trick-or-treating this year, though they’ve stopped short of a ban.
“Trick-or-treating does pose a risk, and I say that knowing that my own children are not happy with me for saying that and lots of children around the county are not,” Saruwatari said. “Really, it’s about harm reduction.”
For instance, officials say families can mark the holiday by driving past decorated houses, catching a drive-in movie or holding online costume and pumpkin-carving contests.
“This pandemic has forced so many to sacrifice so much this year, and we recognize the frustration and disappointment with the holiday restrictions,” Ferrer said. “For now, though, it’s simply not safe to celebrate holidays the way we normally do.”
L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis issued a health advisory Monday warning residents of the high potential risk of COVID-19 transmission at private gatherings and public celebrations.
Any such gatherings — including those in anticipation of a potential Dodgers’ World Series win this week — need to comply with public health protocols, he said, meaning they must be two hours or less, held outdoors with physical distancing and are limited to attendees from three different households.
Cloth face coverings are also required when not eating or drinking and food must be provided in single-serve disposable containers.
“There have been too many instances of people unknowingly spreading the virus at these types of gatherings, which, sadly, has led to new infections, serious illness and death,” Davis said in a statement. “We can prevent cases, but it will take action from each of us personally and collectively.”
Newsom also said Tuesday that California is crafting a plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines once they become available. Those at highest risk, including healthcare workers and nursing home residents, are expected to receive vaccines first.
Oregon, Washington and Nevada have also joined a California-led effort to review the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines that receive federal approval before distributing them to the public, adding an extra safeguard amid concerns that the White House could rush the process. The scientific review panel will assess the publicly available data on the vaccines, a process Newsom said will not impede distribution.
“It will not cause any delays,” he said. “In fact, we would argue quite the contrary. It’s going to increase transparency and trust that I think we are looking for to make sure that we’re not doing anything to meet an arbitrary deadline or meet a political deadline.”
Times staff writers Phil Willon and Jaclyn Cosgrove contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-27--Firefighters battle brush fire in Glendale above Brand Park

Firefighters were battling a brush fire burning in the hills of Glendale above Brand Park on Tuesday afternoon .
Crews @ @ @ @ @ in the air near Mountain Street .
No evacuations have been issued , and no @ @ @ @ @ officials said .
At least eight acres had burned around 3 p.m. , the Glendale @ @ @ @ @ blaze comes as firefighters are battling two massive fires in Irvine and the Yorba Linda @ @ @ @ @ ignited Monday and were driven by intense Santa Ana winds .
The winds are supposed @ @ @ @ @ afternoon , forecasters said .

Firefighters were battling a brush fire burning in the hills of Glendale above Brand Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Crews were on the ground and in the air near Mountain Street. No evacuations have been issued, and no homes are currently threatened, officials said. At least eight acres had burned around 3 p.m., the Glendale Fire Department said.
The blaze comes as firefighters are battling two massive fires in Irvine and the Yorba Linda area, both of which ignited Monday and were driven by intense Santa Ana winds.
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The winds are supposed to calm later in the afternoon, forecasters said.


latimes--2020-10-27--Auditor slams California for Exide cleanup delays, says cost could reach $650 million

The cleanup of thousands of lead-contaminated homes , child-care centers , schools and parks surrounding the closed Exide battery recycling facility in Vernon is running behind schedule and over budget due to poor management by California regulators and has left children at continued risk of poisoning , according to a state audit released Tuesday .
The report by State Auditor Elaine Howle ’ s office criticized the California Department of Toxic Substances Control for delays , cost overruns , contracting problems and other shortcomings in its effort to remove lead contamination from properties across half a dozen communities in southeast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleanup is likely to cost hundreds of millions of dollars more than the state has set aside .
Among the most troubling findings , according to the auditor ’ s office , was Toxic Substances Control ’ s failure to remove lead-tainted soil from most of the 50 properties , including child-care centers , schools and parks , that it identified in the early stages of the cleanup as posing a particularly high risk to children .
“ Despite the risk these properties present , DTSC has yet to clean 31 of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , it has cleaned only one of these properties since May 2018.
” At its current pace , the department ’ s cleanup of the 3,200 worst-contaminated properties will not be finished “ until more than one year after the expected completion date ” in June 2021 , the audit found , “ extending the time that residents in the cleanup site are exposed to dangerous levels of lead.
” Cleaning all 7,800 contaminated properties in the pollution zone stretching 1.7 miles from the closed plant could ultimately approach $ 650 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California lawmakers have so far allocated more than $ 250 million for the cleanup of the most heavily contaminated properties , but Toxic Substances Control will exhaust that funding with 269 of those properties uncleaned , the audit found , and the department has no timeline or strategy to clean the other 4,600 properties that will remain contaminated .
Assemblyman Miguel Santiago ( D-Los Angeles ) , who requested the audit , said “ it is unacceptable that the department will run out of money that the state gave them ” and demanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a realistic plan to clean up every single contaminated property.
” Agency Director Meredith Williams said the department is learning from its mistakes and will implement all of the auditor ’ s recommendations .
She acknowledged in an interview that “ it did take us a while to come up to speed , ” but said the department is now cleaning about 20 properties a month .
“ We are efficient .
We control costs carefully .
We learned every step of the way on this cleanup.
” About 2,000 properties have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas in 2014 .
Among the recommendations in the report : That the department “ immediately begin cleaning all childcare centers , parks , and schools , ” deploy enough resources to clean the 3,200 most polluted properties on time , set a schedule for cleaning all 7,800 contaminated properties and identify the amount of additional funding needed .
In a response letter released with the audit , Williams said the department does not currently have funding to clean the remaining 4,600 properties , and “ without knowing a sustained level of funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an end date for the cleanup of their properties is at best a guess.
” Williams called it “ the largest , most logistically complex residential cleanup project the state of California has ever undertaken ” and said the department “ has cleaned up more properties , more quickly than any other residential lead cleanup in the nation.
” The state auditor countered that Toxic Substances Control “ did not provide any evidence to support its assertion ” about the pace of the Exide cleanup relative to other projects .
The audit came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankruptcy court approved a plan by Exide to walk away from the heavily contaminated Vernon facility and leave the cleanup to state taxpayers .
Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia ( D-Bell Gardens ) said she was disappointed that the findings validated the public ’ s concerns that “ there is no clear plan to ensure all homes with unsafe lead levels get cleaned.
” “ It ’ s maddening that DTSC has not prioritized cleaning of the schools , parks , and day-care centers , where children frequent , since they are the most vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state should loan the toxic substances department money to keep the cleanup going and repay it using existing fees on lead-acid batteries , rather than waiting for those funds to come in over time .
“ We can not use Exide ’ s bankruptcy as an excuse to not clean up these homes , ” Garcia said .
“ Our next generation will not be left with a poisoned community .
”

Workers remove topsoil from homes in Boyle Heights in 2015 as part of a state-led cleanup of lead contamination from thousands of properties surrounding the closed Exide Technologies battery recycling plant in Vernon.
The cleanup of thousands of lead-contaminated homes, child-care centers, schools and parks surrounding the closed Exide battery recycling facility in Vernon is running behind schedule and over budget due to poor management by California regulators and has left children at continued risk of poisoning, according to a state audit released Tuesday.
The report by State Auditor Elaine Howle’s office criticized the California Department of Toxic Substances Control for delays, cost overruns, contracting problems and other shortcomings in its effort to remove lead contamination from properties across half a dozen communities in southeast L.A. County. The audit estimated the cleanup is likely to cost hundreds of millions of dollars more than the state has set aside.
For the record: A previous version of this story said the Department of Toxic Substances Control was now cleaning about 20 properties a month, and has been updated to clarify that it refers to the number of properties cleaned per month during the first six years of the project.
Among the most troubling findings, according to the auditor’s office, was Toxic Substances Control’s failure to remove lead-tainted soil from most of the 50 properties, including child-care centers, schools and parks, that it identified in the early stages of the cleanup as posing a particularly high risk to children.
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“Despite the risk these properties present, DTSC has yet to clean 31 of them,” the audit said. “In fact, it has cleaned only one of these properties since May 2018.”
At its current pace, the department’s cleanup of the 3,200 worst-contaminated properties will not be finished “until more than one year after the expected completion date” in June 2021, the audit found, “extending the time that residents in the cleanup site are exposed to dangerous levels of lead.”
Cleaning all 7,800 contaminated properties in the pollution zone stretching 1.7 miles from the closed plant could ultimately approach $650 million, the state auditor estimated.
California lawmakers have so far allocated more than $250 million for the cleanup of the most heavily contaminated properties, but Toxic Substances Control will exhaust that funding with 269 of those properties uncleaned, the audit found, and the department has no timeline or strategy to clean the other 4,600 properties that will remain contaminated.
Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), who requested the audit, said “it is unacceptable that the department will run out of money that the state gave them” and demanded ”DTSC fix their mistakes and create a realistic plan to clean up every single contaminated property.”
Agency Director Meredith Williams said the department is learning from its mistakes and will implement all of the auditor’s recommendations. She acknowledged in an interview that “it did take us a while to come up to speed,” and said the department has cleaned an average of 20 properties a month during the first six years of the project. “We are efficient. We control costs carefully. We learned every step of the way on this cleanup.”
About 2,000 properties have been cleaned since soil removal began in residential areas in 2014.
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Among the recommendations in the report: That the department “immediately begin cleaning all childcare centers, parks, and schools,” deploy enough resources to clean the 3,200 most polluted properties on time, set a schedule for cleaning all 7,800 contaminated properties and identify the amount of additional funding needed.
In a response letter released with the audit, Williams said the department does not currently have funding to clean the remaining 4,600 properties, and “without knowing a sustained level of funding, providing people in the community with an end date for the cleanup of their properties is at best a guess.”
Williams called it “the largest, most logistically complex residential cleanup project the state of California has ever undertaken” and said the department “has cleaned up more properties, more quickly than any other residential lead cleanup in the nation.”
The state auditor countered that Toxic Substances Control “did not provide any evidence to support its assertion” about the pace of the Exide cleanup relative to other projects.
The audit came less than two weeks after a federal bankruptcy court approved a plan by Exide to walk away from the heavily contaminated Vernon facility and leave the cleanup to state taxpayers.
Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) said she was disappointed that the findings validated the public’s concerns that “there is no clear plan to ensure all homes with unsafe lead levels get cleaned.”
“It’s maddening that DTSC has not prioritized cleaning of the schools, parks, and day-care centers, where children frequent, since they are the most vulnerable,” she said.
Garcia said the state should loan the toxic substances department money to keep the cleanup going and repay it using existing fees on lead-acid batteries, rather than waiting for those funds to come in over time.
“We cannot use Exide’s bankruptcy as an excuse to not clean up these homes,” Garcia said. “Our next generation will not be left with a poisoned community.”


latimes--2020-10-27--Video: Watch wind-driven waves crash into Catalina Island tourist haven

Powerful waves crashed into Catalina Island ’ s Avalon Harbor on Monday afternoon , battering the boardwalk and sending spray @ @ @ @ @ Strong winds that caused brush fires to erupt in Southern California communities on the mainland @ @ @ @ @ , according to the National Weather Service .
Videos taken by John Nosco , who @ @ @ @ @ show waves shooting several feet into the air and smashing into surfboards set up along @ @ @ @ @ tourists for generations .
A small craft warning issued by the National Weather Service was @ @ @ @ @ until around 1 p.m. Tuesday due to hazardous conditions caused by the winds .
The @ @ @ @ @ from Pt .
Mugu to San Mateo Point , including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Island @ @ @ @ @ waves are expected to subside gradually by Tuesday afternoon , according to NWS .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ fire fighters were continuing to battle two blazes , the Silverado and Blue Ridge fires @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of residents in Orange and nearby counties .

Powerful winds that caused fires in Southern California sent waves hurtling into Catalina Island’s Avalon Harbor on Monday. A small craft advisory issued by the National Weather Service will remain in effect until Tuesday afternoon.
Powerful waves crashed into Catalina Island’s Avalon Harbor on Monday afternoon, battering the boardwalk and sending spray high into the air.
Strong winds that caused brush fires to erupt in Southern California communities on the mainland were behind the high surf, according to the National Weather Service.
Videos taken by John Nosco, who was visiting the island, show waves shooting several feet into the air and smashing into surfboards set up along the boardwalk that has drawn tourists for generations.
A small craft warning issued by the National Weather Service was scheduled to remain in effect until around 1 p.m. Tuesday due to hazardous conditions caused by the winds. The advisory applies to waters stretching from Pt. Mugu to San Mateo Point, including Santa Catalina and Anacapa Island.
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The heavy winds and waves are expected to subside gradually by Tuesday afternoon, according to NWS.
Meanwhile, on the mainland, fire fighters were continuing to battle two blazes, the Silverado and Blue Ridge fires, which are threatening tens of thousands of residents in Orange and nearby counties.


latimes--2020-10-27--LAPD: 'No tolerance' for violence, vandalism if Dodgers win World Series

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore urged people Tuesday to celebrate a Dodgers win — if one comes — at home , given the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ They are safer at home .
This COVID-19 virus is real , ” he said .
Moore also said that officers are being deployed to Dodger Stadium and other strategic locations throughout the city “ to ensure that people are acting lawfully ” in the event crowds do gather , and will respond swiftly to any violence or vandalism in the streets .
“ There will be no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There is no room in Los Angeles for people to commit vandalism.
” During his remarks , given during a virtual meeting of the Police Commission , Moore referenced a gathering in downtown Los Angeles after the recent Lakers NBA title victory that he said “ devolved into riotous acts ” that included fires being set and the vandalism of dozens of storefronts and other property that Moore estimated as causing $ 500,000 in damages .
There were 76 people arrested after the Lakers win , 73 of them for failing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathering unlawful .
Police said that eight officers were injured as people in the crowd lobbed bottles and firecrackers at officers .
Several people in the crowd were badly injured by police after officers began firing projectiles .
Those injuries have raised concerns about the use of the weapons .
Moore said he hoped the Dodgers win , but also that Angelenos act in a manner worthy of their winning team .
He said he believed the added deployments of officers would serve as a “ deterring effect ” for individuals “ who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with impunity.
” Deputy Chief Vito Palazzolo said “ we will have heavy deployment throughout the city and extraordinary heavy deployment around Dodger Stadium and L.A. Live where we had problems following the Lakers ’ victory.
” Sources said the LAPD also plans to close some streets around Dodger Stadium .

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore urged people Tuesday to celebrate a Dodgers win — if one comes — at home, given the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They are safer at home. This COVID-19 virus is real,” he said.
Moore also said that officers are being deployed to Dodger Stadium and other strategic locations throughout the city “to ensure that people are acting lawfully” in the event crowds do gather, and will respond swiftly to any violence or vandalism in the streets.
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“There will be no tolerance for violence,” he said. “There is no room in Los Angeles for people to commit vandalism.”
During his remarks, given during a virtual meeting of the Police Commission, Moore referenced a gathering in downtown Los Angeles after the recent Lakers NBA title victory that he said “devolved into riotous acts” that included fires being set and the vandalism of dozens of storefronts and other property that Moore estimated as causing $500,000 in damages.
There were 76 people arrested after the Lakers win, 73 of them for failing to disperse after the LAPD declared the gathering unlawful. Police said that eight officers were injured as people in the crowd lobbed bottles and firecrackers at officers. Several people in the crowd were badly injured by police after officers began firing projectiles. Those injuries have raised concerns about the use of the weapons.
Moore said he hoped the Dodgers win, but also that Angelenos act in a manner worthy of their winning team.
He said he believed the added deployments of officers would serve as a “deterring effect” for individuals “who might otherwise think that they could act with impunity.”
Deputy Chief Vito Palazzolo said “we will have heavy deployment throughout the city and extraordinary heavy deployment around Dodger Stadium and L.A. Live where we had problems following the Lakers’ victory.”
Sources said the LAPD also plans to close some streets around Dodger Stadium.


latimes--2020-10-27--Concerned about election unrest, Beverly Hills will close Rodeo Drive

Beverly Hills luxury retail mecca Rodeo Drive will be closed to cars and pedestrian traffic on election day and the day after , a move the city ’ s police chief calls a “ proactive approach ” to possible protests .
Beverly Hills Police Chief Dominick Rivetti said his department would go on “ full alert ” and that businesses might choose to close down or limit operations .
The move came as City Hall encouraged some businesses to board up their high-end stores .
City shopping areas have become places of protest since the death this summer of George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hands of Minneapolis police .
“ As election day approaches , ” Rivetti said in a videotaped announcement , “ and with the potential of increased demonstration and protest activity across the region , the city is taking a proactive approach.
” Rodeo Drive will be closed , he said , to vehicle and pedestrian traffic on Nov. 3 and 4 .
“ Beginning on Halloween and through election week , ” he said , “ the Beverly Hills Police Department will be on full alert throughout the residential and business districts.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional support from other law enforcement agencies and private security companies .
Beverly Hills has been the site of peaceful protests both by Black Lives Matter demonstrators and supporters of President Trump .
In August , supporters of President Trump took to the streets of Beverly Hills and faced off with a small group of counter-protesters in a skirmish .
Some businesses in the city have been advised to board up their windows as a number of high-end stores did in June amid escalating protests , in the wake of Floyd ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Black people and other minorities .
The city has raised eyebrows for filing criminal charges against some protesters .
Beverly Hills police used tear gas to break up large crowds of protesters on June 13 .
The department also tried to jail protesters accused of curfew violation who couldn ’ t post the $ 5,000 bail .
Beverly Hills has taken a tough approach in the wake of protests , filing the misdemeanor curfew-violation charges against 25 people involved in a relatively calm June protest .
Other municipalities in the L.A. region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racking up thousands of arrests .

Shoppers along Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills look into the Salvatore Ferragamo store in 2011.
Beverly Hills luxury retail mecca Rodeo Drive will be closed to cars and pedestrian traffic on election day and the day after, a move the city’s police chief calls a “proactive approach” to possible protests.
WATCH: Police Chief Dominick Rivetti shares a message about Election Week in the City of Beverly Hills. pic.twitter.com/bbr3Q4eX5K — CityofBeverlyHills (@CityofBevHills) October 26, 2020
Beverly Hills Police Chief Dominick Rivetti said his department would go on “full alert” and that businesses might choose to close down or limit operations. The move came as City Hall encouraged some businesses to board up their high-end stores. City shopping areas have become places of protest since the death this summer of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police.
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“As election day approaches,” Rivetti said in a videotaped announcement, “and with the potential of increased demonstration and protest activity across the region, the city is taking a proactive approach.”
Rodeo Drive will be closed, he said, to vehicle and pedestrian traffic on Nov. 3 and 4.
“Beginning on Halloween and through election week,” he said, “the Beverly Hills Police Department will be on full alert throughout the residential and business districts.” He said the department would get additional support from other law enforcement agencies and private security companies.
Beverly Hills has been the site of peaceful protests both by Black Lives Matter demonstrators and supporters of President Trump. In August, supporters of President Trump took to the streets of Beverly Hills and faced off with a small group of counter-protesters in a skirmish.
Some businesses in the city have been advised to board up their windows as a number of high-end stores did in June amid escalating protests, in the wake of Floyd’s death, over police use of force against Black people and other minorities.
The city has raised eyebrows for filing criminal charges against some protesters.
Beverly Hills police used tear gas to break up large crowds of protesters on June 13. The department also tried to jail protesters accused of curfew violation who couldn’t post the $5,000 bail. Beverly Hills has taken a tough approach in the wake of protests, filing the misdemeanor curfew-violation charges against 25 people involved in a relatively calm June protest. Other municipalities in the L.A. region haven’t pursued such charges despite racking up thousands of arrests.


latimes--2020-10-27--Earthquake: Magnitude 3.5 quake strikes near Soledad, Calif.

A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Tuesday at 12:22 p.m. Pacific time 17 miles from Soledad , Calif. , according to the U.S. Geological Survey .
The earthquake occurred 20 miles from Greenfield , Calif. , 22 miles from Hollister , Calif. , 25 miles from King City , Calif. , and 29 miles from Salinas , Calif .
In the last 10 days , there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby .
An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada , according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occurred at a depth of 8.2 miles .
Did you feel this earthquake ?
Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS .
Even if you didn ’ t feel this small earthquake , you never know when the Big One is going to strike .
Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit .
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot , a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS .
A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning more about the system , visit our list of frequently asked questions .

An earthquake was reported Tuesday at 12:22 p.m. 17 miles from Soledad, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A magnitude 3.5 earthquake was reported Tuesday at 12:22 p.m. Pacific time 17 miles from Soledad, Calif., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 20 miles from Greenfield, Calif., 22 miles from Hollister, Calif., 25 miles from King City, Calif., and 29 miles from Salinas, Calif.
In the last 10 days, there have been no earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.
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An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 8.2 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.
Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.
This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.


latimes--2020-10-27--L.A City Council drops plans to consider subsidy for Koreatown hotel project

The Los Angeles City Council dropped a plan Tuesday for exploring taxpayer aid for a hotel developer whose company was sued by the city over unpaid taxes a decade ago .
In a 12-0 vote , council members rescinded their plan to have a consulting firm determine whether developer Leo Y. Lee ’ s proposed 192-room hotel in Koreatown warranted financial help from the city .
Council members voted in February to hire the consultant , saying Lee ’ s project could provide more hotel rooms for the city ’ s Convention Center .
After The Times inquired about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of Lee ’ s companies , City Atty .
Mike Feuer announced his opposition to the subsidy plan .
Councilmen Herb Wesson and Curren Price , who first proposed the idea of financial help last year , quickly backtracked and recommended that their colleagues rescind the consulting arrangement .
Los Angeles sued Lee ’ s company in 2010 over unpaid taxes on a hotel he owned on Wilshire Boulevard , securing a $ 3.5 million judgment .
At one point , the city sent sheriff ’ s deputies to the property to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lee ’ s hotel companies filed for bankruptcy and the hotel was sold .
He and the city settled for $ 2.65 million in 2012 .
Regarding the Koreatown project , Lee ’ s lawyer had warned that if the council failed to provide financial assistance , the hotel would not get built .
He also said Lee had a valid disagreement with the city about the amount of taxes it was seeking to collect from the Wilshire Boulevard property and ultimately paid his financial obligations .
“ He lost millions of dollars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal assets , ” said attorney Victor Sahn .
“ Since that time , Mr. Lee has stayed in the real estate business and has returned to prosperity .
He should be congratulated for what he has done.
” Since June 2016 , Lee , his wife , his company and his business associates donated at least $ 67,400 to council members and their political committees , including $ 15,000 for Wesson ’ s current campaign for county supervisor .
In 2017 , Lee donated $ 25,000 to a committee that backed Price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that reviews hotel subsidy requests .
Wesson was not present for Tuesday ’ s vote and none of his colleagues discussed the subsidy issue .
Activist Jed Parriott , who opposed the idea of a subsidy and has called for L.A. hotels to house homeless Angelenos , said the council should have researched the developer ’ s history from the beginning .
“ They ’ re not doing their due diligence , ” said Parriott , an organizer with the Services Not Sweeps Coalition .
“ They don ’ t care about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to rescind a plan for exploring financial aid for a 192-room hotel planned in Koreatown.
The Los Angeles City Council dropped a plan Tuesday for exploring taxpayer aid for a hotel developer whose company was sued by the city over unpaid taxes a decade ago.
In a 12-0 vote, council members rescinded their plan to have a consulting firm determine whether developer Leo Y. Lee’s proposed 192-room hotel in Koreatown warranted financial help from the city.
Council members voted in February to hire the consultant, saying Lee’s project could provide more hotel rooms for the city’s Convention Center. After The Times inquired about a previous legal dispute between the city and one of Lee’s companies, City Atty. Mike Feuer announced his opposition to the subsidy plan.
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Councilmen Herb Wesson and Curren Price, who first proposed the idea of financial help last year, quickly backtracked and recommended that their colleagues rescind the consulting arrangement.
Los Angeles sued Lee’s company in 2010 over unpaid taxes on a hotel he owned on Wilshire Boulevard, securing a $3.5 million judgment. At one point, the city sent sheriff’s deputies to the property to collect a portion of the funds.
Lee’s hotel companies filed for bankruptcy and the hotel was sold. He and the city settled for $2.65 million in 2012.
Regarding the Koreatown project, Lee’s lawyer had warned that if the council failed to provide financial assistance, the hotel would not get built. He also said Lee had a valid disagreement with the city about the amount of taxes it was seeking to collect from the Wilshire Boulevard property and ultimately paid his financial obligations.
“He lost millions of dollars personally by funding hotel operations from his personal assets,” said attorney Victor Sahn. “Since that time, Mr. Lee has stayed in the real estate business and has returned to prosperity. He should be congratulated for what he has done.”
Since June 2016, Lee, his wife, his company and his business associates donated at least $67,400 to council members and their political committees, including $15,000 for Wesson’s current campaign for county supervisor. In 2017, Lee donated $25,000 to a committee that backed Price, who heads the City Council committee that reviews hotel subsidy requests.
Wesson was not present for Tuesday’s vote and none of his colleagues discussed the subsidy issue.
Activist Jed Parriott, who opposed the idea of a subsidy and has called for L.A. hotels to house homeless Angelenos, said the council should have researched the developer’s history from the beginning.
“They’re not doing their due diligence,” said Parriott, an organizer with the Services Not Sweeps Coalition. “They don’t care about the details. They just throw money around.”


latimes--2020-10-27--Blue Ridge fire: evacuation areas, road and school closures, shelters

A wind-driven blaze that spread quickly Monday , the Blue Ridge fire has charred more than 8,000 acres and forced thousands to evacuate in Yorba Linda and Chino Hills .
What we know Approximately 10,000 people living in about 2,500 homes currently are under mandatory evacuation orders in the following areas : • East of San Antonio Road and north of Yorba Linda Blvd .
• Evacuation warnings have been issued for Bee Canyon , Box Canyon and Lost Trough Canyon .
• Hidden Hills community in Yorba Linda , north of the Riverside Freeway and east of Gypsum Canyon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the County Line to Summit Ranch , on both the west and east sides of Carbon Canyon Rd .
• This includes Sleepy Hollow , Oak Tree Downs , Pine Valley Estates , Western Hills and Summit Ranch on the west .
• East of Brea Hills to the county line , including the Olinda Village and Hollydale neighborhoods .
• Voluntary evacuations were urged for the Olinda Ranch and Brea Hills areas .
• An evacuation warning was issued by Los Angeles County officials for an area south of Diamond Bar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Avenue to the north , Diamond Bar Boulevard to the west , the Los Angeles-Orange county line to the south and the Los Angeles-San Bernardino county line to the east .
A map showing all evacuation areas is posted on the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Department website .
A temporary evacuation point for displaced Yorba Linda residents has been established at the Thomas Lasorda Jr. Field House at 4701 Casa Loma Ave. Small animals may be brought to OC Animal Care Services at 1630 Victoria Road in Tustin .
Residents with horses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 714 ) 961-7192 .
For more information , call the Orange County Public Information Line at ( 714 ) 628-7085 .
• Portions of the 241 , 261 , and 133 freeways are closed .
• All schools in the Placentia-Yorba Linda School District are closed

Driven by strong winds, two fires spread quickly in Orange County, destroying at least one home and critically injuring two firefighters.
Blue Ridge fire
A wind-driven blaze that spread quickly Monday, the Blue Ridge fire has charred more than 8,000 acres and forced thousands to evacuate in Yorba Linda and Chino Hills.
What we know
More than 10,000 acres burned
0% contained
10 homes damaged
1,000 firefighting personnel
Firefighters hosing down a home damaged by the #BlueRidgeFire in Yorba Linda. Intense winds at the top of this hill. @NBCLA @HettyNBCLA pic.twitter.com/Xi9hUc8pue — Kenny Holmes (@KHOLMESlive) October 26, 2020
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Evacuations
Approximately 10,000 people living in about 2,500 homes currently are under mandatory evacuation orders in the following areas:
East of San Antonio Road and north of Yorba Linda Blvd.
Evacuation warnings have been issued for Bee Canyon, Box Canyon and Lost Trough Canyon.
Hidden Hills community in Yorba Linda, north of the Riverside Freeway and east of Gypsum Canyon.
All of Carbon Canyon from the County Line to Summit Ranch, on both the west and east sides of Carbon Canyon Rd.
This includes Sleepy Hollow, Oak Tree Downs, Pine Valley Estates, Western Hills and Summit Ranch on the west.
East of Brea Hills to the county line, including the Olinda Village and Hollydale neighborhoods.
Voluntary evacuations were urged for the Olinda Ranch and Brea Hills areas.
An evacuation warning was issued by Los Angeles County officials for an area south of Diamond Bar.
The area is bordered by Grand Avenue to the north, Diamond Bar Boulevard to the west, the Los Angeles-Orange county line to the south and the Los Angeles-San Bernardino county line to the east.
A map showing all evacuation areas is posted on the Orange County Sheriff’s Department website.
On the map, you can input your address and see if your location is in the evac warning or order areas. https://t.co/J3qNBqdzoW — OC Sheriff, CA (@OCSheriff) October 27, 2020
Evacuation centers
A temporary evacuation point for displaced Yorba Linda residents has been established at the Thomas Lasorda Jr. Field House at 4701 Casa Loma Ave.
Small animals may be brought to OC Animal Care Services at 1630 Victoria Road in Tustin.
Residents with horses or other larger animals may call (714) 961-7192.
For more information, call the Orange County Public Information Line at (714) 628-7085.
Road closures
La Palma Avenue east of Yorba Linda Boulevard
Gypsum Canyon off-ramp from the 91 Freeway
Portions of the 241, 261, and 133 freeways are closed.
Schools


latimes--2020-10-27--Review: Whose news? Artist Kahlil Joseph's 'BLKNWS®' delivers what CNN or Fox do not

News channels like CNN or Fox broadcast all day , every day , on television screens mounted in public places all across American life .
At the doctor ’ s office , in an airport lounge , at a coffee shop — you name it , cable news is not just in your living room .
The programming tends to be loud , graphically and otherwise .
It lands somewhere between an occasionally jolting dose of infotainment , sometimes useful and often not , and a visual and aural distraction serving dull commercial ends .
Artist and filmmaker Kahlil Joseph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” which he began producing in 2018 , is different from the sleekly produced merchandise of corporate television .
Yes , his can be noisy too , and the pace of his editing is quick .
But the stories don ’ t develop , they accrue .
Joseph ’ s programming is textured and eccentric , which is not the stuff of cable .
The whole is bigger than the sum of its parts .
“ BLKNWS® '' is part of “ Made in LA 2020 : a version , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s biennial survey of new art .
Co-sponsored this year with the Huntington Library , Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino , the show ’ s run has been postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic .
Originally scheduled for the summer months , it should be a receding memory by now .
Joseph ’ s presentation was co-produced with Los Angeles Nomadic Division , which organizes site-specific public art exhibitions around the city .
Nine venues host “ BLKNWS® , ” and the Hammer will become the 10th site when health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally lift .
I visited four of them .
Various mixes of the TV program are at each one , but perception of what ’ s on-screen shifted a bit depending on the circumstance .
Each “ BLKNWS® '' installation consists of two side-by-side TVs .
The format alone tells you that multiple rather than singular viewpoints are unfolding .
A pair of looped video-montages is composed from an array of footage , virtually all of it on subjects of Black life , past and present .
Much of it is found material @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , recorded bits of broadcast television , Hollywood epics , music videos , shots from family albums and more .
These are interspersed with new material — selfies , neighborly interviews , aerial drone shots of the city edited into gloriously unfolding kaleidoscopes and other homemade clips .
Periodically , pictures abruptly stop and simple aphorisms and familiar slogans turn up printed across the screen in blunt , sans-serif type .
“ We must rely on ourselves , ” says one , while others promise “ Emancipated space ” and “ The shape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notions aren ’ t exactly news .
But they do serve another worthy function .
Each snippet of everyday text is accompanied by a declaration that the statement is “ brought to you by BLKNWS®.
” The familiarity serves to bond a viewer with the artist and his images .
It ’ s Joseph being sociable .
Every now and then the logo for BLKNWS® pops in , interrupting the flow and spinning in digital space .
Two anchors — one male , one female ; one Black , one white — also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casual uniform of black jacket and white shirt .
Alzo Slade is a stand-up comic who is also a correspondent for “ Vice News Tonight , ” the Emmy award-winning nightly newscast .
Helen Molesworth is an independent curator who organized a show of Joseph ’ s two-channel video “ m.A.A.d.
” in 2015 , when she worked at the Museum of Contemporary Art .
The choice of a comic and a curator as nominal anchors is inspired .
In this national election year , truth-telling has become a rare and exceptional gift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of lies .
Comedy is funny when the ephemeral joke is built on a solid foundation of veracity .
Picasso is purported to have described art as “ a lie that tells the truth.
” As anchors , the comic and the curator add ballast to the quotidian realities of Joseph ’ s diverse clips .
One of the shops I visited to watch “ BLKNWS® '' was closed when I got there .
( Not all the venues have posted hours . )
Two others — the fashionable Bloom & Plume coffee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamaican restaurant Natraliart in West Adams — offered an amenable ambiance for masked and socially distanced customers waiting to pick up their orders .
In both , “ BLKNWS® '' slipped seamlessly inside the city ’ s ebb and flow .
A viewer ’ s daily experience merged with art being observed on the screens .
One drawback was that both shops also had music playing , which made the video soundtrack difficult to hear .
( The visuals are still eye-catching . )
Critic Hilton Als has called Joseph “ a master @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d be hard-pressed to know it here .
That wasn ’ t the case at my fourth ( and favorite ) stop .
Hank ’ s Mini Market is in the Hyde Park section of South L.A. , and it ’ s the most flatly beautiful neighborhood convenience store I ’ ve ever seen .
( Founded by Henry Jackson nearly a quarter-century ago , it was recently re-envisioned by his daughter , artist Kelli Jackson . )
The formal concept is simple : In a quintessentially clean , well-lighted place , baskets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are lined up with acute precision on low shelves .
Lush Pop artifacts are recast as rigorous Minimalist sculpture .
Mayonnaise , energy drinks and dishwashing liquid never looked so good .
Most convenience stores are organized for a speedy in-and-out ( hence the name ) .
This one also accomplishes that essential task .
But it ’ s such a lovely , carefully considered space that one wants to linger .
Like “ BLKNWS® , ” Hank ’ s plays against type .
Joseph ’ s video screens hang by a shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , in other times , sports a community bulletin board .
No linear narrative — no beginning , middle and end — adheres to his “ BLKNWS® '' clips , which don ’ t convey Black stories , history or style in a conventionally journalistic sense .
Instead , like the collaged newspapers on a Cubist cafe table painted next to a cup of coffee or a glass of wine , they have other , more sociable things in mind .
“ BLKNWS® '' invites contemplation , which is something CNN and @ @ @ @

News channels like CNN or Fox broadcast all day, every day, on television screens mounted in public places all across American life. At the doctor’s office, in an airport lounge, at a coffee shop — you name it, cable news is not just in your living room.
The programming tends to be loud, graphically and otherwise. It lands somewhere between an occasionally jolting dose of infotainment, sometimes useful and often not, and a visual and aural distraction serving dull commercial ends.
But not “BLKNWS®.”
Artist and filmmaker Kahlil Joseph’s self-described “conceptual news program,” which he began producing in 2018, is different from the sleekly produced merchandise of corporate television. Yes, his can be noisy too, and the pace of his editing is quick. But the stories don’t develop, they accrue. Joseph’s programming is textured and eccentric, which is not the stuff of cable. The whole is bigger than the sum of its parts.
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“BLKNWS®” is part of “Made in LA 2020: a version,” the latest installment of the UCLA Hammer Museum’s biennial survey of new art. Co-sponsored this year with the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, the show’s run has been postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally scheduled for the summer months, it should be a receding memory by now.
Joseph’s presentation was co-produced with Los Angeles Nomadic Division, which organizes site-specific public art exhibitions around the city. Nine venues host “BLKNWS®,” and the Hammer will become the 10th site when health restrictions that have kept the museum shuttered finally lift.
I visited four of them. Various mixes of the TV program are at each one, but perception of what’s on-screen shifted a bit depending on the circumstance.
Each “BLKNWS®” installation consists of two side-by-side TVs. The format alone tells you that multiple rather than singular viewpoints are unfolding. A pair of looped video-montages is composed from an array of footage, virtually all of it on subjects of Black life, past and present.
Much of it is found material gleaned from documentary films, home movies, recorded bits of broadcast television, Hollywood epics, music videos, shots from family albums and more. These are interspersed with new material — selfies, neighborly interviews, aerial drone shots of the city edited into gloriously unfolding kaleidoscopes and other homemade clips.
Kahlil Joseph, “BLKNWS®,” 2018-ongoing. The two-channel “fugitive newscast” is live at sites around L.A., including at Hank’s Mini Market in South Los Angeles, as part of “Made in L.A. 2020: a version.” (Jeff McLane.)
Advertisement
Periodically, pictures abruptly stop and simple aphorisms and familiar slogans turn up printed across the screen in blunt, sans-serif type. “We must rely on ourselves,” says one, while others promise “Emancipated space” and “The shape of things to come.”
Such unassuming notions aren’t exactly news. But they do serve another worthy function. Each snippet of everyday text is accompanied by a declaration that the statement is “brought to you by BLKNWS®.” The familiarity serves to bond a viewer with the artist and his images. It’s Joseph being sociable.
Every now and then the logo for BLKNWS® pops in, interrupting the flow and spinning in digital space. Two anchors — one male, one female; one Black, one white — also turn up, both dressed in a casual uniform of black jacket and white shirt.
Alzo Slade is a stand-up comic who is also a correspondent for “Vice News Tonight,” the Emmy award-winning nightly newscast. Helen Molesworth is an independent curator who organized a show of Joseph’s two-channel video “m.A.A.d.” in 2015, when she worked at the Museum of Contemporary Art. The choice of a comic and a curator as nominal anchors is inspired.
In this national election year, truth-telling has become a rare and exceptional gift for a society buried beneath an avalanche of lies. Comedy is funny when the ephemeral joke is built on a solid foundation of veracity. Picasso is purported to have described art as “a lie that tells the truth.” As anchors, the comic and the curator add ballast to the quotidian realities of Joseph’s diverse clips.
One of the shops I visited to watch “BLKNWS®” was closed when I got there. (Not all the venues have posted hours.) Two others — the fashionable Bloom & Plume coffee shop in Historic Filipinotown and the venerable Jamaican restaurant Natraliart in West Adams — offered an amenable ambiance for masked and socially distanced customers waiting to pick up their orders.
In both, “BLKNWS®” slipped seamlessly inside the city’s ebb and flow. A viewer’s daily experience merged with art being observed on the screens.
One drawback was that both shops also had music playing, which made the video soundtrack difficult to hear. (The visuals are still eye-catching.) Critic Hilton Als has called Joseph “a master of sound,” but you’d be hard-pressed to know it here.
That wasn’t the case at my fourth (and favorite) stop.
Hank’s Mini Market is in the Hyde Park section of South L.A., and it’s the most flatly beautiful neighborhood convenience store I’ve ever seen. (Founded by Henry Jackson nearly a quarter-century ago, it was recently re-envisioned by his daughter, artist Kelli Jackson.) The formal concept is simple: In a quintessentially clean, well-lighted place, baskets of fresh fruit and gleaming household products are lined up with acute precision on low shelves. Lush Pop artifacts are recast as rigorous Minimalist sculpture.
Mayonnaise, energy drinks and dishwashing liquid never looked so good.
Most convenience stores are organized for a speedy in-and-out (hence the name). This one also accomplishes that essential task. But it’s such a lovely, carefully considered space that one wants to linger. Like “BLKNWS®,” Hank’s plays against type.
Joseph’s video screens hang by a shared table and chairs on an end wall that, in other times, sports a community bulletin board. No linear narrative — no beginning, middle and end — adheres to his “BLKNWS®” clips, which don’t convey Black stories, history or style in a conventionally journalistic sense. Instead, like the collaged newspapers on a Cubist cafe table painted next to a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, they have other, more sociable things in mind. “BLKNWS®” invites contemplation, which is something CNN and Fox rarely summon.


latimes--2020-10-27--Wildfires bring unhealthiest air in the nation to Southern California

A pair of wind-driven wildfires actively burning in Orange County and a couple of nearly extinguished blazes in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties have spawned the worst air quality in the nation , according to the government ’ s air quality monitoring agency .
Parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties and the city of Corona are all hovering in the “ unhealthy ” range , the website Air Now shows .
On Tuesday , the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a windblown dust and ash advisory in Los Angeles , Orange , San Bernardino and Riverside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from recent wildfires may be spread by strong gusts of wind .
It is an atypical warning for L.A. and Orange counties , said agency spokesman Bradley Whitaker .
“ Sometimes we ’ ll issue windblown dust advisories in Coachella Valley , ” Whitaker said .
“ It ’ s a bit more rare in L.A. County and Orange County.
” Whitaker said ash plumes — not smoke plumes — could be seen on satellite imagery Monday .
“ That ’ s why we put out the extended dust advisory , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached unhealthy to hazardous levels because of particulate matter , the agency said .
The advisory , which remains in effect through Tuesday evening , said that sand , dust and ash are being carried from the scars of past blazes , including the Bobcat and El Dorado fires .
Angeles National Forest spokesman Andrew Mitchell said wind-blown dust and ash from the Bobcat fire will remain a possibility until rain eventually comes and helps with “ dust abatement.
” Active fires are making it hard to breathe too .
Smoke advisories are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ongoing Silverado and Blue Ridge fires , which erupted Monday and quickly burned through a combined 20,000 acres .
“ The Silverado fire is producing substantial amounts of smoke , ” the air quality management district said , adding that residents should limit outdoor activity and remain indoors with windows and doors closed .
The latest air quality concerns follow months of orange skies and ash-dusted neighborhoods from California ’ s worst wildfire season .
In September , dozens of concurrent blazes across the state created a plume of smoke that spanned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far as Europe .
Smoke — and its resulting hazardous air — has even spawned a new subfield of fire science : aeropyrobiology , which studies how fire-powered plumes can waft about landscapes , like “ an atmospheric analogue to ocean currents .
”

A water truck operator is overcome with smoke after running through the advancing Silverado fire in Orange County on Monday. Two fires in Orange County are contributing to “unhealthy” air in Southern California, the worst in the nation.
A pair of wind-driven wildfires actively burning in Orange County and a couple of nearly extinguished blazes in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties have spawned the worst air quality in the nation, according to the government’s air quality monitoring agency.
Parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties and the city of Corona are all hovering in the “unhealthy” range, the website Air Now shows.
On Tuesday, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a windblown dust and ash advisory in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, warning that hazardous particulate matter from recent wildfires may be spread by strong gusts of wind.
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It is an atypical warning for L.A. and Orange counties, said agency spokesman Bradley Whitaker.
“Sometimes we’ll issue windblown dust advisories in Coachella Valley,” Whitaker said. “It’s a bit more rare in L.A. County and Orange County.”
Whitaker said ash plumes — not smoke plumes — could be seen on satellite imagery Monday.
“That’s why we put out the extended dust advisory,” he said.
The resulting air quality index reached unhealthy to hazardous levels because of particulate matter, the agency said.
Check out this Sunset Peak camera pointed toward the higher mountains in the #BobcatFire scar where winds are easily gusting 70+ mph. No wonder there is so much dust and ash spreading across #DTLA. #CAwx #LAweather pic.twitter.com/DmmP0I4Ndv — Eric Boldt (@wxreport) October 26, 2020
The advisory, which remains in effect through Tuesday evening, said that sand, dust and ash are being carried from the scars of past blazes, including the Bobcat and El Dorado fires. Angeles National Forest spokesman Andrew Mitchell said wind-blown dust and ash from the Bobcat fire will remain a possibility until rain eventually comes and helps with “dust abatement.”
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Active fires are making it hard to breathe too. Smoke advisories are in effect in Orange County because of the ongoing Silverado and Blue Ridge fires, which erupted Monday and quickly burned through a combined 20,000 acres.
Climate & Environment Your questions about air quality answered The air around Southern California feels like smoke soup because of wildfires. What does that mean for your health and daily routines?
“The Silverado fire is producing substantial amounts of smoke,” the air quality management district said, adding that residents should limit outdoor activity and remain indoors with windows and doors closed.
The latest air quality concerns follow months of orange skies and ash-dusted neighborhoods from California’s worst wildfire season. In September, dozens of concurrent blazes across the state created a plume of smoke that spanned more than 1,000 miles and traveled as far as Europe.
Smoke — and its resulting hazardous air — has even spawned a new subfield of fire science: aeropyrobiology, which studies how fire-powered plumes can waft about landscapes, like “an atmospheric analogue to ocean currents.”


latimes--2020-10-27--'Disheartening' news at UCLA: Online learning will continue next quarter

With two months left in the fall quarter , UCLA has announced that remote learning will continue in the winter quarter while other UC campuses continue to assess plans for the new year .
The university will still allow exceptions for students who must attend hybrid courses — such as labs and studio art classes — but online instruction will remain in place when the next quarter starts on Jan. 4 and runs through March 19 .
Limited on-campus student housing will continue to accommodate students without alternative plans .
“ I understand that this news will be disheartening to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bruins who are eager to experience life in Westwood .
It is disappointing to me as well , ” Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Emily Carter said in a statement .
“ We were hopeful that we could expand instruction to include more in-person classes next quarter , but given the continued spread of COVID-19 , and in line with strict county public health mandates , we must maintain a reduced population and limit person-to-person contact on campus.
” Los Angeles County remains under the state ’ s most restrictive COVID-19 safety tier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gatherings at colleges , albeit with some exceptions .
Indoor capacity could increase to 25 % or 100 people , whichever is less , if the county reaches Tier 2 , also known as the red tier for substantial risk of spread .
But so far , L.A. County has remained stagnant in Tier 1 due to a widespread number of cases per 100,000 , largely driven by younger residents .
UC Riverside , which also resides in a Tier 1 county with widespread transmission of the virus , has announced that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall semester .
The university has reported 90 coronavirus cases since March within its community .
UCLA has reported more than 320 coronavirus cases among students and staff since March .
Students who live off-campus in non-university-owned housing have comprised the bulk of infections within the student community .
Several students who have tested positive live in on-campus housing or have visited the campus .
Similarly , USC has reported more than 500 cases since early July , due largely to off-campus activity .
USC has yet to make a decision on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials on Monday reiterated that parties and large gatherings were prohibited and warned that students ’ behavior over the Halloween weekend and an upcoming football game would be critical to USC ’ s plans for the next semester .
Up north , where most communities have more strongly mitigated the spread of the virus than Southern California ’ s counties , schools have more flexibility to open operations , but may still choose to take a limited approach .
UC Berkeley , for example , will continue to offer a limited number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not require any student to take an in-person class .
The start of the semester will be fully remote for at least two weeks to allow students returning to campus to quarantine for seven to 10 days .
The university resides in Alameda County , which falls in Tier 3 for moderate risk of spread .
Under state rules , the university could expand indoor capacity to 50 % or 200 people , and outdoor instruction to full capacity .
Nearby at Stanford University , which resides in Santa Clara County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students back in the new year .
The county also falls under Tier 3 , and would have the option to expand operations .
Although most California colleges have avoided major surges seen in other states where universities initially reopened en masse , higher education institutions have still emerged as a hot spot for the virus .
Testing efforts and contact tracing methods have continued to expand for on- and off-campus student communities in an effort to temper the spread .

With two months left in the fall quarter, UCLA has announced that remote learning will continue in the winter quarter while other UC campuses continue to assess plans for the new year.
The university will still allow exceptions for students who must attend hybrid courses, but online instruction will remain in place when the next quarter starts on Jan. 4 and runs through March 19. Limited on-campus student housing will continue to accommodate students without alternative plans.
“I understand that this news will be disheartening to many of you, especially our new Bruins who are eager to experience life in Westwood. It is disappointing to me as well,” Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Emily Carter said in a statement. “We were hopeful that we could expand instruction to include more in-person classes next quarter, but given the continued spread of COVID-19, and in line with strict county public health mandates, we must maintain a reduced population and limit person-to-person contact on campus.”
Los Angeles County remains under the state’s most restrictive COVID-19 safety tier, which prohibits indoor lectures and student gatherings at colleges, albeit with some exceptions. Indoor capacity could increase to 25% or 100 people, whichever is less, if the county reaches Tier 2, also known as the red tier for substantial risk of spread. But so far, L.A. County has remained stagnant in Tier 1 due to a widespread number of cases per 100,000, largely driven by younger residents.
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UC Riverside, which also resides in a Tier 1 county with widespread transmission of the virus, has announced that it too will maintain limited operations during the fall semester. The university has reported 90 coronavirus cases since March within its community.
UCLA has reported more than 320 coronavirus cases among students and staff since March. Students who live off-campus in non-university-owned housing have comprised the bulk of infections within the student community. Several students who have tested positive live in on-campus housing or have visited the campus.
Similarly, USC has reported more than 500 cases since early July, due largely to off-campus activity.
USC has yet to make a decision on its plans for the spring semester. But officials on Monday reiterated that parties and large gatherings were prohibited and warned that students’ behavior over the Halloween weekend and an upcoming football game would be critical to USC’s plans for the next semester.
Up north, where most communities have more strongly mitigated the spread of the virus than Southern California’s counties, schools have more flexibility to open operations, but may still choose to take a limited approach. UC Berkeley, for example, will continue to offer a limited number of in-person classes during the spring semester and will not require any student to take an in-person class.
The start of the semester will be fully remote for at least two weeks to allow students returning to campus to quarantine for seven to 10 days.
The university resides in Alameda County, which falls in Tier 3 for moderate risk of spread. Under state rules, the university could expand indoor capacity to 50% or 200 people, and outdoor instruction to full capacity.
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Nearby at Stanford University, which resides in Santa Clara County, officials are assessing whether to bring more students back in the new year. The county also falls under Tier 3, and would have the option to expand operations.
Although most California colleges have avoided major surges seen in other states where universities initially reopened en masse, higher education institutions have still emerged as a hot spot for the virus. Testing efforts and contact tracing methods have continued to expand for on- and off-campus student communities in an effort to temper the spread.


latimes--2020-10-27--Orange County fires: Silverado fire evacuation areas, road and school closures, shelters

The fast-moving , wind-driven burning east of Irvine entered its second day on Tuesday , threatening more communities and putting them at risk of being evacuated .
Here ’ s what we know : • Portions of the 133 , 241 and 261 Toll Roads are closed .
• Areas , including roadways , north of Irvine Boulevard remain closed as part of the mandatory evacuation order .
More than 90,000 residents have been forced to evacuate their homes , according to Irvine Mayor Christina Shea .
Evacuation orders issued on Monday remain in place , with Silverado , Modjeska @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now under evacuation warning .
• Between Great Park Boulevard and Bake Parkway , and north of Toledo Way until the city limits • From Irvine Boulevard south to Trabuco Road , and from Jeffrey Road East to Portola High School • North of Irvine Boulevard between Jamboree Road and Bake Parkway Part of Mission Viejo was also under an evacuation warning Tuesday morning .
The area is : El Toro Road to the north , Marguerite Parkway to the east , Upper Oso reservoir to the east , Los Alisos Boulevard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. for Irvine residents and household pets .
Anyone in the evacuation zone needing medical assistance is advised to call ( 949 ) 529-4774 .
• Operations at UC Irvine remain suspended due to the blaze .

Driven by strong winds, two fires spread quickly in Orange County, destroying at least one home and critically injuring two firefighters.
Silverado fire
The fast-moving, wind-driven Silverado fire burning east of Irvine entered its second day on Tuesday, threatening more communities and putting them at risk of being evacuated.
Here’s what we know:
11,200 acres burned
5% contained
No structures lost
10-15 mph winds, with ridge top gusts reaching 35 mph
#SilveradoFire Update:
14 helicopters
11,200 acres
More than 750 firefighters
5% contained
10-15 mph winds with ridge top gusts reaching 35 mph
Residents under evacuation order:
70,000 Irvine
6,000 Lake Forest
Footage taken at Crean Lutheran HS and La Perla in Foothill Ranch pic.twitter.com/t2SbCvmaSo — OCFA PIO (@OCFA_PIO) October 27, 2020
Road closures
Portions of the 133, 241 and 261 Toll Roads are closed.
#SilveradoFire Road Closure Update (1/2):
The following portions of The Toll Roads are closed:
⚠ 133 Toll Road
• NB I-5 connector to NB 133
• NB 133 between I-5 and 241
• NB 133 connector to NB 241
• SB 133 between 241 and I-5 pic.twitter.com/YgXprYjTJE — The Toll Roads (@TheTollRoads) October 27, 2020
Irvine Boulevard remains closed from Alton to Sand Canyon.
Alton Parkway is closed.
Areas, including roadways, north of Irvine Boulevard remain closed as part of the mandatory evacuation order.
Great Park Boulevard is closed east of Sand Canyon.
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Update on road closures:
-Irvine Blvd remains closed from Alton to Sand Canyon.
-All areas, including roadways, north of Irvine Blvd remain closed as part of the mandatory evacuation order. -Great Park Blvd is closed east of Sand Canyon. @City_of_Irvine @OCFA_PIO — Irvine Police Department (@IrvinePolice) October 27, 2020
Evacuation
More than 90,000 residents have been forced to evacuate their homes, according to Irvine Mayor Christina Shea. Evacuation orders issued on Monday remain in place, with Silverado, Modjeska and Trabuco canyons along Live Oak Canyon now under evacuation warning.
Areas under evacuation orders include:
Between Great Park Boulevard and Bake Parkway, and north of Toledo Way until the city limits
From Irvine Boulevard south to Trabuco Road, and from Jeffrey Road East to Portola High School
North of Irvine Boulevard between Jamboree Road and Bake Parkway
Jackson Ranch and Williams Canyon
Evacuations remain in place at this time. We will continue to provide updates as they become available. https://t.co/hN3Q3PyyYj — City of Irvine (@City_of_Irvine) October 27, 2020
Part of Mission Viejo was also under an evacuation warning Tuesday morning. The area is: El Toro Road to the north, Marguerite Parkway to the east, Upper Oso reservoir to the east, Los Alisos Boulevard to the south.
CORRECTION: Marguerite Pkwy to the East https://t.co/SGULUX4HPY — OCFA PIO (@OCFA_PIO) October 27, 2020
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Evacuation centers
Centers reopened at 6 a.m. for Irvine residents and household pets.
University High School: 4771 Campus Drive
Woodbridge High School: 2 Meadowbrook
Las Lomas Community Center: 10 Federation Way
Turtle Rock Community Center: 1 Sunnyhill, 92603
University Community Center: 1 Beech Tree Lane
Quail Hill Community Center: 35 Shady Canyon Drive
Los Olivos Community Center: 101 Alfonso
Harvard Community Center: 14701 Harvard
Rancho Senior Center: 3 Ethel Coplen Way
Anyone in the evacuation zone needing medical assistance is advised to call (949) 529-4774.
Schools
Irvine Unified School District is closed.
Tustin Unified School District is closed.