L.A.-area fires rage, extreme conditions expected to last for days: Weekend Rundown

Extreme fire conditions expected in L.A. area through Wednesday

As the fight against wildfires engulfing neighborhoods in Los Angeles County reached its sixth day, firefighters faced difficulties due to the strong Santa Ana winds.

At least 16 people have died as a result of the wildfires, and as of Sunday morning, authorities indicated that at least 16 more were reported missing.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for areas of Southern California where high gusts are predicted to blow on Wednesday. “If fire ignition occurs, conditions are favorable for very rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior,” it stated.

According to Mayor Doug Stewart, the Palisades Fire has destroyed around one-third of Malibu’s eastern border.

The lovely houses that once dotted the neighborhood are no longer there. “They’re mostly gone,” Stewart stated during a neighborhood gathering.

Watch live coverage from NBC News here.

More coverage:

NBC News spoke to

nearly a dozen people who witnessed the early stages of the Palisades Fire

, before it grew into one of the most destructive natural disasters in Los Angeles history.
Small-business owners across the area are just beginning to reckon with the devastating wildfires, which have

turn

ed

decades of history and years of hard work

in

to ashes

.
Are arsonists responsible for the

raging

fires?

Investigators are working to determine what caused the blazes.
Former Australian child star Rory Sykes died last week

in the fires after, his mother said, she was unable to save him from their home.
Residents facing losses from the fires are beginning to confront their next challenge:

filing insurance claim

s

.

Meet the Press

In an extensive “Meet the Press” interview, California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that the flames will rank among the worst natural catastrophes in American history.

“I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope,” he stated.

“Mis- and disinformation I don’t think advantages or aids any of us,” Newsom added in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s comments.

Trump has attacked Newsom on numerous occasions, holding him somewhat responsible for the catastrophe’s scope. He falsely asserted in one post that Newsom had obstructed a bill that would have permitted water to move from Northern California to Southern California.

“Responding to Donald Trump’s insults, we would spend another month,” Newsom stated. “I know them rather well. He is well acquainted with all the elected officials with whom he disagrees.

The entire interview is available to view here.

Jack Smith resigns from DOJ

In a court filing on Saturday, officials announced that Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith had resigned. Prior to the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, the action was anticipated.

Smith’s investigation into Trump’s purported meddling in the 2020 election is anticipated to be published shortly. Since charges against Trump’s co-defendants are still ongoing, the second volume of his report on the case including the classified papers will not be made public.

Politics in brief

A new ‘normal’: Leaders who previously opposed or ignored Trump are now trying to strengthen their relationships or reach out to him.

Greenland dangers:Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., downplayed Trump’s threat to seize Greenland by military force on “Meet the Press,” saying the United States won’t invade the territory.

Classroom immigration: Teachers are in the awkward position of answering inquiries from pupils regarding possible mass deportations under the Trump administration.

Honoring the pope: Pope Francis received the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction from President Joe Biden.

Restricting pardons for Jan. 6: On Sunday, Vice President-elect JD Vance stated that pardons should not be granted to violent Jan. 6 rioters.

Wild-card weekend

Six wild-card games were played on Saturday to determine who would advance to the divisional stage of the NFL playoffs.

The AFC’s third-seeded Baltimore Ravens upset the Pittsburgh Steelers 28–14 on Saturday, while the Houston Texans defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 32–12.

The Buffalo Bills defeated the Denver Broncos 31-7 to start the Sunday games. Later on Sunday, the Washington Commanders played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Green Bay Packers took on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Watch live coverage from NBC News here.

A director’s dual wins

Oscar winner Barry Jenkins began the new year with two box office hits, “Mufasa: The Lion King” and “The Fire Inside.”

The two movies appear to be very different on paper. While the first is a Disney blockbuster with a significant cultural impact, the second is a much smaller film that is a biopic of Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, the first American woman to win a boxing gold medal.

Jenkins discussed the recurring themes in his work in an interview.

The fact that Mufasa was referred to in the original “Lion King” as “this great leader, this perfect father, the perfect king,” and we presume that he is that way due of the character attributes he inherited, was what “grabbed” him about the character. Decontextualizing that and demonstrating that, like Claressa Shields or the character in “Moonlight,” he came from somewhere else and learned from his community via amazing nurturing from a woman who is practically his foster mother is something I believe is important.”