The Hughes fire has grown rapidly in northern Los Angeles County, with the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires still burning in the region.

© Joel Angel Juarez/Reuters

Letter from Academy leadership also says show will ‘move away’ from live performances to celebrate songwriters

The Oscars will go on as planned in March, though with special accommodations to acknowledge to devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, according to a new update from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

A letter from the CEO, Bill Kramer, and president Janet Yang, sent to all members on Wednesday, confirmed that the ceremony will “celebrate the work that unites us as a global film community and acknowledge those who fought so bravely against the wildfires”.

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© Photograph: Allison Dinner/EPA

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© Photograph: Allison Dinner/EPA

Hughes fire ignites north of Los Angeles late Wednesday morning as Eaton and Palisades fires burn for third week

Additional evacuations were ordered for residents near a large fast-moving wildfire north of Los Angeles, as parched southern California endured another round of dangerous winds ahead of possible rain over the weekend.

The Hughes fire broke out late on Wednesday morning and quickly ripped through more than 9,400 acres (3,760ha), sending up an enormous plume of dark smoke near Castaic Lake, a popular recreation area about 40 miles (64 km) from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week.

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© Photograph: David Swanson/Reuters

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© Photograph: David Swanson/Reuters

Climate crisis is making it harder for insurance companies to operate, with many pausing or withdrawing policies

Homeowners in the United States are facing an enormous financial crunch due to the climate crisis, with many struggling to find insurance or even dropping premiums that are soaring due to a mounting toll of wildfires, hurricanes and other disasters, new federal government data shows.

The figures, the most comprehensive numbers ever released by the US treasury department on the issue, show insurance premiums are increasing quickly across the country, with people living amid the greatest climate-driven risks experiencing the steepest rises of all. In the four years to 2022, people living in the top 20% riskiest places for such perils paid, on average, 82% more than those in the 20% lowest climate risk zip codes.

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© Photograph: Caroline Brehman/EPA

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© Photograph: Caroline Brehman/EPA

The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop offered grits and community for decades before it was lost in the Eaton fire.

© Philip Cheung for The New York Times

All 17 people who died in the Eaton fire lived in an area where evacuation orders came hours later than others, even as homes nearby were already burning. Some people never received warnings at all.

© Loren Elliott for The New York Times

President Trump’s wave of executive orders yesterday sent an undeniable signal to the world about the United States’ role in fighting climate change.

© Joe Buglewicz for The New York Times

Non-native grasses and eucalyptus trees brought to California centuries ago for agriculture and landscaping have reshaped the state’s fire dynamics.

Firefighting planes are dumping water from the ocean on the Los Angeles fires, but using saltwater is typically a last resort.

Essential oils, detox regimens, parasite cleanses, and raw milk have entered the disaster economy.

After the devastation of the Los Angeles fires, officials are ready to rebuild. But defending against future fires requires thinking about more than buildings.

We’d like to hear about the disaster’s financial impact on people who have lost their home, business, or community – their mortgages, lost possessions, rents, insurances and investments

California homeowners and business owners who lost everything in the devastating Los Angeles-area fires now have to tackle their insurance companies to recover the value of their homeowners’ policies – if they are lucky enough to have insurance at all.

With estimates of the economic damage from the fires now expected to reach over $200bn, we’d like to hear what financial consequences people face due to the fires.

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© Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images

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© Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images

Melted plastic pipes and drastic water-pressure drops are potentially leaching toxic chemicals and contaminants into local supplies. Multiple water authorities in north Los Angeles have issued Do Not Drink notices.

The arrival of La Niña is starving California of rain, and more high Santa Ana winds could be on the way.

Exposure to smoke is dangerous regardless of your health status, so follow these steps to limit the risk.

With wind speeds falling, firefighting reinforcements arriving from out of state, and more water sources online, authorities now have a critical window to take control of the situation.

The state’s insurance industry was reformed in late 2024 to promote coverage in disaster-prone areas. Tens of billions in fire damage will stress-test the new regime.

More than 130,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, with the fires—which are still uncontained—having been declared a major disaster by President Biden.