California Today: Forecast of Cooler Weather Offers Relief to Firefighters Battling Blazes in the West

Today's top stories from California.

September 12, 2024, 9:31 a.m. Eastern time Good morning. Here are the top stories from across California and the region, selected for you by Times editors. Today's Top Story Philip Cheung for The New York Times Forecast of Cooler Weather Offers Relief to Firefighters Battling Blazes in the West In California, the fires have displaced tens of thousands of people, charred more than 100,000 acres and strained the state's resources. Read more More California News How Colleges Are Changing Their Rules on Protesting Ahead of a new school year, colleges across the country have adopted a wave of new rules around protest and speech. Dozens of Homes Burned in California as Wildfires Rage in the West Three fires in Southern California exploded in size overnight, and the authorities arrested a man suspected of starting one of them. Large blazes continued to burn in Oregon and Idaho. Harris Dominates as Trump Gets Defensive: 6 Takeaways From the Debate Laying out bait that Donald Trump eagerly snatched, the vice president owned much of the night, keeping him on the back foot and avoiding sustained attention on her own vulnerabilities. How to Protect Yourself From Wildfire Smoke Monitor air quality, prepare to stay inside and pay close attention to people with chronic conditions. $1.4 Million Homes in Utah, Georgia and California An 1890 Queen Anne Revival house in Salt Lake City, an 1872 brick townhouse in Savannah and a 1938 Spanish-style home in Albany. Live From San Francisco: Mark Zuckerberg Tapes a Podcast With 6,000 Friends Mr. Zuckerberg talked to a packed house Tuesday night for the "Acquired" podcast. It's a sign of how tech titans reach the public now. Orange County Leader Faces Scrutiny Over Charity's Pandemic Spending Andrew Do, an Orange County supervisor, has been asked to resign after directing more than $13 million to a nonprofit run by his daughter and allies. The group was supposed to spend the money on meals for vulnerable residents. When Self-Driving Cars Don't Actually Drive Themselves An immersive article shows readers what a New York Times reporter has tracked for nearly a decade: Robot taxis still need human help. Local Conditions Look up the heat index in your area using The Times's heat tracker. See active fires using The Times's wildfire tracker. Today's Recipe Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Amlou Blondies By Nargisse Benkabbou About 1 hour Makes 9 blondies  Play a Game The Mini Crossword Solve this bite-sized puzzle in just a few minutes. Spelling Bee How many words can you make with 7 letters? Wordle Guess the 5-letter word with 6 chances. See all our games Sign up for Your Places: Extreme Weather. Get notified about extreme weather before it happens with custom alerts for places in the U.S. you choose. Get it in your inbox Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for California Today from The New York Times. To stop receiving California Today, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018