Morning Brief: Wind And Wildfires, COVID At Disneyland, And Women Wrestlers

Good morning, L.A. It’s August 3.

When it’s this hot for this long, Angelenos’ minds tend to turn to wildfires, and wondering when the next one will scorch our earth and contaminate our air. According to the National Weather Service, it might be soon.

My colleague Monica Bushman reports that a combination of dry air, gusty winds and hot temperatures headed our way this week could increase the likelihood of wildfires breaking out.

The elevated fire weather conditions are expected to last until Thursday. Those conditions are just one step below critical, which would trigger a Red Flag Warning.

"Some localized areas may see … relative humidities in the afternoons between 5% and 15%,” said National Weather Service meteorologist David Sweet. “When you combine that with gusty winds, that leads to a situation where you have to be a little bit more concerned about fire starts.”

Wildfires have gotten much worse in California in the past 10 years. KPCC/LAist science reporter Jacob Margolis recently wrote about why conditions are worsening: a combination of humans living deeper in fire hazard zones, invasive species that are more flammable than their native brethren, climate change, and not enough prescribed burns.

It doesn’t help that state leaders aren’t doing what they promised to help counter the drought and the increased risk that California now faces.

Meanwhile, if you live in a high fire hazard area, here are some ways to be prepared.

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A., and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• As COVID cases continue to climb in L.A., the CDC has recommended new testing guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals.
• Undocumented families, aging homes, high unemployment: The root causes for a cluster of evictions in Long Beach.
• This fully vaccinated family visited Disneyland as California started to reopen — and contracted COVID-19.
• Jaime Hernandez, revered SoCal indie comic creator, has a new book featuring decades of drawings of women wrestlers.

Before You Go ... This Week's Outdoor Pick: Popular Kids Club

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Bogomil Mihaylov

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Unsplash

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This outdoor comedy show at Permanent Records in Cypress Park features headliners Matt Braunger and James Adomian with other cool kids performing and hanging out at the intimate venue. Hosted by Luke Wienecke.

Or, you could: Start the week by singing along to Grease. Learn capoeira under the stars. Attend an artwalk along a South Bay waterfront. Listen to live music by Quetzal. Swing along to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Or get nostalgic with LAist’s Mike Roe and guests as the TV Pilot Club revisits Living Single. And more.