Manitoba authorities have declared a state of emergency as wildfires force the evacuation of 17,000 residents, marking an unprecedented crisis in the Canadian province that borders the United States. The emergency declaration will remain in effect for an initial period of 30 days as officials combat the spreading fires.

According to The Washington Post, the Manitoba Wildfire Service reports 102 wildfires in the province this year, significantly exceeding the average of 78 fires typically recorded by this time. The fires have already consumed 491,000 acres (199,000 hectares) of land in Manitoba alone, contributing to a broader crisis across Canada.

“We’re just kind of in a panic here,” said Elsaida Alerta, a resident of Flin Flon, one of the cities under mandatory evacuation orders. “The town is absolutely smoked out here… We can barely breathe,” she told CBC Radio as residents prepared to leave their homes. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew described the situation as “the largest evacuation Manitoba will have seen in most people’s living memory.”

Military assistance needed as smoke threatens US states

Due to the massive scale of the evacuation, military forces have been deployed to assist in the operation, with most evacuees being directed to Winnipeg, the provincial capital. Premier Kinew assured residents that fellow Manitobans would welcome those displaced, emphasizing the importance of working together through this challenging period.

The crisis extends beyond Canadian borders, with wind patterns expected to push wildfire smoke into the Midwestern United States. Northern Minnesota faces the highest risk of poor air quality, while cities including Milwaukee, Chicago, and Detroit may experience reduced visibility and air quality by Friday afternoon and evening.

The situation in Manitoba is part of a larger wildfire crisis affecting Canada, with 158 active fires burning across the country. Of these, 83 are classified as out of control, with the western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta experiencing the majority of the blazes. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that the federal government stands ready to Manitoba’s provincial wildfire teams.

Drought conditions in affected areas of Manitoba have exacerbated the situation, with no significant rainfall forecast for at least the next week. This crisis follows Canada’s worst wildfire season in modern history in 2023, when over 42 million acres burned, more than double the previous record. The increasing frequency and magnitude of extreme wildfires globally have been linked to climate change, with a recent study indicating that such events have doubled since 2003.

Less than a week into his presidency, Donald Trump is enacting some of his most controversial “concepts of plans,” and average Americans are bracing themselves for his next move. g more than 200 executive orders in one day, rolling back civil rights, terrorizing anyone even suspected of being an undocumented immigrant, and pardoning 1500 insurrectionists might be hard to top, but 47 is well on his way to managing it.

Trump appeared on Sean Hannity‘s Fox News program after his inauguration, where he attacked none other than the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA, a robust agency that relies on taxes for funding and operates under the Department of Homeland Security, helps victims recover from natural disasters by coordinating rescue operations, living situations, and monetary compensation.

Trump asserted that “states take care of their own problems” and his comment has sounded alarm bells over possibilities that the agency will be dismantled.

Will Trump dissolve FEMA?

Trump has been railing against FEMA for years. Complaints range from the agency not working fast enough, to claiming that it withheld aid from Trump ers — but he insists that it actually worked under his watch. “Unless you have certain types of leadership,” he told Hannity, FEMA only “gets in the way.”

Planting the seed of doubt has worked out for Trump’s istration in the past, and his digs at FEMA are almost certainly laying the groundwork for his istration, or the Heritage Foundation, as some online believe, to abolish the agency, or heavily rework it. At the time of writing, however, FEMA is still fully operational. Unfortunately, in the coming months, California will serve as a litmus test for the rest of the country.

The Golden State is suffering one of the worst fires of our lifetime. Major parts of California have burned, particularly in Los Angeles and adjacent counties, including the historic and diverse community of Altadena, and Pacific Palisades — home to a plethora of Hollywood elites — and the blaze is continuing with gusto. Before Trump ascended to the White House, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was already pushing for California’s aid to be withheld, insinuating that Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s majority Democratic Representatives would have to capitulate in order to receive aid. Some of his Republican colleagues pushed back against the idea, but Trump has yet to comment, and seems to be leaning in.

While speaking with Hannity, Trump reiterated a talking point he has been fond of lately — that states should be responsible for their own disaster aid and recovery. “FEMA is gonna be a whole big discussion very shortly because I’d rather see the states take care of their own problems,” he told the host. He doubled down, saying that he doesn’t believe “we should give California anything until they let the water flow down.” The President signed an executive order to redirect water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in the northern part of the state, which experts quickly shot down as “political posturing” and advised would do more harm to the Golden State than good.

Many experts have warned that, since FEMA only responds to emergency situations, several states receive more funding than any others — chiefly those that ring the Gulf of Mexico. Coincidentally, historically, Trump-ing red states like Florida, Texas, and Louisiana receive the most aid, with Florida receiving nearly $2.5 billion. It’s the same amount Governor Newsom proposed California set aside in case of natural disasters in November of 2024, just before multiple fires ravaged the Los Angeles area. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, on the other hand, only spared an additional $7.8 million for those impacted by Hurricane Helene.

While FEMA came about during the istration of the late President Jimmy Carter, disaster aid has existed since the inception of our country, and though it’s changed names several times throughout the decades, it’s always been used to provide relief as quickly as possible to people in need. FEMA has of course, taken time to help people, like its failure to help people trapped by Hurricane Katrina for five days, but speed has also led to trouble. Investigations have shown that FEMA’s haste to approve funerary, housing, and medical costs has allowed Americans to take advantage of the program. More recently, FEMA has been accused of not caring enough, but the organization has warned for years that experienced workers are exhausted, and that readiness is not where it needs to be.

2024 marked some of the worst hurricane seasons on record, and FEMA has been on the ground helping wherever it can. Trump has never been about helping people, he’s only ever wanted to help the people who adore him. Many fear that if Trump does leave states to fend for themselves, he will inevitably find help for those state whose governors align with Trump’s values. If killing FEMA means hurting governors like Gavin Newsom, he wins — no matter how many other people lose.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are rarely far from the spotlight. In fact, it seems like there’s never a day in the U.K. where the former royal couple aren’t making headlines for one reason or another. But despite coverage of the Sussexes being negative more often than not, a friend of the family has praised Harry and Meghan for choosing to be in the spotlight.

World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés, 55, considers the Sussexes to be close “friends” and has praised the pair for stepping up to offer to families in need in the wake of the wildfires that struck LA (which still threaten to cause more damage even now). Harry and Meghan recently paid a visit to the Pasadena food bank where they were pictured talking with victims, meeting the mayor, and hugging Andrés.

José’s comments contrast with what a lot of royal commentators from the U.K. have been saying about the Sussex family’s appearances in LA. Last week Meghan was criticized for seemingly turning the tragedy into a publicity stunt. More detractors came out of the woodwork to shame her for her kindhearted gesture with some labelling her a “disaster tourist.”

Harry and Meghan’s friend praises their decision to step into the spotlight

Regardless of what the U.K. media thinks of them, their friend José has nothing but good things to say. 

“I know they are in the spotlight – not in America, but in Britain – and what I can tell you from what I know is that they don’t have to, but they decide to do it.”

He went on to say that it was “amazing” that they showed up and that the couple were going around listening to people and offering hugs. They have also offered to house friends displaced by the fires in their Montecito mansion. Andrés applauded all the celebrities who volunteered to help those affected by the wildfires, “I think anybody that does anything, celebrity or not, only they will always forever get my applause and my recognition.”

Clearly, as far as José’s concerned, Harry and Meghan should be commended for offering to help when they didn’t have to – it’s as simple as that. But that’s not the way it’s being seen across the pond. The spotlight shining on the couple from the U.K. has been trained on them for a long time, and that light has scorched their reputation beyond repair. The royal deserters almost never receive praise or sympathy from the British tabloids – which is exactly why royal commentators see their voluntary work as a self-serving publicity stunt.

So who is in the right in this situation? José (who may be a little biased due to being friends with Harry and Meghan) or the U.K. media (who may also be biased due to years of exclusively dunking on the couple every chance they get)? We can’t say what their motivations were for sure, but what we can say is that the Sussexes receive nothing but outrage from the U.K. whenever they step into that spotlight, so perhaps it would be best to take a step back for now.

After days of devastating fire, some California residents are finally returning home — even as firefighters are still struggling to quench several neighborhoods. SNL alumni and comedic actor Bill Hader is one of the lucky few to have a home to return to, though his return felt less than triumphant amid the sea of destruction.

“The thing people keep saying is ‘unreal.’ And it does; it doesn’t seem real,” Hader said in an on-the-scene interview. It’s hard to see your life in shambles, and even if his $4.2 million dollar home was mostly intact, the neighborhood surrounding it was hit hard. Apologizing for his scattered thoughts, Hader stumbled through his shock, trying to put words to the feeling of loss. “It’s just gone. Everything.”

Hader lives near the alphabet streets, which the actor considers “the heart of Palisades.”This beautiful, beautiful area is just gone,” he says in shock. “The whole thing is just gone.”

Hader was away for a shoot when the fire broke out, but his home security camera caught everything. He rushed back, “But by the time I got back, it was gridlocked [traffic],” he told KTLA, a local station that was on the ground when he returned home.

Hader’s family was able to evacuate without problem while he was away, and the actor encourages everyone to “just leave” if they get the evacuation notice.

“I do know people who were like, ‘Well, wait and see,’ and things like, ‘I’m in the yellow zone’ or whatever. This thing, once it went red, you couldn’t get out.” Hader is right: when the time comes, roads can be gridlocked, preventing those impacted from driving to safety. Palisades firefighting crews had to bring in bulldozers to clear roads of abandoned cars left by those who fled from danger too late.

Several TikTok videos circulated showing residents trapped inside their homes, unable to leave as the flames quickly engulfed their multimillion-dollar homes.

“Don’t listen to your friends who are like, ‘Ah, you’re being a little freaked out,” he advised. “Just get out.” The comment smacks of personal experiences. Hader has been incredibly candid about his battles with anxiety over the years. Even as he was bringing audiences to tears during his lengthy SNL tenure, the actor was constantly fighting his nerves. He revealed that even showrunner Lorne Michaels knew, once coming to Hader before a show to tell him, ‘Calm the F— down. Just have fun. Jesus Christ.”

The California fires came on so quickly that even the most enthusiastic doomsday preppers would have struggled to grab their bags and go. “It’s just so mind-boggling how fast it happens. I just hope that everyone is safe,” a dazed Hader told reporters.

Even now, the blaze is less than 25% contained. Officials estimate that some 12,000 buildings have been destroyed and at least 25 people are dead. As residents trickle back into communities, local officials remind them that even though the fire was extinguished, dangers still remain. Downed power lines may still carry electricity, structures are compromised due to damages, and chemical leaks from household appliances can impact air quality.

The wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area are terrifying and horrific. So, it makes sense that Donald Trump has used this unfolding tragedy to try and score political points by calling for California governer Gavin Newsom to resign.

There really are no words to describe how shameless the sexual assaulter and former Apprentice host is being with these highly politicized calls. But, then again, being fantastically callous and inappropriate is par for the course with Trump.

His ers have, predictably, jumped on the bandwagon. Also in typical MAGA style, they seem to be unaware of how hypocritical they’re being (or, just as likely, they’re doing it on purpose).

There are a few layers to this shameless inconsistency. First and foremost, there’s the indisputable fact that the ferocity and strange timing of these fires are related to climate change. The topic, which is contentious despite the vast majority of scientific evidence pointing towards its veracity, is a hot one across the U.S, with conservatives tending to downplay its significance, or even outright deny it.

Aggrivating factors, like pollution, are also encouraged by Republican policies backed by Trump, such as scrambling for more oil and gas to be pulled out of the ground and burned so that some very rich people can get even more money they won’t live long enough to spend.

There’s also the fact that plenty of natural disasters have occurred in red states, run by Republican politicians. Recently, Florida was ravaged by hurricanes, and there were no calls from Trump for Ron De Santis to resign.

An even more relevant silence from Trump relates to Texas. Recently, the largest wildfires in the state’s history took place under governor Greg Abbott, yet there was nothing from the Home Alone 2: Lost in New York actor on the matter. Trump was also conspicuously quiet about the fact that over winter Texans were left in the lurch by cold weather conditions, with many having no access to water or electricity thanks to an ancient, underfunded power grid and a slightly harsher than usual climate.

Other X s have pointed out that Trump had his own massive crisis that he failed to deal with: the response to Covid. In response to a post by hedge fund manager (a totally useful job) Bill Ackman that implies Newsom should resign, one X reminded the finance man of Trump’s pitiful response to the pandemic, which is estimated to have led to thousands of avoidable deaths.

And, in classic Republican fashion, the history of wildfires in the area is also being ignored by those who are calling for Newsom’s head. The last time a wildfire raged in the Malibu area, California was under Republican control, with L.A also being home to a GOP mayor.

While this is all infuriating, the most important thing about the situation is that as many people as possible make it out unharmed. Let’s hope that the political sniping takes a backseat while the important issue of safety is given full priority.

Because 2025 wasn’t done preemptively squashing our hopes that this year would prove an improvement over the last, Los Angeles is now being ravaged by the most destructive fire in the County’s history. The harrowing images we see on TV appear straight out of an apocalyptic movie, but nothing can compare to the nightmarish lived experience of those who are directly affected.

When monumental disasters such as this happen, one can tend to get stuck between frustration and hope. Frustration with all the structural and leadership lapses and negligence that have contributed to the situation being more devastating and out-of-hand than organized and controlled – such as the severe shortage of LAFD personnel aggravated by a 2024 budget cut of $17.5 million. And hope that there are good and brave people willing to put on their good samaritan boots even at the potential detriment of themselves.

But, to expand on the topic of systemic governance issues: LA County (like other counties) heavily depends on the employment of the cheapest form of labor when it comes to the risky business of fighting raging wildfires. What is the cheapest form of labor one can legally employ? That’s right, the labor of a vast group of people whose societal dehumanization makes it so this comparably slave-like practice remains largely unquestioned from an ethical standpoint: prison inmates.

“Crime doesn’t pay” taken to a dystopian level

Dividing people into overly strict, reductive, and dichotomized categories, namely “good” and “bad,” is too often a fallacy — a human tendency to create cognitive schemas in order to aid one’s navigation in an ever complex world. Prison inmates often get the “bad” label stamped on them, which then fosters the perception that they are people with deservedly fewer rights. And, as a result of the insidious influences of a deeply entrenched but broken capitalist system, their low social status is systemically taken advantage of for profit.  

As expressed by the former inmate in the TikTok above – and corroborated by The Guardian – 30% of those actively fighting the LA fires are inmates, who earn “between $5.80 and $10.24 a day and an additional $1 per hour when responding to active emergencies.” According to the outlet, this amounts to about 400 people — an increase from the 11.65 percent reported by John Oliver in a 2019 episode on “Prison Labor.” If you want a more comprehensive purview on how inmates are treated as less than human beings worthy of basic dignity, this episode illustrates it quite well.

It is worrisome that not much has changed since the aforementioned Last Week Tonight with John Oliver episode, except for the increased overreliance on extremely low-paying prisoners’ labor.

What thankfully has not changed, however, is how rewarding this work can be for inmates due to its humanitarian nature: helping others in what could surely be one of the worst moments of their lives. This can be a way for inmates (people who, in many cases, may have taken up crime after being repeatedly beaten down by life) to realize that they can do something meaningful with the rest of their years. Uncovering this motivation can be unbelievably significant for rehabilitation and the lowering of recidivism rates – which are astonishingly high in the U.S.

Nevertheless, the work’s fulfilling nature does not mean they should be paid next to nothing for it. I understand the argument against giving inmates the “privilege” of a minimum wage, but at least give them enough that it reasonably does not make one feel like one’s life is worthless in the eyes of society. A wage that allows them to afford basic necessities – yes, they may have to pay for things like body wash, female hygiene products, or even speaking to one’s family.

I’ll leave you to ponder on this “important reminder” with a netizen comment on @hahnscratch‘s TikTok video: “My husband was an inmate on a fire crew as well and that’s what encouraged him to do better in life, and now he’s on an engine on Los Padres national Forest working for the US for service.”

Climate change comes for us all. Whether you live on the coast, in the mountains, or the deciduous swamps of New Jersey, the ecological disaster is creeping in. 2023 marked the driest year on record for the world, and the drought left in its wake is likely to last into the foreseeable future.

Despite all of the information we have recorded about the dire conditions we now live in, there are who haven’t gotten the memo. One New Jersey teen has found himself in serious legal trouble after igniting hundreds of acres – and if recent history has taught us anything, he’ll be paying for the rest of his life.  

ABC News is reporting that the perpetrator behind a massive forest fire has been apprehended. The fire, ignited on Oct. 30, burned for several days near Evesham Township, NJ. It chewed through 52 acres of land before firefighters snuffed the blaze. In a statement, police say that, fortunately, the fire didn’t damage any structures.

A multi-bureau investigation was quickly launched, and investigators located evidence identifying the fire as arson rather than an unfortunate accident. The evidence led to a juvenile male, who was arrested without incident on Nov. 7. That same day, a second fire was started in a similar area, and police believe the boy might have been behind the second burn as well.

The second fire tore through 375 acres, but luckily for the offender, the blaze yet again failed to burn land with structures or reach a populated area. The names of the juvenile and those of his parents have not been released.

This is just the most recent reminder of the hazards of a heating planet. Earlier this year, a case surrounding a 2020 California wildfire was finally settled and it was just as ugly as the fire at its heart. A pyrotechnic-laced gender reveal gone wrong resulted in the death of Hotshot Squad firefighter Charles Morton and injured 13 other people. The fire rapidly spread over 75 miles from the point of origin and resulted in millions of dollars worth of property damage. The couple involved pleaded guilty to all charges, with the husband sentenced to 1 year in jail and 2 years of probation. They must serve a combined 600 hours of community service and pay nearly $2 million in restitution.

Climate change has made wildfires much more dangerous to fight. Dry conditions combined with warmer temperatures can cause fires to spread rapidly. The West Coast has been dealing with the increased danger for years now, with nearly 4% of California burning in 2020 alone. This year, the Northeast has been plagued by high fire danger and had little rain. With fires popping up across the country – including in New York City parks and on the tropical islands of Hawaii – and hurricanes dealing unprecedented amounts of damage it’s more important than ever to take decisive action against rising temperatures.

President-elect Donald Trump is a climate skeptic, and his appointment has sent shockwaves of concern through the scientific community. Climate change falls under the Department of Homeland Security, and Trump’s nominee, Kristi Noem, rejects the idea. Trump’s circle has a history of putting power and profit over lives, and with such an incompetent team, the danger climate change presents is only going to get worse.