Los Angeles — It was barely evening when the Bethany Fire jumped the ridge above Burbank. By the time neighbors started knocking on doors, the sky was turning orange.
“I didn’t even grab half my stuff,” said one woman, standing next to her car as ash drifted down. “It felt like we had no time.”
Firefighters stayed overnight, working to carve containment lines. As of early Tuesday, parts of the fire were under control, but nobody was feeling much relief. The forecast calls for more heat, more wind, more bad luck.
Meanwhile, a 3.3 quake off Manhattan Beach managed to rattle the county, though it didn’t do much damage. In any other week, it might have been the main story.
But politics are squeezing in from every angle. On Monday, the Trump administration sued Los Angeles over its sanctuary policies. Officials called it a publicity stunt. But immigration advocates said it was already having an effect: Fourth of July celebrations canceled or postponed because people don’t want to risk ICE raids.
“There’s this fear, like if you go out to see fireworks, you could get picked up,” said a volunteer with a local legal aid group.
Not every city is calling things off. Dozens of permitted shows are still planned, though authorities warn illegal fireworks could start more fires. That message has been on repeat since May.
One brighter note in an uneasy week: Michelin awarded three stars to Somni and Providence, the first time any L.A. restaurant has reached that level. The chefs thanked their teams — and especially the immigrant workers keeping kitchens afloat.
Then there’s Measure G, the big change in county government. It will expand the Board of Supervisors and add an elected executive. Depending on who you ask, it’s either overdue or a recipe for chaos.
Summer is just getting started. Nobody’s sure whether to celebrate or keep their heads down.
