During White House discussions about renewable energy, President Trump has declared — more than once and to the amusement of senior administration officials — "I hate the wind!"
Why this matters: The Trump administration's energy policies are hurricanes of contradiction. They reveal an extraordinary gap between the president and his administration.
With a "heat dome" parked over the Southwest, causing temperatures to skyrocket and drying out vegetation, firefighters are battling more than a dozen large blazes in California alone. The deadliest blaze, known as the Carr Fire, has already claimed 5 lives in and near the city of Redding.
The big picture: With so many large fires burning at once, California's firefighting resources are stretched past the breaking point. Authorities have appealed to other states for help, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Carr wildfire claimed the lives of two children and their great-grandmother on Saturday as it continued to spread, pushing the death toll to five.
Threat level: Cal Fire explains that "very active" fire behavior took place overnight and warns that it will continue through Monday morning due to extreme heat and gusty winds. The Carr fire is just one of 22 fires blazing through California this weekend and was started by "mechanical failure of a vehicle."
Banning single-use plastic straws is often seen as a quick fix to reduce waste, but for some it isn't such an insignificant loss.
Why it matters: Many people with disabilities need straws to consume foods and beverages. With bigger companies and more cities removing access, it adds an additional burden for those who need them to make sure they constantly travel with their own supply or face consequences.
The California Carr wildfire has claimed the lives of two firefighters over the last three days, destroyed 500 structures swept into the flames, and remains only 5% contained according to Cal Fire.
Why it matters: The Carr fire is one of 22 fires blazing through California this weekend. Though 3,410 fire personnel have been battling over 80,000 acres of flames from the Carr fire alone, the fire could reach more heavily populated areas before firefighters are able to control it as it remains mostly uncontained.
