Why it matters: In his announcement, Musk described short-sellers and quarterly investor scrutiny as distractions for the company. Musk believes going private will help the company avoid such disturbance and make longer-term investment moves.
The massive wildfires burning in California are emitting so much smoke that parts of the state, as well as neighboring states, now have some of the most hazardous air quality readings of anywhere in the world.
Why it matters: Millions of people not threatened by the flames are still in harms' way of the fires' smoke plumes, particularly in the Central Valley of California. Smoke-related air quality issues are the result of wildfires combined with weather patterns that keep the smoke in place for long periods of time.
The Mendocino Fire Complex, which is comprised of two separate fires burning in close proximity in Lake and Mendocino Counties, has become the state's largest wildfire on record.
The details: The Mendocino Complex was just 34% contained as of Tuesday morning, and it's likely that it will continue to expand as a heat wave and extremely dry conditions remain in place through the week. The Mendocino Complex is about 19 times the size of Manhattan, and about 1.25 times the the size of Dallas.
The Trump administration is responding to California's devastating wildfires by blaming environmental regulations, even as evidence shows this isn't a major factor behind the historic fires.
Why it matters: Without an accurate diagnosis of the problem, it's less likely the federal government will respond in a way that would help the state battle fires that have overrun communities, killed 9 people and and burned thousands of homes and businesses.
California's wildfire woes continue to escalate as the Mendocino Fire Complex, which consists of two, gradually merging blazes known as the Ranch Fire and the River Fire, exploded in size over the weekend to become the state's second-largest wildfire on record — behind last year's Thomas Fire.
The big picture: California is enduring another deadly wildfire year with eight large fires burning Monday. The Mendocino Fire Complex stood at 273,664 acres on Monday morning and was only 30% contained. The blaze spread smoke across San Francisco, leading to an eerie sunrise.
