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Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, dropped off cookies at their neighborhood fire station in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles on Sunday.

The big picture: Harris is home in California after speaking in Las Vegas on Saturday. Meanwhile, President Biden is returning to the White House on Sunday afternoon for a barbecue with first responders and military families.

Harris mentioned wildfires and the ongoing drought while chatting with the fire fighters, according to pool reports.

“This fire season is going to be worse than last year,” the vice president said. 

Harris and Emhoff were joined at the fire station by Rep. Ted Lieu and his wife, Betty.  

Go deeper: Why the U.S. will fall short on its July 4th vaccine goal

Harris drops by her local fire station on 4th of July

Harris mentioned wildfires and the ongoing drought during the holiday visit while home in Los Angeles.

Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff drop off cookies during a visit to LAFD Fire Station 19 in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on the Independence Day holiday. Photo: ROBYN BECK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

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Lightning strikes in Western Canada have surged over the past few days, triggered in part by an unprecedented heatwave that also induced wildfires, Reuters reports. 

The big picture: British Columbia, which usually accounts for about 5% of Canada's yearly lightning strike total, reported its annual number in less than 48 hours. 

A meteorologist, who tracks lightning, noted about 710,000 lightning events in British Columbia and Alberta Wednesday.

Driving the news: The onslaught of wildfires enduring in the area has resulted in a high moisture level in the atmosphere. 

The moisture ultimately fuels its own towering thunderstorms and a surge of lightning strikes that itself has caused several forest fires, per Reuters. 

The fires are expected to burn through 247,105 acres by the end of the weekend, a higher figure than in previous years. 

Go deeper: Ferocious wildfires destroy British Columbia town amid historic heat

Lightning strikes surge in British Columbia

Roughly 710,000 lightning events occurred in the area Wednesday, according to a meteorologist who tracks lightning.

Wildfire burns above the Fraser River Valley near Lytton, British Columbia, Canada, on July 2.

Wildfire burns above the Fraser River Valley near Lytton, British Columbia, Canada, on July 2. Photo: James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Canada

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Anthony Fauci expressed sadness at the "avoidable and preventable" coronavirus-related deaths among unvaccinated people during an appearance Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."  

Why it matters: The Biden Administration missed its goal to have at least 70% of  U.S. adults vaccinated with at least one dose by July 4.

More than 600,000 people have died from Covid-19 in the United States, per Politico. The rate has declined since the coronavirus vaccines became publicly available.

Meanwhile, a new ABC News/Washington Post poll found that three in 10 adults have not received the vaccine and "definitely" or "probably" don't plan to get it. 

Of that group, 73% say U.S. officials have exaggerated the risks posed by the delta variant. Meanwhile, Nearly 80 percent believe they have little or no risk of getting sick from COVID.

What they're saying: About the deaths, Fauci said, "It's really sad and tragic that most all of these are avoidable and preventable."

"We're dealing with a historic situation with this pandemic, and we do have the tools to counter it," he continued. "So for goodness' sakes, put aside all of those differences and realize that the common enemy is the virus."

"There are people throughout the world who would do anything to get vaccines."

Fauci: COVID deaths among unvaccinated are "avoidable and preventable"

Yet a new poll shows the vaccine-hesitant continue to believe they won't get sick.

Photo: Sarah Silbiger/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Anthony Fauci

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One of Serbia’s five-member rowing team tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Japan, an official said Sunday. This is the third visiting Olympian to test positive for the virus ahead of the games, which are set to begin later this month. 

Why it matters: Japan's government has faced heavy criticism for deciding to host the Olympic Games in spite of rising cases. 

A member of Uganda's Olympic team tested positive on arrival in June, followed by a second member confirmed as having the virus days later. 

Details: The unidentified Serbian athlete was sent to a medical facility, while the other four members of the rowing team were isolated in a separate facility in Tokyo, per Reuters.

The athlete was found to have the virus during an antigen test conducted at Tokyo's Haneda airport. 

State of play: According to Reuters, Tokyo confirmed 716 new coronavirus cases Saturday, the highest increase in more than five weeks. 

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike announced in June that all public viewing during the Olympic Games had been canceled. 

Third Olympian tests positive for COVID-19 in Tokyo

Japan's government has faced criticism for deciding to host the games in spite of rising cases.

A man wearing a face mask walks past Olympics branding outside of the New National Stadium, the main stadium for the Tokyo Olympics, on June 03 in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: Yuichi Yamazaki/Getty Images

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Two Chinese astronauts on Sunday made the first spacewalk outside China's new space station core module Tianhe to set up equipment on a 15-meter robotic arm.

State of play: Astronauts Liu Boming's and Tang Hongbo's spacewalk was streamed on local media. They were supported by a third crew member, Nie Haisheng, who stayed inside the cabin. 

Liu and Tang spent seven hours outside of the station, AP reports.

The big picture: Liu, Tang and Nie landed on June 17 for a three-month mission on China’s third orbital station, part of the program that landed a robot rover on Mars in May. 

Worth noting: Liu participated in the Shenzhou 7 mission in 2008, where another astronaut made China's first-ever spacewalk, per AP. 

What to watch: China is planning a total of 11 launches throughout the end of 2022 to add more modules to their newest space station. 

Chinese astronauts take first spacewalk at new orbital station

The two astronauts set up cameras and equipment using a 15-meter-long robotic arm.

Picture of the back of a man's head watching the live TV broadcast in front of the TV that shows an astronaut doing a spacewalk.

Photo: Sheldon Cooper /SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

China

Space

Americans looking to enjoy their summer outside after a pandemic year now have other threats to worry about. 

The big picture: Experts are warning that ticks are on the rise and poison ivy may be more abundant this year. That means hikers, campers and anyone else excited to get outside after months of pandemic confinement should take extra precautions to avoid both. 

Driving the news: Winter and spring seasons across the U.S. are becoming warmer due to climate change, creating conditions ripe for ticks and poison ivy to thrive. 

Ticks are more active and abundant than usual, largely due to a mild winter, early spring and heavy rain season in parts of the U.S., according to the Weather Channel. 

"This year, most of the country fits the bill, but the Midwest is a 'tick time bomb,'" Weather Channel meteorologist Domenica Davis said last month. 

"Warm, wet weather will allow the pest to persist and even pop up in places where they're not usually found," she added.

By the numbers: Approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease — which is caused by a bacteria spread by some ticks — are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by state health departments each year. 

Yes, but: The CDC notes that the number is far higher: "Recent estimates using other methods suggest that approximately 476,000 people may get Lyme disease each year in the United States."

Symptoms of Lyme disease depend on its stage, but can include, fever, chills, rash and muscle and joint aches. 

Poison ivy, meanwhile, has become more widespread and toxic in recent years due to higher levels of carbon dioxide, researchers have found. 

"An abundance of poison ivy can be detrimental to forests and nature areas, too. As it continues to grow and expand, it could potentially dominate the native vegetation and become a management concern," the Detroit Free Press reported last month.

"More carbon dioxide in the air just makes photosynthesis in general easier ... The process is more efficient. That means essentially, all plants are bigger, bigger leaves, more productive," Katie McGlashen, a park interpreter for the Eddy Discovery Center at Waterloo Recreation Area in Michigan, told the Detroit Free Press.

By the numbers: Approximately 85% of the U.S. population is allergic to poison ivy and other similar plants, and about 15% are extremely allergic, per the American Skin Association.

Once skin comes in contact with poison ivy, it can lead to rashes, swelling, itching, bumps and blisters, according to the CDC.

The FDA recommends that people learn what poison ivy looks like to correctly identify it: "Each leaf has three glossy leaflets, with smooth or toothed edges. Leaves are reddish in spring, green in summer, and yellow, orange, or red in fall. May have greenish-white flowers and whitish-yellow berries."

To avoid ticks, the CDC says people can treat their clothing with products containing 0.5% permethrin. You can also use EPA-registered insect repellents.

Avoid contact with wooded and brushy areas with high grass and walk in the center of trails. Shower soon after being outdoors to reduce the risk of getting rashes from ivy or tick-borne diseases.

Check your clothing, gear and pets for ticks and remove them if spotted — never squeeze a tick to remove it, as it could worsen any infection. 

If you suspect you've been in contact with poison ivy, immediately wash you gear and clothing. Wash your pet with rubber gloves to avoid exposing yourself to plant oil, which can linger on surfaces for months. 

Contact your doctor or other health officials if you are concerned about possible exposure. 

The bottom line: Don't let your guard down this summer just because you made it through a global pandemic.

Outdoor lovers beware: Ticks and poison ivy are on the rise

Climate change is likely making both of them worse.

Photo: Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images

Insects

Americans may have fallen short of President Biden's July 4 vaccination goal, but by most measures, we should be thankful for how far we've come in the past year.

The big picture: Last July 4, many Americans were hunkering down in their backyards with small cookouts, and travel was way down. This year, most adults have at least some vaccine protection, travel is back up, and most Americans are ready to move on with their lives.

By the numbers: As of Saturday, 67% of U.S. adults have gotten at least one vaccine dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That's not 70%, which was Biden's July 4 goal. But do you know how many adults were vaccinated last July 4? Zero.

When you count Americans 12 and older — including the 12-to-15-year-olds who are now eligible for the vaccine — 64.1% have gotten at least one shot.

As of Saturday, the U.S. averaged about 12,500 new COVID cases per day over the past week, according to CDC — down from a weekly average of nearly 49,000 last July 4.

And Americans are ready to move on. Compare the polling from our Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index, now and a year ago, on whether people would consider it a risk to return to their pre-coronavirus lives:

They're going back to work, with 850,000 jobs added in June — better than expected — and average hourly earnings on the rise, per Axios' Courtenay Brown and Felix Salmon.

And they're hitting the roads again. July 4 travel is almost back to its pre-pandemic levels, with overall travel projected to be just 2.5% lower than in 2019, according to AAA.

Car travel alone is expected to set a new record, with 43.6 million Americans hitting the roads, 5% more than the previous record, set in 2019. (It had dropped to 32.5 million during last year's July 4 weekend.)

Air travel hasn't quite bounced back: 3.5 million Americans are expected to fly during the holidays, down about 10% from 2019. (Just 1.3 million Americans flew at this time last year.)

Airbnb says searches for its U.S. beachfront rentals over the July 4 weekend increased by 127 percent in the last month.

Americans' July 4 cookout costs should be about the same as last year or even a little lower, with the average cost of a cookout for 10 people dropping by 16 cents since last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Strawberries have gotten more expensive since last year (the price has jumped 22%). But you know what has gotten a little cheaper? Ground beef (the price has dropped 8%).

And there could be more fireworks this year: Fireworks imports were up 51% over last year in the three months leading up to May 31, according to Panjiva, the supply chain research unit of S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Axios-Ipsos poll: Vaccine puts the sparks back in July 4

It's July 4 and America's back

Look how far we've come in the past year.

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The Canadian Armed Forces are being called in to help combat dozens of wildfires in western Canada that have sparked evacuation orders and caused the deaths of at least two people, per CTV News.

What's happening: 172 wildfires are burning across British Columbia following the Pacific Northwest's record heat wave, per the BC Wildfire Service.

Evacuations orders have been taking place in the province this past week, with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, among the latest to do so. The district, which covers 11 municipalities in the center of B.C., issued nine evacuation orders Saturday.  

The BC Coroners Service confirmed to CBC News that two people died in the fire that swept through Lytton last week, which set a new Canadian record when it hit a high of 117.5°F Monday.

Defense minister Harjit Sajjan said Friday additional resources, including 350 military personnel, were being sent to a tactical base in Edmonton, Alberta, to help in firefighting efforts where needed across western Canada this summer.

What to expect: BC Wildfire Service fire information officer Jean Strong told CTV News officials were "expecting to receive some military assistance over the next number of days from the Canadian military."

Of note: At least 719 people died from June 25-July 1 during British Columbia's heat wave —  "three times more than what would normally occur in the province during the same period," per a statement from the B.C. Coroners Service Friday.

Chief Coroner Lisa LaPointe said in the statement that many of those deaths were believed to be related to the extreme heat.

Canada's military to help firefighting efforts as deadly wildfires grip west

Fresh evacuation orders have been issued as 172 wildfires burn across British Columbia.

A wildfire burns above the Fraser River Valley near Lytton, British Columbia, Canada, on Friday, July 2

A wildfire burns above the Fraser River Valley near Lytton, British Columbia, Canada, on Friday. Photo: James MacDonald/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Thousands of protesters across Brazil called for President Jair Bolsonaro's removal Saturday, one day after a judge authorized opening an investigation into him over an alleged COVID-19 vaccine procurement scheme, per the Guardian.

Why it matters: The pandemic has killed almost 524,000 people in Brazil amid a slow vaccine rollout. This investigation, along with a Senate probe, may hurt Bolsonaro's re-election chances next year and could hamper his "ability to serve out the remainder of his term," the New York Times notes.

An anti-Bolsonaro protest in Brasilia on July 3.

An anti-Bolsonaro protest in Brasilia on July 3. "The president has been implicated in allegations of irregularities surrounding a 1.6 billion reais ($316 million) contract signed in February for 20 million doses with a Brazilian intermediary for the vaccine's maker, Bharat Biotech," Reuters reports. Photo: Sergio Lima/AFP via Getty Images

 A woman holds a sign depicting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in a dollar bill during a protest against his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 

A woman holds a sign depicting Bolsonaro on a dollar bill during a protest in downtown Rio de Janeiro on July 3. Photo: Andre Borges/AFP via Getty Images

People take part in a demonstration against the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brasilia, on July 3

People at the anti-Bolsonaro demonstration in Brasilia on July 3. Photo: Sergio Lima/AFP via Getty Images

A man dressed as the Brazilian vaccine symbol takes part in a demonstration against the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on July 3

A man dressed as the Brazilian vaccine symbol takes part in a demonstration against Bolsonaro in Sao Paulo, on July 3. Photo: Miguel Schincariol/AFP via Getty Images

 People take part in a protest against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on July 3, 2021

The scene at the anti-Bolsonaro protest in downtown Rio de Janeiro on July 3. Photo: Andre Borges/AFP via Getty Images

In photos: Protesters demand Brazil president's removal

A judge has authorized opening an investigation into Bolsonaro over an alleged COVID-19 vaccine procurement scheme.

People take part in a demonstration against the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on July 3, 2021. 

People take part in a demonstration against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on July 3. Photo: Miguel Schincariol/AFP via Getty Images

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Massachusetts State Police said they took 11 men into custody Saturday after a standoff near Boston with a heavily armed group that saw Interstate 95 partially shut down during the holiday weekend.

Of note: State Police Col. Christopher Mason told a briefing after the nearly nine-hours-long standoff that several firearms were seized from the men, who said they belonged to the Rise of the Moors. The group's website describes members as peaceful Moorish Americans who don't recognize U.S. law.

The men wouldn't comply with officers to hand over the firearms, so parts of the highway were closed and a shelter-in-place order was issued for Wakefield and nearby Reading.

The big picture: The incident began about 1:30 a.m. when a state trooper stopped to check two vehicles parked in the emergency breakdown lane of the highway in Wakefield, some 15 miles north of Boston, and saw men in military-style gear with long guns and pistols. They said they were traveling from Rhode Island to Maine for training.

"You can imagine 11 armed individuals standing with long guns slung on an interstate highway at 2 in the morning certainly raises concerns and is not consistent with the firearms laws that we have in Massachusetts," Mason said.

Nine of the suspects surrendered about 10:15 a.m. after police used "a combination of negotiation and tactical measures," including armored vehicles, Mason said. Police later took two more men into custody.

"Their self-professed leader wanted very much known their ideology is not anti-government. Our investigation will provide us more insight into what their motivation, what their ideology is."

What to watch: Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said the suspects were due to appear in court in Woburn on Tuesday.

Massachusetts police arrest 11 armed men after hours-long roadside standoff

The standoff saw parts of Interstate 95 shut down and  shelter-in-place orders for nearby residents during the holiday weekend.

Interstate 95 in Wakefield is open as State Police stand along the guardrail near miler marker 57 as the investigation continues into an armed stand off with police, July 3, 2021 Wakefield, MA. (

Interstate 95 in Wakefield is open as State Police stand along the guardrail near miler marker 57 as the investigation continues into an armed stand off with police, July 3, 2021 Wakefield, Massachusetts. Photo: Mary Schwalm/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald

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