What's Happening

US News

SoCal Wildfires Kill Five, As Multiple Blazes Spread 

What's going on: Multiple wildfires continue to spread across the Los Angeles area, killing at least five people this week. The Pacific Palisades Fire — named the most destructive in Los Angeles County history — has already destroyed at least 1,000 structures. Across town, the Eaton Fire grew to more than 10,000 acres. At least four other blazes, including the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills, are threatening thousands of homes and prompting new evacuations. All fires are mostly uncontained, with hurricane-force winds of up to 90 mph fueling the flames. A dwindling water supply is also complicating firefighters’ efforts, with some fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades running dry. One Pacific Palisades resident described the devastation in the area as “what I would imagine hell would be like.”

Tell me more: As the fires spread, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass (D) is facing criticism over budget cuts to the LA Fire Department. According to NBC, LA Fire Chief Kristin Crowley warned last month that budget cuts of around $17 million to the department would impact its “capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies, including wildfires.” Democrats and Republicans also called out the mayor for being abroad when the fires first broke out. Yesterday, Bass said the budget cuts didn’t affect LAFD’s response to the wildfires and that natural factors like wind and dry land caused the blazes, adding: “We have to resist any, any effort to pull us apart.” In the meantime, first responders are bracing for strong winds that are expected to continue throughout the week, further complicating their efforts. It comes as scientists say the fires are a stark reminder of how climate change has increased the risks, severity, and frequency of such events.

Related: Haunting Photos of Los Angeles Before and After the Fires (San Francisco Chronicle Gift Link) 

Medical

Pilot Program Empowers Pharmacists to Prescribe Abortion Pills

What's going on: A first-of-its-kind pilot program in Washington state is gaining attention for the way it’s aiming to expand access to medication abortion. Earlier this year, the Pharmacist Abortion Access Project trained 10 pharmacists to prescribe abortion pills. The initiative builds on an existing FDA policy that allows pharmacies to dispense mifepristone, a key drug used in medication abortions alongside misoprostol. This week, the project shared the results of the initial pilot, revealing that 43 patients paid $40 for the service and received their prescriptions from Honeybee Health, a mail-order pharmacy. Pharmacists conducted detailed follow-ups with recipients to ensure things went smoothly. The program’s next phase will include in-person services, allowing patients to consult with pharmacists and receive their medication in a single visit.

What it means: Nearly one in five patients travel out of state for abortion care, according to research from the Guttmacher Institute. Programs like the one in Washington state can help expand necessary access nationwide, especially for people experiencing financial hardships or residing in more rural areas. The long-term goal is for the program to be replicated in other states that currently protect abortion access. But it could face some pushback from anti-abortion activists. In December, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) sued a New York doctor for allegedly sending abortion pills to a patient in the Lone Star State. While shield laws will likely protect the provider, only some states currently have them in place and the case will probably head to the Supreme Court.

Related: AI Abortion Training Has Arrived (Politico)

Health

Being in Shape Is Very Different From Being Thin — and It Might Be the Key to Longevity

What's going on: We’ve all seen the cultural obsession with being thin — it’s everywhere from wellness trends to celebrity diets, and now, the rise of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic. But being thin doesn’t always mean being healthy, and the largest study yet on aerobic fitness, BMI, and longevity makes that clear. Research showed thin people with low aerobic fitness were twice as likely to die prematurely as those with obesity who were aerobically fit. (Think about the “fit” friend who struggles to climb stairs — or the snap judgments about bigger bodies.) In fact, being out of shape doubled or even tripled the risk of dying early, regardless of BMI or age, according to the research.

What it means: The study’s senior author summed it up simply: fitness is a better predictor of living longer than fatness. Even small actions, like adding a brisk walk to your routine, can lower your risk of early death. While obesity is still linked to serious conditions like diabetes and heart disease, being active and aerobically fit can dramatically reduce those risks. As many kick off the season of New Year’s resolutions, this study may be pushing people to rethink their health — not as a number on a scale, but as something they can measure through fitness and movement. It’s a reminder that health isn’t one-size-fits-all, and it’s time for more nuanced conversations — both in society and in the doctor’s office — about what’s truly healthy. It also raises a long-debated question: Is it finally time to ditch BMI as a flawed health indicator? Maybe people can also stop commenting on each other’s bodies while we’re at it.

Related: Do Genes Actually Outweigh Lifestyle When It Comes to How Long You’ll Live? (NYT Gift Link)