The Evening: Winds threaten to spread L.A. fires

Also, traffic eased after New York began congestion pricing.

View in browser|nytimes.com January 13, 2025 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Monday. A wind warning in Los Angeles Support for Hegseth's nomination Plus, the upcoming books we're most excited about Destruction in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Loren Elliott for The New York Times Strong winds threaten to intensify L.A. fires Forecasters are expecting winds in Los Angeles to pick up late tonight and remain heavy over the next two days, a development that could reverse some of the hard-fought gains that firefighters made over the weekend. In anticipation, fire crews were deployed to at-risk areas. The National Weather Service said the winds could lead to "explosive fire growth" and put in place a rare fire danger alert. The same warning was issued last week when intense winds stoked two of the deadliest fires in California history; the flames decimated entire neighborhoods and left evacuees with no communities to return to. Here are the latest maps of the blazes. The largest, the Palisades fire, is now 14 percent contained; the most destructive, the Eaton fire, is 33 percent contained. At least 24 people have been killed, and 23 others are considered missing. Here's what we know about the victims, and the search for the missing. Investigators have zeroed in on a ridge high above Los Angeles, where the Palisades fire is believed to have ignited, in their effort to figure out what caused the blaze. A recent visit by New York Times reporters to the site suggested a range of possibilities. This is what they found. For people in the area: Here are some safety steps you can take. Pete Hegseth. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times Trump supporters go all in to support Hegseth More than a dozen of Donald Trump's cabinet nominees will sit for Senate confirmation hearings this week. The questioning the nominees face, especially from Republicans, will provide an early indication of Trump's relationship with the Senate, less than a week before he begins his second term. The most high-profile of the hearings will take place tomorrow and focus on Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for secretary of defense, who has been grappling with a variety of damaging accusations. Hegseth is being backed by a coalition of outside groups who have pressured Republican senators to confirm him or face a daunting political fallout. In other transition news: A group of health experts released a letter opposing the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The singer Carrie Underwood is scheduled to perform at Trump's inauguration. Elon Musk has recruited Silicon Valley executives to take up unofficial positions in the Trump administration. Steve Bannon, another Trump adviser, called Musk a "truly evil person." News outlets are taking unusual steps to prepare for what they fear will be a legal and political onslaught from the new administration. Trump said he wanted to buy Greenland. The island's leader said it was not for sale, but that he was willing to talk. How much would it cost? Dave Sanders for The New York Times Traffic eased after New York began congestion pricing It has been just over a week since New York City began charging drivers $9 to enter Manhattan's busiest streets. An early look at the data suggests that the program — which aims to ease gridlock and encourage mass transit — is beginning to accomplish its goals. Last week, hundreds of thousands fewer vehicles entered Manhattan's core than in a typical week, and that shortened some commutes. Buses ran faster, and traffic improved in most bridges and tunnels and in some streets in the congestion zone. For more: New Yorkers have not hesitated to share their feelings about the tolling program. Some are particularly worried about the city's restaurants. Eric Lee/The New York Times Biden warned Russia over airplane cargo explosions The U.S. secretly obtained intelligence last summer suggesting that Russia was preparing to send explosive packages on planes bound for America. U.S. officials believed that the Russians were also behind fires at European airports around the same time. In response, President Biden dispatched his top national security aides to warn Vladimir Putin that the U.S. would hold Russia responsible if its sabotage campaign led to mass casualties. Since then, the rash of fires in Europe has ceased. More top news Court: A federal judge cleared the release of part of a report by Jack Smith, the special counsel, on his Trump investigations, and scheduled arguments on the second part. Washington: President Biden kicked off his final week in office with a speech defending his foreign policy. Health: Researchers said that dementia cases in the U.S. could double by 2060, primarily because of longer life spans. China: The country's trade surplus reached almost $1 trillion in 2024, far exceeding any in the world in the past century. Middle East: High-level cease-fire talks appeared to be gaining momentum as negotiators pushed for an agreement before Trump's inauguration. North Korea: Troops sent to Russia to fight and detained by Ukraine offered a rare glimpse into the North Korean military. Vaccines: Lagging polio vaccinations could lead to a resurgence of the virus in the U.S. Crime: A Texas man was charged with stalking Caitlin Clark, the W.N.B.A. star. TIME TO UNWIND Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Photos, from left: Pantheon; Knopf; Entangled Publishing, LLC The upcoming books we're most excited about The next few months promise a bounty of highly anticipated books. Two New York Times Book Review editors sat down together to discuss the releases they are most looking forward to. Their discussion, which you can listen to, highlighted "We Do Not Part," a new novel by the reigning Nobel laureate, Han Kang; "Onyx Storm," the third installment of an incredibly popular fantasy series; "Source Code," the first volume of Bill Gates's memoirs; and many other titles. Illustration by The New York Times; Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images The fashion world is in for a year of seismic change New designers at no fewer than eight major brands, including Chanel, Calvin Klein, Bottega Veneta and Givenchy, will make their runway debuts in 2025. They're coming in at a time of global uncertainty and a slowdown in luxury spending. Our fashion critic Vanessa Friedman is hoping they see all the turmoil as an opportunity for a revolution. "Surprise us," she writes. "Enchant us. Shock us. I dare you." Sightings of Hollywood stars have become more common in New Hope, Pa. Hannah Yoon for The New York Times Dinner table topics Bucks County: A picturesque Pennsylvania town has become a celebrity hot spot. Sip without stress: Some restaurants are trying to make wine lists less intimidating. Bringing them together: An illustrator died in the middle of a project. His son was given the chance to finish it. Raw truths: Drinking raw milk comes with serious risks and potential benefits. Here's what we know. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Armando Rafael for The New York Times Cook: This chicken and red lentil soup is soothing and satisfying. Listen: Check out a country track from Ringo Starr, and 13 other new songs. Gaze: A full moon, a bold Mars and a new comet will brighten the skies tonight. Improve: Heath experts we spoke to swear by these 35 tips. Moisturize: It's dry hands season. Here's what to do. Wipe: Houseplants have pores, too. They benefit from being cleaned. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. ONE LAST THING Anthony Valdez at his quinceañero in Joshua, Texas. Christopher Lee for The New York Times A lavish entry into adulthood, now also for boys For centuries, 15-year-old Latin American girls have celebrated quinceañeras to mark their transition to womanhood. The parties tend to be big and elaborate, and can cost as much as weddings. Recently, boys have started to adopt the tradition and host their own opulent parties, known as quinceañeros. Some see these events as a way to push back against the socially conservative gender roles many Latinos grow up with. Others just want everyone to have a chance to celebrate. Have a cheerful evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Sean Kawasaki-Culligan was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018