Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, August 20, 2025…
- It’s heating up here in California! From the deserts of Southern California to the foothills of the Sierra and parts of the Bay Area, we’re looking at triple-digit temperatures and dangerous fire weather through the weekend.
- It’s the first few weeks of school and for some families, the usual back-to-school stress, like packing lunches and making the morning bus, is now mixed with more serious concern: immigration enforcement near campuses. A group of volunteers in San Diego is trying to ease some of the stress.
- In the Inland Empire, two nurses accused of trying to stop immigration agents from arresting a man at a surgery center have pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault.
Extreme Heat And Fire Weather Arrives In Southern California
Extreme heat is expected to bear down on Southern California starting Wednesday in what meteorologists are calling the most significant heat wave of the summer. For the rest of the week, temperatures are expected to be 10 to 15 degrees hotter than normal across the region, prompting warnings from public health officials to take precautions.
Across the rest of the state, inland areas could hit triple digits in the coming days.
Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service said thunderstorms are also potentially on the horizon late this week into the weekend. That could cool things down, but it also raises the risk of local flooding and fires sparked by dry lightning. “We can get explosive fire behavior if a fire forms in a very hot, unstable environment,” Cohen said. “So once a fire takes off, it pretty much develops a [weather] system of its own and can grow explosively and rapidly, even if the winds aren’t that strong.” In anticipation of the fire risk, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday deployed a contingent of firefighting resources to be on standby, including fire engines, bulldozers, aircraft and hand crews to Los Angeles County.
Advocates Organize Patrols To Protect Against ICE Actions Near San Diego Schools
On their first week back from summer break, some teachers at Lincoln High School in San Diego County welcomed students by handing out “know-your-rights” fliers. Written in both English and Spanish, the fliers tell people what to do if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents try to arrest immigrants near schools.
