Happy Friday! Here is what we are following this morning on Daybreak:
- The Gifford Fire is now the largest wildfire in California this year: The Gifford Fire has burned nearly 100,000 acres as of this morning, becoming the state's largest fire of the year. Crews are working to increase containment while protecting nearly 2,000 threatened structures.
- A new wildfire in Ventura County spreads to 5,000 acres: Firefighters are also battling the Canyon Fire, which broke out Thursday afternoon near Lake Piru, about 24 miles from Six Flags in Santa Clarita. The fire has scorched around 5,000 acres and is impacting areas across Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Evacuations have been ordered for several communities, including the Lake Piru Recreation Area.
- Toyota says new tariffs could cost the company $10 billion: Toyota is forecasting nearly $10 billion in profit losses due to new tariffs, the highest estimate released by any automaker so far. General Motors is also bracing for a $4–5 billion hit. Combined, the world’s top ten automakers expect profits to drop to their lowest level since the pandemic year of 2020.
Residents gathered at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria for a town hall with Rep. Salud Carbajal, where the 24th District congressman addressed a range of topics including Medicare, democracy, the Jeffrey Epstein case, and recent immigration enforcement raids. Carbajal responded to questions from the community, sharing that he personally witnessed a raid in Carpinteria after receiving numerous calls from constituents. That operation resulted in the detention of nine employees from a legal cannabis facility. He also discussed Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to redraw California’s congressional map if Texas moves forward with its own redistricting plan, expressing his support for efforts to protect the state’s independent redistricting commission in line with the Voting Rights Act.
More than a month after an illegal firework sparked the blaze that destroyed the historic Templeton Feed & Grain building, cleanup efforts are still underway, and frustrations are mounting. Templeton Community Services District leaders say residents have lingering questions about the response time, staffing, and how the fire impacted the town’s water system. To address concerns, Templeton CSD and Templeton Fire will hold a community Q&A on August 12 at the Templeton Community Center. While the fire is out, neighbors say the cleanup is creating new problems like odor and flies. A separate meeting on September 2 will focus on potential changes to local fireworks laws.
The Lompoc Police Department honored longtime volunteer Warren Arnold with a plaque on Thursday, recognizing his 30 years of dedicated service. Known affectionately as the “bike guy,” Arnold helped the department by identifying bicycles and supporting their efforts behind the scenes. A former school teacher of 35 years, Arnold said the volunteer work felt like a calling and gave him a deeper appreciation for the often-overlooked service of local law enforcement. Several officers at the ceremony were once his students, making the tribute even more meaningful.
