California has seen a spate of accidental fireworks explosions leading up to the Fourth of July with a Wednesday morning detonation killing 1 in a Simi Valley home and a similar incident critically injuring two people in a Bay Area residence.

Emergency crews responded midday Thursday to a fire at the home in Simi Valley, located in Ventura County in the greater Los Angeles area.

The Madre Fire was reported shortly after noon Wednesday, July 2, along Highway 166 about 25 miles east of Santa Maria.

A wildfire in California’s San Luis Obispo County rapidly expanded overnight and was covering more than 35,000 acres on Thursday morning, prompting evacuation orders, closing part of a highway and sending thick smoke billowing into neighboring counties. It is the biggest wildfire the state has seen this year.

A California wildfire that started on Wednesday afternoon continues to burn, having destroyed over 35,000 acres as of Thursday afternoon, with only a tiny portion contained. California has already been hit with massive wildfires this year,

School officials have demanded answers from federal agencies. It was the latest example of how locals have scrutinized the actions of immigration agents.

Nine months after first proposing to increase the annual amount allocated to California's film and TV tax credit program, Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed it into law.

"We can look forward to our members getting back to work where they live," the Entertainment Union Coalition says