This is an LA Times Studios podcast.

Hi, I'm Faith Pino, and you're listening to Headlines from LA Times Studios.

Here are some of today's top stories from the Los Angeles Times.

Malibu is cracking down on homeless encampments, declaring a local state of emergency over fears

that campfires could spark another devastating blaze.

Andrew Corey reports that last month, the city council voted to let sheriff's deputies

remove or even arrest people camping illegally, saying those who cook outside with

open flames pose a serious wildfire risk. A risk that the city simply can't afford after the

January Palisades fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes. But county

supervisor Lindsay Horvath, whose district includes Malibu, says arresting unhoused

residents doesn't necessarily increase public safety.

Still, she acknowledges the threat of campfires and is working with local agencies and outreach

groups to boost patrols in high-risk areas.

Malibu's public safety director says the city's

homeless population has already dropped from around 150 people in 2021 to around 30 or 40 people

on any given day. But that number could soon shrink, with sheriffs allowed to arrest those who

refuse to leave.

Now local leaders are trying to strike a balance, saying the goal isn't to criminalize

homelessness, but to prevent the next fire before it even starts.

And the Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Venezuela, bringing the

two countries to the edge of conflict.

According to L.A. Times reporters, Trump said Wednesday that he's authorized the CIA to conduct

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