The Park Fire in Northern California is now the state’s largest this year A rapidly growing wind-driven wildfire that started Wednesday evening near Chico, Calif., has exploded in size, forcing thousands to evacuate. Read more on NPR

‘The Indicator from Planet Money’: The curious rise of novelty popcorn buckets Movie theaters are turning to collectible merchandise, like novelty popcorn buckets, to get audiences in the door during a time of declining moviegoing and box office returns. Read more on NPR

After more than a year of negotiations, SAG-AFTRA video game performers are on strike Union actors and performers in SAG-AFTRA declared a strike against video game firms over artificial intelligence. Among other things, they’ve stop voice acting and stunts that appear in video games. Read more on NPR

Exploring how a President Harris might handle criminal justice issues Republicans are attacking Kamala Harris for being soft on crime. But her record — as a district attorney and California attorney general — isn’t so simple. She’s angered both the left and right. Read more on NPR

After social-media complaints, Chipotle re-emphasizes generous portions Chipotle’s servings have not shrunk as TikTokkers have suggested. But the fast-casual restaurant chain is reminding its workers to give customers big scoops. Read more on NPR

California is ordering state agencies to start clearing out homeless encampments Gov. Newsom is encouraging cities and counties to do the same. The move comes a month after a Supreme Court ruling made it easier to force people to move even if they have nowhere else to go. Read more on NPR

Venezuelan’s go to the polls this weekend to elect a president Incumbent socialist leader Nicolas Maduro is running for a third term amid the country’s grave economic crisis and an increasingly authoritarian political climate. Read more on NPR