In today's newsletter: ''Unprecedented'' wildfires are spreading in the Los Angeles area, forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. Donald Trump has his sights set on Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal. And visitors at a Utah ski resort are caught off guard by a workers strike.

Here's what to know today.

High winds have fanned at least three fast-moving wildfires burning in the Pacific Palisades, Pasadena and Sylmar neighborhoods of Los Angeles, prompting evacuations and a huge firefighter response.

The Palisades Fire has already burned through almost 3,000 acres, while the Eaton Fire has destroyed 1,000 acres and the Hurst Fire has affected 500 acres. All three are 0% contained, and wind gusts of up to 100 mph are forecast.

The National Weather Service said winds should gradually weaken throughout the day but the worst conditions were expected this morning.

No deaths have been reported from the fires so far, but Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in light of what he called "unprecedented" blazes. At least 49,000 people have been ordered to evacuate and thousands more told to prepare to leave.

Palisades Fire

What started as a brush fire Tuesday around 10:30 a.m. rapidly ballooned in size, sending clouds of smoke into the air and forcing 30,000 residents to evacuate. Roads leading away from the coastal community were gridlocked, and some people, desperate to escape, left their cars and fled by foot to safety. Images show how the wildfire turned coastal L.A. into an "apocalyptic" scene, as one resident described it.

LAFD said a 25-year-old firefighter sustained a head injury while battling the fire, and civilians were found suffering from burns.

Eaton Fire

The Eaton Fire ignited around 6:23 p.m. Tuesday in the foothills of Angeles National Forest near Pasadena and Altadena. Evacuations were ordered as the fire grew. The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center was destroyed, with an eyewitness saying it seemed like a “bad, bad, horrific dream.” Included in the evacuation zone was a senior facility in the Pasadena area, where an NBC News Los Angeles crew captured residents being loaded into vehicles as thick smoke consumed the area.

Hurst Fire

A brush fire was first reported in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles at 10:10 pm Tuesday night, with the Los Angeles Fire Department reporting a rapid rate of spread. The fire is now reported to be at 500 acres.

The fire is currently burning in and around the San Fernando Valley, and wind storms are spreading the fire north toward the city of Santa Clarita, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department warned early this morning.

Today's forecast

While the National Weather Service predicted that the "most significant wind event" would be between 10 p.m. last night and 5 a.m. this morning, powerful winds are still in store for Wednesday, complicating firefighting efforts. As of last night, more than 300,000 homes and businesses in the L.A. area were without electricity.

Follow our live blog for updates.

Trump floats plan for acquiring Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada

President-elect Donald Trump is just under two weeks away from taking office, but he's already setting his sights on how to add to the U.S.'s size and, as he asserts, bolster its "national security." At a free-wheeling news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump suggested he could use military force to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal and "economic force" to acquire Canada.

Trump has previously floated the idea of purchasing Greenland, the self-governing territory under Denmark's control, and reiterated his ambitions yesterday when his son Donald Trump Jr. visited the Arctic island. At his news conference, Trump threatened to levy tariffs on Denmark at "a very high level" if it thwarted efforts by the island to seek independence or join the U.S.

Historians think Trump and the U.S. will have a fight on its hands if it goes for Greenland. One big hint: the Danish king's alteration to 500 years of history in a tweak to the royal coat of arms.

Of the Panama Canal, Trump claimed that the U.S. has been "overcharged" for its ships to pass through the canal compared to other counties and that Panama is in "violation" of a deal with the U.S., though it is not clear what deal Trump is referring to. Trump also suggested that "China is basically taking it over," a claim that Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino declined.

And the idea of the U.S. taking over Canada? "That would really be something," Trump said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to resign has thrust the country into political uncertainty. Trump quipped that it should become the 51st state and said he joked with Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky about becoming "governor." But Canada's distinct political culture makes Trump's rhetorical dreams far more complicated in reality.

Read the full story here.

More politics coverage:

Driver in Las Vegas Cybertruck blast used ChatGPT to plan it, officials say

The Army soldier who authorities believe blew up a Tesla Cybertruck on New Year's Day in front of Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas used artificial intelligence to plan the explosion, officials said.

Matthew Alan Livelsberg asked ChatGPT for information about how he could put together an explosive, how fast a round would need to be fired for the explosives found in the truck to go off and the laws he would need to get around to acquire the materials, law enforcement officials said. "I think this is the first incident that I'm aware of on U.S. soil where ChatGPT is utilized to help an individual build a particular device," said Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill.

Kenny Cooper, with the ATF San Francisco Field Division, said that Livelsberger's self-inflicted gunshot might have caused the "fuel air explosion" in the vehicle.

A spokesperson for OpenAI, which owns ChatGPT, said in a statement that the company was saddened by the revelation its technology was used to plot the attack, adding that ChatGPT "responded with information already publicly available on the internet and provided warnings against harmful or illegal activities." Read the full story here.

A flurry of frustration at America's largest ski resort

At the Park City Mountain Resort in Utah, it can cost $288 a day to ski its pristine, powdery slopes. Some visitors, like Minnesota resident Peter Nystrom, save up for a long time to afford airfare, food and lodging at the largest ski resort in America. The trip for Nystrom's family, which included his wife, four boys and in-laws, cost more than $20,000.

But those once-in-a-lifetime dreams have soured for skiers and snowboarders caught off-guard by a ski patrol union strike that started just after Christmas and has forced the resort to operate at a limited capacity. The situation has led to lift lines of up to 1,000 people and wait times of 90 minutes. "This was not the holiday skiing and riding experience anyone wanted," the resort's chief operating officer said.

— Amanda Covarrubias, news editor

We scoured the internet for the best sales this week. Plus, Select editors spoke to jewelers to find the best way to clean your gold, silver and more.

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