An additional death is being linked to the Legionnaire's disease outbreak in New York City that has sickened 97 people in the last three weeks, health officials said Wednesday.

That brings the death toll to eight in the outbreak, clustered in the Bronx. In total, 97 cases of the disease, a severe, often lethal, form of pneumonia spread through the air, have been reported in the south Bronx since July 10, city officials said in a statement Wednesday.

That marks 11 new cases since the last update from the city Tuesday, and 51 new cases since last Wednesday, when health officials first discussed the outbreak.

The Department of Health and Mental Health said those who died were older adults and had additional underlying medical problems.

Legionnaires' disease is caused by exposure to the bacteria Legionella; in most cases, people are exposed to the bacteria by inhaling contaminated aerosols from cooling towers, hot tubs, showers and faucets or drinking water.

Twenty-two buildings have been visited as "disease detectives" hunt for the source of the outbreak, the city said last Friday. Seventeen of those buildings have cooling towers -- five of those tested positive for Legionella, including one at Lincoln Hospital; one at Concourse Plaza; one at a shopping plaza; one at a Verizon office building and one at the Opera House Hotel. All have been decontaminated.

Health Commissioner Mary Bassett reiterated earlier this week that the contaminated cooling towers have had no effect on the water in the Bronx, and that tap water remains entirely safe to drink.

The cases have been reported primarily in High Bridge, Morrisania, Hunts Point and Mott Haven since July 10, the Health Department said.

Mayor de Blasio said Tuesday officials believed they had identified the only sites that are causing the outbreak, and no additional cooling towers are believed to be contaminated. All of those sites must submit long-term plans as to how they will maintain cooling towers to protect against any future growth of legionella, he said. Those plans are due Friday.

Bassett said authorities are confident one of the five cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella is the primary source of the outbreak, though it will likely take weeks to confirm. Now that the contaminated sources have been remediated, she said, authorities expected to see the number of cases continue to go down.

"This is the largest outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that we are aware of in New York City," Bassett said Tuesday. "Although we will continue to see cases, we expect the case rate to decline and the number of cases to fall over the coming weeks."

On Tuesday, de Blasio said the fact that only a few new cases were added to the outbreak total since Monday "suggests a reduction in the rate of increase and that is good news." But with 11 new cases announced on Wednesday, along with the death, concerns have been renewed.

"This is really not good," said South Bronx resident Chenelle Stuckey. "People are dying."

Dr. Robert Glatter of Lenox Hill Hospital said the main issue is the incubation period, which is very long -- up to about two weeks. 

"So we're going to continue to see more cases," he told NBC 4 New York.

Legionnaires' disease usually sets in two to 10 days after exposure to the bacteria and has symptoms similar to pneumonia, including shortness of breath, high fever, chills and chest pains. People with Legionnaires' also experience appetite loss, confusion, fatigue and muscle aches.

City officials plan to host a town hall Tuesday, Aug. 11 for area residents with council member Vanessa Gibson to answer questions and concerns about the outbreak.

Both de Blasio and Bassett stressed last week there was no concern for alarm.

"People have to understand that this is a disease that can be treated -- and can be treated well if caught early," de Blasio said last Thursday. "The exception can be with folks who are already unfortunately suffering from health challenges, particularly immune system challenges. But for the vast majority of New Yorkers, if they were even exposed, this can be addressed very well and very quickly so long as they seek medical treatment."

Glatter emphasized the point.

"Most people who get this, who are otherwise healthy, they get a mild flu, get better, and they don't need antibiotics," he said Wednesday.

It cannot be spread person-to-person and those at highest risk for contracting the illness include the elderly, cigarette smokers, people with chronic lung or immune system disease and those receiving immunosuppressive drugs. Most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics.

The Health Department urges anyone with symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.

An outbreak last hit the Bronx in December. Between then and January, 12 people in Co-op City contracted the potentially deadly disease. Officials said a contaminated cooling tower was likely linked to at least 75 percent of those cases. No one died in that outbreak.

A man armed with a hatchet and pellet gun who attacked moviegoers with pepper spray at a Tennessee theater Wednesday before being fatally shot by police had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, NBC News reported.

The attacker, identified as Vincente David Montano, of Nashville, was reported missing to Murfreesboro police on Aug. 3, according to police documents. Montano’s mother told police when making the report that the 29-year-old was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2006, and had a hard time taking care of himself.

Montano wore a surgical mask as he unleashed a volley of pepper spray at audience members during a screening of “Mad Max: Fury Road," at the Carmike Hickory 8 theater in the suburb of Antioch shortly before 1:15 p.m. local time (2:15 p.m. ET).

None of those who were attacked suffered serious injuries. Montano was shot dead by SWAT officers as he tried to escape the theater through a back door.

Firefighters discovered a body as they extinguished a burning car in unincorporated Escondido Wednesday night, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

The car fire was reported just before 9 p.m. at Harmony Grove Road and Country Club Drive.

As the flames died down, crews found the body, which has not been identified. It's unclear if it belongs to a man or woman or how the person died.

Sheriff's detectives are investigating the death.

The family of a homeless man who was fatally shot on Skid Row by Los Angeles police earlier this year filed a $20 million lawsuit against the city and department Wednesday.

Charly Keunang, known as "Africa" among friends, was killed March 1 during a struggle with police who approached the 43-year-old to investigate a robbery report. Police said Keunang allegedly tried to reach for an officer's holstered gun, prompting police to shoot him. 

Cellphone video of the deadly confrontation was captured by a witness and posted to Facebook. The video garnered millions of views and sparked national outrage. According to Keunang's family's attorney, police body cameras, whose images have not been released to the public, would show the moments leading up to fatal shooting and cast doubt on the LAPD's claims the decedent grabbed an officer's weapon.

"The body cams plus the autopsy report show that this was a killing created by highly aggressive officers operating outside the bounds of proper police practice," Dan Stormer said.

According to an autopsy report, Keunang was shot six times, four of the shots were fatal and two were "contact gunshot wounds" that left gunpowder residue on his skin.

Activist demanded answers about the fatal shooting from the city's police commission during a meeting and protestors marched to LAPD's headquarters in downtown LA.

Keunang's family wants the lawsuit to force the LAPD to change its practices on how it handles lethal force.

"I cannot find the words to explain how I feel," his sister, Line Foming said. No one should have to die like that, that's why I seek justice for Charly."

The lawsuit also names police Chief Charlie Beck and the three officers who fired the six bullets that hit Keunang. The LAPD declined to comment when contacted by NBC4.

Keunang, a Cameroon national, arrived in the United States 15 years ago using the stolen identity of a French citizen. He served 15 years in federal prison under his assumed name for bank robbery before being paroled in April 2013.

Bill Cosby has been ordered to answer questions under oath in a lawsuit brought by a woman accusing the comedian of plying her with alcohol and sexually abusing her at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles when she was 15 years old.

The order by a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, made public Wednesday, requires Cosby to to give a deposition on Oct. 9, and his accuser, Judy Huth, to give a deposition on Oct. 15.

Cosby's attorneys have called the suit an attempt to extort the star. 

A police officer was gunned down in Shreveport, Louisiana, and a manhunt for a suspect was underway Thursday, NBC News reported.

The officer was shot while responding to a report of a suspicious person armed with a gun inside a home at around 9 p.m. local time (10 p.m. ET) on Wednesday, authorities said.

"We'll continue searching until suspect is caught and brought to justice," Shreveport Police spokesman Cpl. Marcus Hines told NBC News.

The officer's identity was not immediately released. 

A hatchet-wielding man, armed with what turned out to be a pellet gun, attacked a movie patron at a theater outside of Nashville Wednesday and sprayed others with pepper spray before he was shot dead by police, authorities said, NBC News reported.

Nashville police were called on a report of a suspected "active shooter" situation at the Carmike Hickory 8 theater in the suburb of Antioch at around 1:15 p.m., and a police officer who entered the theater said the suspect pointed what appeared to be a gun at the officer, Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson said.

The suspected firearm turned out to be an "airsoft" pistol that resembled a handgun, police said.

The suspect, identified late Wednesday as 29-year-old local Vincente David Montano, was shot dead by a SWAT team as he exited through the theater's rear door, Anderson said.

Deputies evacuated several homes in San Marcos Wednesday and shut down traffic on westbound State Route 78 as a 2-acre wildfire burned near the highway, threatening homes.

By 1 p.m., San Diego County Sheriff’s Department deputies had evacuated five residences on Green Meadow Way and Plumosa Avenue. Officials set up a command post east of Sycamore Avenue to monitor the situation.

Meanwhile, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers issued a SigAlert and closed down all lanes of westbound SR-78 just east of Sycamore Avenue.

Officials said the blaze began around 12:40 p.m. in brush off the highway a half-mile east of Sycamore Avenue. Quickly, the flames crept up the hillside getting dangerously close to houses.

Many residents scrambled to gather their loved ones, pets and belongings. Neighbors also banded together to help one another.

Joseph Buchanon was one of a group going door-to-door, checking to make sure neighbors were alright.

"A neighbor called my name, saying 'I need your help because I need to get the grandbaby out,'" Buchanon said. "So she's putting her grandbaby in the car. I grab hoses, and I'm hitting the fire from the backside of the fence, and the winds are gusting, kind of blows back in my face." 

Sheriff's deputies soon told him to get out because the fire was climbing over the hillside.

Lee Agricola came home from work to save some very precious belongings, including a 1963, mint condition Chevy Impala. His biggest concern, however, was his newborn daughter.

"My daughter was here. She's six months old, so I had to race over here," said Agricola. "My mom was panicking. I had to get her out of the house." 

Engines from several fire departments rushed to the scene, including San Marcos, Vista and Carlsbad agencies. CHP officials handled traffic control and road closures so fire crews could tackle the blaze.

As of 1:25 p.m., the CHP had reopened the No. 1 on SR-78 to traffic, but the rest of the lanes remained closed. Due to the closures, traffic was snarled for miles.

By 1:30 p.m., aerial footage of the scene showed firefighters had knocked down the flames. Smoke continued to rise from the scorched terrain. Many firefighters could be seen hosing down hotspots next to homes on the hillside.

By 2 p.m., officials said the fire was contained and under control. Firefighters were able to save all of the homes in the area. Only the wooden backyard fence of one of the properties was damaged by the blaze.

The Vista Fire Department said defensible space between the homes atop the hill and the fire helped, and decreased the potential for damage to the homes.

No injuries were reported.

Officials say most of the time, fires that start in brush near freeways are ignited by a spark from a car or someone tossing a flammable object out a window.

The Vista Fire Department later determined the cause of the fire was a vehicle malfunction resulting in heated material landing in the vegetation along SR-78.

Temperatures were in the high 70s in San Marcos at the time of the wildfire.
 

Yelp’s Top 100 List for 2015 is here, revealing the hottest 100 places to grab a bite throughout the far reaches of the San Diego region.

Yelp’s data team took a look at the thousands of rich, local reviews on Yelp in San Diego County neighborhoods from the South Border to Temecula and ranked businesses that fall under the “Restaurant" category based on number of reviews and overall business star ratings.

Clearly beloved by San Diego residents, the majority of the findings were for neighborhood, one-off, family-owned small businesses. From downtown to the ‘burbs, there’s something for everyone everywhere on this list! How many of these hidden gems have you tried?

1: Grapes & Hops Deli, East Village
2: Northside Shack, Point Loma
3: Napolimania Pizzeria, Chula Vista
4: Oscar's Mexican Seafood, N. Pacific Beach
5: Lezzet Café, Downtown SD
6: Mariscos Isaac, Food Truck
7: Hungry Bear Deli, Vista
8: The Taco Stand, La Jolla
9: Las Brisas Mexican Cuisine, San Marcos
10: That Boy Good, Oceanside
11: The Hills, La Mesa
12: Cucina Basilico, Serra Mesa
13: Crisp Fish N Chips, Imperial Beach
14: Luce Bar & Kitchen, Bay Park
15: Grill House Café, Miramar
16: Werewolf, Gaslamp
17: Supernatural Sea to Sandwich, Miramar
18: Trilogy Sanctuary, La Jolla
19: Chef Miguel's Deli, Broadway
20: Verona Bistro, El Cajon
21: Sushi Uno, Golden Hill
22: Deli Sushi & Desserts, Miramar
23: Circa Restaurant, University Heights
24: Red Oven Artisanal Pizza, Food Truck
25: Gauchito Grill, San Marcos
26: Meze, 6th Ave
27: Saigon Sandwiches & Deli, City Heights
28: Phil's BBQ, multiple locations
29: True Fruit, Spring Valley
30: Big Jim's 395 Grill, Vista
31: Mariscos mi Gusto es, Food Truck
32: Cafe Med, Alvarado Rd.
33: The Promiscuous Fork, La Jolla
34: Guahan Grill, Oceanside
35: Punjabi Tandoor, Miramar
36: SandBox Pizza, Pacific Beach
37: Pattaya Thai Restaurant, Carmel Mountain
38: Table No. 10, East Village
39: Dang Brother Pizza, Food Truck
40: Felix's BBQ With Soul, Oceanside
41: Time Out Café, Vista
42: The Flight Path, Little Italy
43: Thai Time, El Cajon
44: Pizza Studio, Gaslamp
45: La Mesa Bistro & Bakery, La Mesa
46: Picasso Naturals, Kearny Mesa
47: Aladdin Mediterranean Restaurant, Clairemont Mesa
48: Karl Strauss Brewery Gardens, Sorrento Valley
49: The New Yorker, Gaslamp
50: Fresco Urban Café, Torrey Highlands
51: Swami's Café, multiple locations/Oceanside
52: Waraii Sushi, Oceanside
53: Rosina's Italian Restaurant, Oceanside
54: Jake's Del Mar, Del Mar
55: Quei Bravi Ragazzi, Encinitas
56: Tahini, Pacific Beach
57: Ironside Fish & Oyster, Little Italy
58: Rustic, East Village
59: Mamma Teresa, Poway
60: George's at the Cove, La Jolla
61: Mary's English Kitchen, La Jolla
62: BKK Thai Kitchen, Carlsbad
63: Anthem Vegan, Food Stand
64: Carmen's Authentic Mexican Food, Clairemont
65: Mr Pho, Oceanside
66: Red Moon Noodle House, Kearny Mesa
67: ParAmour, Imperial Beach
68: Mark's Bark, Normal Heights
69: Honey's Bistro & Bakery, Encinitas
70: Alex's Brown Bag, Pacific Beach
71: Nosh Delicatessen, Little Italy
72: Sushi Fish Attack, Clairemont
73: Vessel Restaurant + Bar, Shelter Island
74: Cafe 21, Gaslamp
75: Cafe Milano, La Jolla
76: The Land & Water Co., Carlsbad
77: The Haven Pizzeria, Kensington
78: Stone Brewing Tap Room, East Village
79: Poway Sushi Lounge, Poway
80: Primo Food Mart, Vista
81: Berkeley Pizza, Downtown/Gaslamp
82: French Corner, Encinitas
83: Burritos Santana, Rancho Mission Rd.
84: Fig Tree Café, Pacific Beach
85: Lemon Grove Café, Lemon Grove
86: KNB Wine Cellars, Mission Gorge
87: Izakaya Pacific Beach, Pacific Beach
88: Cape Town, Miramar
89: Pho Hut & Grill, Clairemont
90: La Tiendita De Linda Vista, Linda Vista
91: Black&Blue, Valley Center
92: The 3rd Corner, Encinitas
93: Cali Tacos, National City
94: Encinitas Fish Shop, Encinitas
95: Surf Brothers Teriyaki, Carlsbad
96: Delhi Kitchen, Carmel Mountain
97: Royal India Del Mar, Del Mar
98: Grab & Go Subs, El Cajon
99: 98 Bottles, Little Italy
100: Los Locos Bar & Grill, Old Town
 

A judge has ruled an Allied Gardens school, which caters to special needs students, will be able to stay at its location until 2021, despite objections from the San Diego Unified School District.

In May, Excelsior Academy filed a lawsuit against the SDUSD, claiming the district violated the terms of the school’s lease when it told administrators to vacate their location by March 2018.

The SDUSD sold the property to the Islamic School of San Diego for $2,775,000 in February.

"The reason the school district did not want Excelsior to stay in the property longer, as far as we understand it, is that they received a notice from the Islamic School of San Diego requesting that we be thrown out, or Excelsior be thrown out,” said Sean Ponist, the attorney for Excelsior.

But this week, a judge ruled the school can stay in its lease until at least June 2021.

Julia Gillis, who is a member of Excelsior’s board of directors, considers the ruling a win, but she told NBC 7 she wishes it never got to this point.

"I guess [it’s] upsetting, concerning that any school district would be willing to do something to be so detrimental to students, if that were to happen,” said Gillis.

She explained getting a termination notice in the middle of the school year was disturbing for the staff, parents and students who attend the school for its unconventional teaching methods and small class sizes.

The school specializes in helping students with a variety of learning and attention disabilities.

“I think I got an A on my last math test, which has never happened before, ever,” said student Maddy Ringer, who deals with ADHD. “I actually get the homework.”

NBC 7 has been in contact with the SDUSD about the ruling. A spokesperson said they are weighing the option of filing a motion objecting the judgment.

The complicated part now is what happens to this property. Escrow is supposed to close at the end of the week.

According to the district, the Islamic School of San Diego agreed to purchase the property regardless of the outcome of the case, but this week's judgment means they can't use the property until 2021.

The Islamic School would not comment on the ruling.
 

A fight between a man and a woman at Moonlight State Beach led to sexual battery charges Wednesday, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

At 3:40 p.m., deputies responded to the Encinitas beach near the 400 block of West B Street to investigate a fight reported by lifeguards.

There, they found a 49-year-old woman with minor bruising to her face.

Deputies determined a sexual battery had occurred, and they placed a 32-year-old man, who had stayed at the scene, into custody.

He was booked into the Vista Detention Facility on charges of felony sexual battery, false imprisonment and terrorist threats.

If you know anything about this case, you're asked to call the sheriff's department's nonemergency line at 858-565-5200.

In a time when the VA says it's having trouble retaining mental health professionals, a local organization is stepping up, providing resources to nonmilitary people who want to better support veterans.

On Wednesday, local leaders like Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins and Congresswoman Susan Davis put their support behind the “Help You Help Veterans” helpline, an idea executed by the San Diego-based PsychArmor Institute.

“We really believe we will be saving lives, and that’s why we set out to do this,” said Marjorie Morrison, the PsychArmor CEO.

The team understands that when veterans are suffering, many will not talk to a mental health care professional – at least not at first. They’ll instead turn to a neighbor, coworker, friend or family member.

“We really believe Americans want to help and want to do what they can to help veterans, but they don't know how,” said Morrison.

So her group put together the hotline, staffed by health providers with masters and doctorate degrees.

If you call, they'll give you advice, resources and general help if you, the nonmilitary person, want to better understand how to best support a veteran in your life.

“I got a call from a nurse who just wanted to work with veterans and find out how she can apply to work there. We get calls from family members,” said Diego Flores, an education and resource counselor.

He said they have gotten calls from all over the country. Counselors can also give advice on welcoming back and reintegrating military veterans.

The helpline’s number is 844-PsychArmor (844-799-2427). Calls are received between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, as well as 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday. To learn more about the program, visit its website.
 

An Alaskan woman is recovering after being mauled by a grizzly bear while jogging with a co-worker late Tuesday night, NBC News reported.

Gabbriele Markel, 20, and Kaitlin Haley, 26, were running on a trail along Skilak Lake, 50 miles south of Anchorage, when an adult grizzly bear came out of the thick brush next to the trail and attacked Markel, knocking her to the ground, police said.

Markel was airlifted to Providence Hospital and staff told NBC News she was upgraded to good condition Wednesday afternoon. 

A pedestrian has died after being hit by a car on Interstate 5 in National City Wednesday night, the California Highway Patrol says.

The crash happened in the I-5 northbound lanes at Main and Division streets.

The left lanes of the freeway have been blocked as investigators determine what happened.

Check back here for details on this breaking news story.

Have you seen one of the world’s most wanted drug lords?

That’s what the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other law enforcement agencies want to know. Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman-Loera escaped a Mexican prison in July through a mile-long tunnel and U.S. officials are now offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his recapture.

The acting head of the DEA, Chuck Rosenberg, said he believes Guzman is in Mexico, probably hiding in his home state of Sinaloa, Mexico. But Rosenberg acknowledged that the elusive Guzman could be anywhere.

"I think he is still in Mexico," Rosenberg said in a meeting with reporters. "Do I know that? No. It's an educated guess."

The public can e-mail tips to law enforcement officials as well. North American residents can email tips to chapotips@USDOJ.gov. U.S. residents can call 844-692-4101 and residents outside the U.S. can call 001-844-692-4101. The tip line is managed by agents in the DEA’s San Diego field office.

Guzman has twice been captured and twice escaped. He was first jailed after being extradited from Guatemala in 1993 and escaped from a maximum security prison in 2001. Thirteen years later he was arrested again in the seaside resort town of Mazatlan and escaped again about 16 months later.

Mexican authorities have announced a $3.8 million reward for Guzman, who is believed to have a net worth of about $1 billion.

The DEA and U.S. authorities continue to work with their Mexican counterparts on the search for Guzman, Rosenberg said. The $5 million reward is being offered by the State Department.

The Associated Press' Alicia A. Caldwell contributed to this report. 

East County residents got to weigh in Wednesday on a Caltrans plan to fix traffic tie-ups in their area, caused by a new casino under construction in Jamul.

At State Route 94 and Steel Canyon Road, drivers see new asphalt, painted lines and signs. It is only the beginning of a larger road project designed to ease traffic congestion anticipated with next year's opening of Hollywood Casino Jamul just down the road.

Neighbors question what the road project is really benefitting.

Longtime Jamul resident Nancy Murrell lives on Vista Sage Lane, off SR-94 between Steel Canyon and Lyons Valley Road. She said even with current traffic levels, turning onto her street is a bigger gamble than Hollywood casino Jamul will offer.

“You're scared for your life when you are coming down the hill. I have to make a left-hand turn. I sure hope nobody rear ends me,” Murrell said.

At Caltrans’ open house Wednesday night, the road improvement plan was illustrated in poster-size photos. Murrell was disappointed to see her turn lane did not make the cut.

“The fixing of the roads is to fix it for their benefit,” Murrell said.

Caltrans District 11 Deputy Director Bill Figge said the plan includes more turn lanes, lights at intersections and signage.

But the improvements, paid for by Casino developers, are meant to ease traffic congestion caused by casino visitors.

“The rest of the road is basically absorbing that traffic, and if it hasn't been identified as having an issue, it's capable of handling that traffic,” Figge said.

The feud between residents and the Jamul Indian Village of California is long-standing.

The tribe broke ground on the Hollywood Casino last January. Currently, three of the 20 lawsuits filed against the project remain active in federal and state courts, despite the advanced stage of construction.

So at the meeting, the Caltrans road improvement plan got some poor reviews.

“It will help divert some of the traffic at the site, but beyond that, it's going to bottleneck traffic far back,” resident Dave Nordberg said.

Even though Caltrans organizers wanted to separate the casino from the road improvement open house, opponents didn't miss an opportunity to say Hollywood is not their home.

Caltrans representatives said they will consider changes to the road improvement plan and are accepting public input through Aug. 27. Construction is expected to be completed next year.

A man has been arrested in connection with the death of a woman found near a freeway fence in Egger Highlands, San Diego Police officials said Thursday.

Cheri Dillon-Casey, 61, of San Diego was found dead Tuesday in an encampment behind a commercial complex.

Officers discovered her body lying in grass and shrubs near the fence between the Southland Plaza Shopping Center and the Palm Avenue offramp from southbound Interstate 5.

She had blunt force visible on her chest and stomach, officials said.

An autopsy led investigators to believe her death was a homicide and they listed the victim's boyfriend as a person-of-interest.

Martin Foster, 53, of Colorado was found by officers Wednesday at approximately 11:30 p.m. He was in need of medical aid at the corner of 1st Avenue and G Street downtown.

Officers transported Foster to a nearby hospital for undisclosed injuries.

He will be booked on charges of murder, police said.

No details were given on the motive in Dillon-Casey's death.

It’s a different kind of smoke than they’re used to. Several Bay Area medical marijuana dispensaries say wildfires around California are hurting their industry. They claim cannabis plants are growing around some of state’s fires, especially the Rocky Fire near Clear Lake.

By Wednesday night, the Rocky Fire burned 69,600 acres and destroyed 43 homes.

Timothy Anderson is the purchasing manager at Harborside Health Center, a medical marijuana dispensary in Oakland. He says one of the burned homes belonged to a cannabis grower who provided them with product.

“I can't remember [a fire] affecting our growers as much as this year,” he said.

Anderson says about a quarter of their marijuana comes from growers near Clear Lake, and the smoke from the fire is damaging another growers’ crops. He expects the drop in supply will raise prices around the Bay Area, for dispensaries who buy from outdoor grows.

“Unlike an apple or tomato, you can't wash a cannabis plant off,” Anderson said. “The sticky
resin is going to grab onto any environmental grit or grime from the air."

Anderson says the buds from those plants could be dangerous to smoke, and he wouldn’t buy any marijuana for the dispensary that smells like wildfire.

“It could potentially have some health hazards, especially for people with compromised immune systems,” he said.

The first Democratic primary debate will take place on October 13 in Nevada and will be hosted by CNN, the network and the Democratic National Committee announced on Thursday.

The exact location will be announced in the coming weeks, according to CNN.

So far, five candidates have announced their bid for president on the Democratic ticket: Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley, Lincoln Chafee, Bernie Sanders and Jim Webb. The field is smaller than the 17-member Republican one.

The first Republican primary debate will take place Thursday on Fox News.