You have just a few more months to visit Bao Bao at the National Zoo.

The 3-year-old giant panda is moving to China within the first few months of 2017 to enter the its panda breeding program, the National Zoo said Thursday.

All panda cubs born at the zoo move to China by the time they turn 4. Bao Bao will turn 4 Aug. 23, 2017. 

"We are sad to see her go, but excited for the contributions she is going to continue to make to the global giant panda population,” said Brandie Smith, associate director of animal care sciences at the zoo in Washington, D.C.

Bao Bao's keepers are already preparing her for the trip by getting her acclimated to a travel crate. While an exact date for her departure was not given, the zoo says Bao Bao will move in late winter.

The zoo says it's better for pandas to travel in the winter months when its cool. A team will travel with Bao Bao to ensure she's comfortable throughout the trip. 

The zoo is planning a farewell party for Bao Bao, but details about the public celebration have not been released. 

Bao Bao is the second of three surviving cubs born to Mei Xiang during her time at the zoo. She now weighs 180 pounds and is classified as a "sub-adult.'' Pandas can begin breeding between the ages of 4 and 6.

Community leaders and members met for a Town Hall meeting in Ocean Beach Wednesday to discuss a controversial construction project.

The new multi-unit housing project will be going up at the corner of Ebers and Greene streets. But many residents and the Chair of the Ocean Beach Planning Board claim the building violates city codes and size restrictions.

Many gathered at the Town Hall meeting in hopes of getting the City of San Diego to issue an order to stop construction.

"Maybe the people downtown, the mayor, the code compliance people, will take a look at themselves and realize that what they approved is not right in anyway shape or form," said neighbor Allison Rush.

The idea for a meeting grew out of the rally held on Saturday against the project—residents want to follow in in Point Loma's footsteps where residents had forced San Diego's mayor to order "stop work" on a four-story building. 

John Ambert, Chair of the OB Planning Board and Jon Linney, Chair of the Peninsula Community Planning Board organized the Town Hall.

Opponents of the project say their next step is to reach out to San Diego city officials.

The next regularly scheduled Ocean Beach Town Council meeting will be held October 26 at 7 p.m.

Unwanted or expired prescription medications can be disposed of safely Saturday, according to San Diego County health officials.

San Diego County sheriff's deputies are hosting a "Prescription Drug Take Back Day" on Saturday, October 22, 2016.

The event is designed to curb prescription drug theft and abuse.

Deputies will be at dozens of locations across the county from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. accepting the donations with no questions asked.

Castle Park High School 1395 Hilltop Drive, Chula Vista
Coronado Police Station 700 Orange Avenue, Coronado
Imperial Beach Sheriff’s Station 845 Imperial Beach Blvd., Imperial Beach
Kaiser Permanente Otay Mesa 4650 Palm Ave., San Diego
National City Police Department 1200 National City Blvd., National City

NORTHERN
Scripps Encinitas Hospital 354 Santa Fe Drive, Encinitas
Scripps Coastal Medical Center 2176 Salk Ave., Carlsbad
Scripps Rancho Bernardo Clinic 15004 Innovation Drive, San Diego
Tri-City Medical Center 4002 Vista Way, Oceanside
Fallbrook Sheriff's Station 388 E. Alvarado St., Fallbrook
Escondido Police Station 1163 N. Centre City Pkwy., Escondido
Albertson’s Parking Lot 1459 Main St., Ramona
Poway Sheriff's Station 13100 Bowron Road, Poway
Walgreens Parking Lot 310 Sycamore Ave., Vista
Kaiser Permanente San Marcos 400 Craven Road, San Marcos

CENTRAL
Scripps Green Hospital 10666 N. Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla
Sharp Health Care Corp. Office 8695 Spectrum Center Blvd., San Diego
SDPD Eastern Division 9225 Aero Drive, San Diego
SDPD Central Division 2501 Imperial Ave., 92102
SDPD Northwestern Division 12592 El Camino Real, San Diego
San Diego County Juvenile Hall 2801 Meadow Lark Dr., San Diego
SDPD Mid-City Division 4310 Landis Street, San Diego
Mesa College Police Sub-Station 7250 Mesa College Dr., San Diego
Veteran’s Administration Hospital 3350 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego
San Diego District Attorney’s Office (Hall of Justice) 330 W Broadway, San Diego
SDPD Western Division 5215 Gaines St., San Diego
SDPD Northern Division 4275 Eastgate Mall, La Jolla
UCSD – Lot 705 at Voigt & Campus Point Dr., San Diego

EASTERN
Walgreens Parking Lot 10512 Mission Gorge Rd., Santee
Alpine Sheriff’s Station 2751 Alpine Blvd., Alpine
El Cajon Police Department 100 Civic Center Way, El Cajon
La Mesa Police Department 8085 University Ave., La Mesa
SDSU – Parking Info Booth 6095 Canyon Crest Dr. via College Ave.
Lemon Grove Sheriff’s Station 3240 Main Street, Lemon Grove
Walgreens Parking Lot 9728 Winter Gardens Blvd., Lakeside

MILITARY
(Military, Retirees, Beneficiaries, & Staff Only)
Naval Medical Center San Diego (Balboa) Baxter Circle Between Bldg. 2 & 3
Navy Exchange 32nd St., in the NEX Lot @ Callagan Hwy gate
MCAS Miramar Exchange Building #2660 Elrod Avenue

If you are unable to drop off your unwanted prescriptions Saturday, you can do it during business hours any Monday through Friday at a sheriff's station or substation.

For a list of drop-off locations, go to this website.

At a forum in Beijing on Thursday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared that his country will seek a military and economic “separation” from long-time ally America. The Philippines will instead foster relations with China, he said.

"In this venue, your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States," Duterte said. "America has lost." 

Duterte is known for his inflammatory language toward the United States. He has denounced Barack Obama with expletives and derogatory terms, telling him to “go to hell.”

A water main break blocked traffic and interrupted service for residents in the Pacific Beach area Thursday.

San Diego Police were called to street flooding at 3 a.m.

Water flowed from underneath the street and traveled south on Ingraham and west on Missouri where it pooled in a parking lot.

A City of San Diego Public Utilities Department official confirmed to NBC 7 that a 10-inch diameter water main broke at the intersection of Ingraham Street and Missouri Street.

Crews are working on repairs.

Customers in the 4700 and 4800 blocks of Ingraham Street will be without water service until repairs are completed. The time given by officials was 5 p.m. Thursday.

Another major concern is the streets seem to cracking under the pressure of cars driving through the intersection.

A Vons grocery store in Carlsbad has reopened after shoppers were evacuated for more than two hours because of a suspicious bag.

Carlsbad police were called to a report of a suspicious bag just before 10 a.m. in the 6900 block of El Camino Real.

Carlsbad police said on Twitter that an employee at the Vons grocery store reported an unidentified plastic bag with heavy contents, so officers cleared the area while they examine the bag.

By 11:30 a.m., offficers said they were waiting for experts to examine the bag and were asking Vons shoppers to continue to stay patient as the grocery store was evacuated.

By 12:30 p.m., the grocery store had reopened and officers were given the all clear.

Check back for updates on this breaking news story. 

Authorities have recovered another set of remains in a small Long Island town plagued by gang violence that has now seen five bodies turn up in a little more than a month. 

The body found in the woods behind a state-run psychiatric hospital in Brentwood Sunday has been identified as Jose Pena-Hernandez, an 18-year-old man who hadn't been seen since June, police said. 

Pena-Hernandez's remains were discovered as police scoured the grounds of the facility near Crooked Hill Road and the Long Island Expressway as part of the ongoing investigation into the series of murders. 

The discovery follows the unearthing of four bodies of Brentwood High School students over the last six weeks. Oscar Acosta, 19, and Miguel Garcia-Moran, 15, were missing for several months before their bodies were found near Long Island Railroad tracks Sept. 26. 

Authorities said that the two were victims of gang violence.

Two young girls, best friends with a passion for basketball, were found dead two weeks before Acosta and Garcia-Moran. On Sept. 13, the day before her 16th birthday, Nisa Mickens' brutally beaten body was found on a tree-lined street in Brentwood. A day later, the beaten body of her lifelong friend, 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas, was discovered in the wooded backyard of a nearby home. Investigators suspect they too were victims of gang violence.

Police said Thursday that Pena-Hernandez was a known MS-13 gang member. An autopsy will be conducted to determine how he died, but police say they are investigating the case as a homicide. 

Suffolk Police said Thursday Pena-Hernandez's remains were not found by accident. They said they've been putting pressure on the more than 25 known MS-13 gang members previously in custody on various charges -- some felonies, some misdemeanors -- as part of a larger gang takedown. None of the dozens of gang members arrested were charged in the murders but they're facing state or federal RICO charges -- meaning they need to cooperate or face lengthy prison sentences.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Timothy Sini told residents, "You're going to hear helicopters more often. That doesn't mean we're actively searching for anyone. We are engaging in proactive patrols and that includes by our schools, certain hot spots and in the air."

Anyone with information on the killings of Pena-Hernandez, Garcia-Moran, Acosta, Mickens or Cuevas is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. A $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in the deaths of Mickens and Cuevas.

Brentwood had a population of 60,664 as of 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

A key finding in San Diego may change the way researchers develop treatments and vaccines for the Zika virus.

Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine found that when a person is infected with the Zika virus, a cell will change its RNA as a way to remove the virus. Their research was published Thursday in Cell Host & Microbe.

RNA is the genetic material that acts as a messenger for DNA in the body’s protein building process.

When the Zika virus infects a cell, the cell modifies viral RNA with N6-methyladenosine (m6A).  Increasing m6A methylation decreased Zika virus production, the researchers found.

“These findings are also something researchers should keep in mind as they are designing new Zika virus vaccines and treatments that target the viral genome — some approaches won’t work unless they take methylation into account,” senior author Tariq Rana, PhD, professor of pediatrics at UC San Diego School of Medicine said in a written release.

Rana and his team made the discovery while comparing how the Zika virus treats a patient’s RNA and the HIV virus.

“We didn’t want to miss out on this important information the way we missed it for 30 years of HIV research,” Rana said.

The school says the team of researchers will take these findings and look at how changes to RNA can affect the Zika virus as well as the likelihood that a molecule targeting specific structures within the RNA may be a way to treat the virus.

Study co-authors include: Gianluigi Lichinchi, Yinga Wu, UC San Diego and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute; Boxuan Simen Zhao, Zhike Lu, Chuan He, University of Chicago and Howard Hughes Medical Institute; and Yue Qin, UC San Diego.

This research was funded, in part, by the National Institutes of Health and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

A cross-border tunnel was discovered just south of the the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tunnel Task Force confirmed Thursday.

A number of Mexican law enforcement agencies surrounded the business near Tijuana Airport after reports that a drug tunnel was found.

The business is along Boulevard Cuauhtémoc Norte near Olivos, 500 meters south of the border and the main route to the Tijuana International Airport.

The location is less than five miles southeast of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

State, federal police and military officers surrounded the business, which sells ice.

The street is the same one where a tunnel was found last February, officials said.

"In order to ensure the integrity of the ongoing investigation and the safety of those involved, HSI San Diego is not providing additional details at this time," a spokesperson told NBC 7.

An NBC 7 news crew discovered a U.S. Border Patrol agent security at a warehouse on the U.S. side of the border Thursday afternoon.

The Tijuana International Airport is connected to the U.S. through a 390-foot pedestrian bridge.

The cross-border terminal was built to service an estimated two million travelers.

The bridge was designed to decrease the wait for Americans flying in and out of Tijuana airport to about 30 Mexican destinations.

Two chihuahuas trapped inside a red Mustang in San Diego's East Village during scorching midday temperatures were freed when the owner returned, right as officers used a device to break open the car.  

San Diego Police officers first got the call around 12:12 p.m. Thursday for the trapped dogs, located on Island between 14th and 15th Street.

The reporting party initially thought the dogs were dead, but San Diego Police said the dogs are alive. 

A crowd of people waited on scene for animal control officers to arrive.

Witness Corey Carlson said he and his neighbor, who were walking their own dogs, noticed the chihuahuas inside the Mustang and called police.

Carlson said police officers showed up 40 minutes later, but said they couldn't do anything because the dogs didn't appear to be in distress.

"So they had to be on the verge of death" before doing anything," Carlson said.

He said he then planned to use a hammer to smash the car window, believing he had the legal right to do so because of a recently enacted California law.

A 911 dispatcher, however, told him that the law, which allows a bystander to break a car window to free animals in distress, doesn't take effect until January.

Soon after, officers responded again and this time used a tool to open the car. At the same time, the woman who owned the car showed up with another dog.

Those who had been waiting for her other two dogs to be freed could be seen criticizing her as she arrived.

She could be heard on video saying: "I had no idea they were in there."

The two dogs were impounded. They did not appear to suffer any heat related injuries

Animal Control officers spoke with the owner of the dogs. She was cited $50 and can have her dogs back once she pays the fine.

Carlson said he was upset at the time it took officers to remove the chihuahuas from the car. He estimates the dogs were inside the car for four-and-a-half hours.

"You may not see signs of distress, but they're cooking in there," he said. "I think they should have broke window. It's just depressing."

Measure M would increase a cap on the amount of affordable housing units in which the city of San Diego can be involved.

The proposal was placed on the ballot in July after a study by the San Diego Association of Governments reported the city of San Diego needs 38,680 affordable rental housing units for low- and very low-income residents by 2020.

Councilman Todd Gloria said the ballot measure will make room for creation of additional affordable housing.

“It won’t construct it, it won’t necessarily fund it but it allows it to actually be,” Gloria explained adding that it’s an important first step to getting housing most families can afford.

No argument against Measure M was filed in the office of the City Clerk.

“Everyone says that this is a good idea,” Gloria said adding that even employers have asked for more affordable housing so they can recruit employees to the area.

Forty-two percent of homeowners and 57 percent of renters spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing, according to Aimee Faucett, Executive Vice President & COO of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

She said affordable housing is a priority and this ballot measure allows voters to send a message.

“This is only one step closer. It’s not going to solve the problem,” Faucett said. “A vote Yes on Measure M will signal to the City Council and housing commission that it’s a mandate to make sure affordable housing units are built for our families.”

Read more about the measure here.

The families of the victims killed when a suspected DUI driver flew 60 feet off the ledge, killing four in a crowded park below, spoke by the memorial site Thursday, remembering the lives lost. 

Jacob Contreras, the nephew of Cruz Elias Contreras, 52, AnnaMarie Contreras, 50, spoke on behalf of the victims Thursday afternoon.

He told the mourners about about Cruz and AnnaMarie. The couple, married for 35 years, were foster parents who opened their homes to many children, sometimes keeping siblings as long as it took to make sure they would not be split up.

Happy Birthday balloons flew above the memorial as Jacob spoke, as Thursday would have been AnnaMarie's birthday. 

The other two victims, Andre Christopher Banks, 49, and Francine Denise Jimenez, 46, dated for almost a year.

Francine was a mother of four and a grandmother of one. 

All four victims were attending the La Raza Ride motorcycle festival when they were killed Saturday. A pick up truck driven by 24-year-old Richard Sepolio flew over the bridge, landing onto the crowded park. 

Sepolio, an active duty service member with the U.S. Navy, stationed in Coronado, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges related to the fatal crash Wednesday, including four counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

Family members say they don't want the victims' accomplishments to be overshadowed by such a horrific tragedy.

"It was important to come out here and pay our respects to my aunt and uncle, the ones who passed, and also who they were as people," Jacob said. "I think a lot of that has been lost because the accident was so terrible. I want the world to know that these four people were loved."

Family members say they are so thankful for the support from the community. 

Caltrans is investigating the crash and they expect the investigation to be concluded in three to four weeks. The Caltrans investigation will determine what changes, if any, need to be made to the bridge going forward.

The two-year anniversary of the shooting death of Laquan McDonald is expected to be met with protests and calls for change.

With some declaring Oct. 20 Laquan Day, protesters are expected to gather for a “day of action” to “commemorate his life.”

An event is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Chicago Police Headquarters, where demonstrators are set to speak out at a Chicago Police Board Hearing, demanding the “termination of all police officers involved with falsifying police reports in efforts of covering up [McDonald’s] death.”

Seventeen-year-old McDonald was shot 16 times on Oct. 20, 2014, by a Chicago officer. Police claimed at the time McDonald has lunged at them, but dashcam video released last year showed McDonald apparently walking away when he was shot.

Officers at the scene said McDonald was told numerous times to drop his knife, but the dashcam video of the shooting had no audio.

Officer Jason Van Dyke has been charged with first-degree murder in McDonald's death; he had pleaded not guilty. Several other officers involved in the case face administrative charges, including making a false report.

Many have questioned the handling of the case over the last two years, with a grand jury set to consider whether or not police officers lied in connection with the shooting.

A woman who witnessed the fatal police shooting has filed a federal lawsuit claiming she was detained by police and pressured to change her story shortly after the shooting.

“Two years ago Laquan McDonald lost his life tragically and unnecessarily," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. "His death was a wake-up call for our city on an issue that has challenged the city for decades, and brought a renewed commitment to a public conversation about policing and community relations. But more than just breaking from the past, we will continue working together across the city to build a brighter future by restoring trust between residents and our officers, and implementing the reforms necessary to prevent this from happening again.”

More than 600 people have said on Facebook they plan to attend the Thursday evening event.

When seconds mattered, a North Texas police officer made an impact that will last a lifetime. And on Wednesday, the family of the 3-year-old boy whose life he saved got to thank its hero.

"Go give him a hug," Bethany Hoover told her 3-year-old son, Brayden Geis, sending him over to Granbury Police Officer Chase Miller.

There was a lot of meaning in that hug, a thank you too big for words for what Miller did last week.

"I thought my life was over when it happened. I mean, he is my life," Hoover said of her son.

Brayden was visiting his mother at work when he spiked a fever, had a seizure and stopped breathing.

"His eyes were rolling further and further in the back of his head, and it was just something you never want to see your son do," said Brayden's father, John Geis.

Miller was close by and heard the call on his radio. Even though he wasn't directly dispatched, Miller came straight over, making it to the scene long before an ambulance. He calmly took Brayden from his frantic mother and immediately started CPR.

"Just trying to get him breathing," Miller said. "Everything else that's going on around you doesn't matter at that point."

Miller got out a breathing mask and had Brayden's dad continue chest compressions until he started breathing again.

"He was crying and it was just relief immediately," Hoover said.

Granbury's City Council honored Miller for his quick thinking Tuesday night. But a hug from Brayden's little arms is all he needs.

"It feels good to know that he's all right," Miller said. "I'm very thankful."

Thankful doesn't begin to cover it for Brayden's mom and dad. Their little fireball is back at it like nothing happened, though his parents will make sure he knows the story.

"He's going to know who saved his life," John Geis said.

Miller and his wife are expecting their first child, and Brayden's mom gave him some advice: never let go.

The two families plan to stay in touch for a long time.

Family members mourning the loss of their loved ones at Chicano Park late Thursday night had to run out of the way as a man in a military uniform began driving erratically on the grass at the park, San Diego Police (SDPD) officers confirm to NBC 7 San Diego. 

The incident happened at approximately 10:30 p.m. Wednesday evening at Chicano Park, the site of Saturday's fatal Coronado Bridge crash. The park is located in San Diego's Barrio Logan neighborhood, just south of Downtown San Diego. 

Police say a man in a military uniform drove onto the grass at the park late at night and came close to the memorial site, where he started driving erratically. 

Family members mourning at the site said they had to rush to jump out of the way to avoid being hit. 

One of those family members then called San Diego Police to report the incident. 

At the park, tire marks are still visible from where the driver drove erratically. 

San Diego Police did not know whether they would have additional security at the site of the memorial Thursday evening. 

No other information was immediately available.

Immigration, terrorism, religion, scandal. There are three weeks before the November 8th election. Have you spoken to your children about what is going on?

“It’s challenging,” said Annette Boelter, mother of a third grader, a junior high school student and a high school student.

Psychologist and San Diego School Board member Dr. John Lee Evans said, “We absolutely need to talk to our children,” no matter what the grade level.

“You don't need to overexpose them to things they may not know about, but that's why the first question is what do you know about what's going on. What have you heard?”

Evans said children are paying attention. They are hearing about the election, and some may be frightened.

“We might be picked up in the middle of the night, taken away from our home, our religion may not be allowed anymore in this country, things like that. They don't realize one person doesn't have all the power,” Evans said.

Parents say they have used the election for teaching moments.

“We do talk about it,” said Boelter. “We talk about how the choices you make now affect you later.”

She added, “having boys, teaching them to respect women is really important.”

This presidential more than prior races is playing out on social media and students have access to that through mobile devices.

Donald Trump dominated the Twitter conversation Thursday surrounding the third and final presidential debate.

Twitter says that the Republican nominee was the subject of nearly 60 percent of the tweets sent about the candidates.

The social media platform says the top tweeted moment was Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's discussion about treatment of women. The second most tweeted was Trump's refusal to say if he'll accept the results of the election should he lose.

Here are seven common myths about earthquakes, exposed:

Myth 1: "Go for the doorway when an earthquake strikes."

A lasting earthquake image of California is a collapsed adobe home with the door frame as the only standing part. This image spurred the myth of doorways as the safest place to be during a quake. Modern homes are built so that doorways are no safer than any other part of the house. You are much safer under a table.

Myth 2: "Big earthquakes always happen in the early morning."

It's common for people to notice the earthquakes that fit the pattern and forget the ones that don't. Earthquakes strike at all times throughout the day. Several recent damaging earthquakes have occurred in the early morning, so people tend to believe all big earthquakes happen then.

Myth 3: "Earthquake faults can open wide enough to swallow people and buildings."

A popular literary device is a fault that opens during an earthquake to swallow up an inconvenient character. Gaping faults exist only in fiction. During an earthquake, the ground moves across a fault, not away from it. If the fault could open, there would be no friction. If there were no friction, there would be no earthquakes.

Myth 4: "California will split apart from the United States and sink into the ocean."

Those envious of sunny California and its beaches like to believe this myth. The motion of plates will not cause California to sink, as western California is moving horizontally along the San Andreas fault and up around the Transverse ranges (mountains to the northeast of the L.A. basin). (The sections of land on both sides of the San Andreas fault are converging and getting closer together.) The ocean is not a great hole into which the state can fall, but is itself land at a somewhat lower elevation with water above it.

Myth 5: "We must have good buildings, because we have good building codes."

What if buildings were built before a code was enacted? Codes may be updated, but the older buildings are what exist. This is why retrofitting older buildings is a key responsibility of the building's owner. Simply checking to make sure your building has been retrofitted, if necessary, can save lives.

Myth 6: "Everyone will panic during the big one."

The idea that people generally always panic and run around madly during and after earthquakes, creating more dangerous situations for themselves and others, is a common belief. Research shows, however, that people are prone to protect themselves and help others during and after earthquakes. Most people don't get too shaken up about being "shook up."

Myth 7: "The weather is hot and dry; you know what that means? Earthquake."

It's a common belief that earthquakes are more common in certain types of weather. Earthquakes, however, start many kilometers below the region affected by surface weather. People notice earthquakes that fit a pattern and disregard the ones that don't. Every region of the world has a story about earthquake weather, but the type of weather is basically what the weather was like, when they had their most memorable earthquake.

Myth 8: "Dogs or other animals know when an earthquake is coming."

There is no evidence to suggest that any animal behavior is in response to a future earthquake. While some animal behavior changes have been observed before earthquakes, such behavior is not consistent or guaranteed. In an earthquake, it is possible that animals can feel the very early stages before humans are aware.

Myth 9: "Earthquakes are becoming more frequent."

Due to technological advancements, scientists are able to measure smaller earthquakes that previously went unrecorded, so there is more information about quakes happening. Earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7.0 have actually decreased in recent years after remaining fairly consistent throughout the last century.

Myth 10: "We can predict earthquakes."

There is currently no scientific way to determine when earthquakes will occur. Scientists can make statements about earthquake rates and where earthquakes are likely to occur at some future point, but they cannot calculate when and where earthquakes of certain magnitudes will strike.

Sources: The information here is available in partnership between the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles, Earthquake Country Alliance, CA Department of Conservation and US Geological Survey.

Red flag warnings are issued in California when weather conditions increase the risk of wildfires, but there are fire prevention and home protection steps that can be taken well in advance of hot, dry and windy conditions.

Cal Fire, the state's firefighting agency, provided the following advice to help Californian's prevent a small spark from becoming a devastating wildfire. These safety tips, including how to prepare your property and family for wildfires, can save property and lives. 

Below, you'll find a printable evacuation plan and homeowner's checklist, emergency supply kit details and tips to reduce the risk of wildfires in the first place.

Before the Fire

When fires threaten homes, local fire and law enforcement agencies may order evacuations to save lives. That means residents should be prepared by following these pre-evacuation tips.

• Create an evacuation plan checklist
• Make sure your emergency supply kit is ready and in your vehicle
• Protect yourself against the heat and embers by wearing long pants and shirt sleeves, suitable shoes, something to cover your head and even protective eyewear
• Make a plan for your animals. Know where you'll take them and remember that some evacuation shelters might not allow animals 
• Review Cal Fire's homeowner's checklist

Protecting Your Home: Defensible Space

Cal Fire inspects homes in fire-prone areas for defensible space -- a barrier around the home designed to prevent fires from spreading to buildings. Defensible space is considered the area 100 feet around the home, divided into two zones.

• Zone 1: This area extends to 30 feet from the home. It should be clear of dead plants, grass and weeds, dry leaves and pine needles. Tree branches should be 10 feet apart.
• Zone 2: This area is 30 to 100 feet from the home. Grass should be kept to a maximum of 4 inches high. The lowest branches of trees should be trimmed to provide at least 6 feet of clearance from the ground to avoid a "fire ladder" that allows flames to spread up trees. 

When to Evacuate

When fire officials recommend evacuations, it's time to go. Remember that neighbors will be evacuating, too, so roads that firefighters use to do their jobs will likely be congested. A few things to keep in mind.

• Authorities will outline evacuation routes after studying fire behavior, winds, terrain and the weather forecast
• Law enforcement agencies, such as sheriff and police departments, are charged with enforcing evacuations. They also will provide updates on evacuations and shelter for evacuated residents
• If it's too late to evacuate, fire officials suggest staying inside and calling 911. Fill sinks and tubs with water, close windows and doors, but make sure they're not locked in case rescuers need to enter the home

Wildfire Prevention

About 95 percent of California's wildfires are caused by people who fail to follow a few safety steps when using equipment outdoors, camping, burning debris and even driving a car.

Outdoor Equipment Use

Lawn mowers and other types of outdoor equipment need to be used with caution, especially during red flag conditions when a spark can quickly grow into a brush fire.

• Mow before 10 a.m.
• Avoid mowing when conditions are windy and dry
• Watch for rocks and other objects than can generate sparks when struck by metal blades
• Keep a phone nearby. If you need to call 911 to report a fire, do it right away

Vehicle Maintenance

Hundreds of brush fires start alongside California's roads each year. The cause is often sparks produced by a vehicle that land in dry brush on the roadside.

• Don't let chains dangle from a vehicle and drag on the road. Safety pins should be used to keep chains in place
• Check under your car to make sure no parts, such as the muffler or other parts of the exhaust system, are coming into contact with the road
• Have a fire extinguisher in your car
• Avoid driving onto dry grass, such as parking areas in fields and narrow shoulders on the side of the road. The brush can burn when ignited by a hot car part
• Check your brakes. Worn pads can mean metal-to-metal contact, which can produce sparks that fly into dry brush on the side of the road

Camping

Campfires on public land require a permit from Cal Fire, the U.S. Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management.

• Build the fire on level ground away from brush or anything else that could catch fire. You'll need at least 10 feet of diameter space
• Make sure the fire is out using the "drown, stir and feel" method. Douse the fire with water, stir the area with a shovel and then put dirt on the site to smother coals and embers. Use the back of your hand to "feel" whether the area is still hot

Debris Burning Safety

It's best to check with the fire department before burning debris, which might require a permit.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has a new member to show-off to guests—a baby gorilla.

On Wednesday morning, animal care staff arrived to discover that Kokomo the Gorilla had given birth to a baby girl. The now 2-day-old baby is being cared for by her mother, whom staff say is very protective and attentive.  

But the adorable little bundle of joy was shown off to park guests on Thursday by her mother Kokomo, who constantly held the baby. 

According to officials from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, even staff have not had contact with the baby yet. But both are doing well—the baby expected to have a weight of approximately 3.5 to 4.5 pounds. 

The baby has not yet been named.

She is the second baby gorilla born to mother Kokomo and father Winston at the zoo. Kokomo is a six-time mom, having given birth to twins at the Oklahoma City Zoo in 1999.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has a troop of eight gorillas, including one adult male, three adult females and three baby gorillas, ranging from ages eight-years old, five and two.