Stephanie O'Neill

Thousands of Californians have been evacuated from the Santa Barbara area among fears of mudslides after heavy rains hit the hillsides denuded by the enormous Thomas fire.

The massive Thomas Fire in Southern California is now 89 percent contained and evacuees are starting to return home. The Upper Ojai Valley was especially hard-hit. About a quarter of the homes there were destroyed.

As the massive Thomas Fire burns in California, the Santa Barbara Zoo's elaborate evacuation plan involves 150 species, tranquilizers and maybe even throwing a towel over an alligator's head.

The fires in Southern California have forced many residents to evacuate multiple times within just a few days. That's leading to confusion about where to head next.

The largest wildfire in Southern California is in Ventura County north of Los Angeles. Fast-moving winds have caused the fire to scorch more than 95,000 acres since Monday night.

Multiple wildfires are burning in Southern California. In Los Angeles, the hills around The Getty Center museum are on fire. A massive fire in Ventura County has caused tens of thousands of people to evacuate as well. Accounts of the damage done and the effort to control the fires.

In the year since the state enacted a law allowing doctors to prescribe lethal drugs for terminal patients who request it, over 500 people have sought that help. But some doctors are still reluctant.

Caps in the GOP health plan have huge implications for people over 65. In addition to helping low-income seniors with long-term care, Medicaid helps pay for some of their Medicare premiums and copays.

A look at how five states' Affordable Care Act exchanges fared shows that more populous markets had an easier time keeping prices down and offering a choice of plans and providers.

Infertility is often a private struggle. But some couples are going public — via crowdfunding sites — to help subsidize in vitro fertilization treatments that can cost as much as $20,000 each time.