Technologies

What to know about this year’s raging wildfires

The Dixie wildfire was the largest in the US in 2021.

More than 7.6 million acres burned in the US in 2021 due to wildfires. That’s about 2.6 million fewer acres than 2020. California’s Dixie fire was the largest wildfire of 2021; it burned more than 960,000 acres before being contained. Drought was a major driver, as large regions of the West dealt with severe drought, according to the US Drought Monitor. On Oct. 21, the National Interagency Fire Center reduced the preparedness level from 5 (the highest and most severe) to 1 (the least severe): «Minimal fire activity resulting in many available resources nationally.»

Last year was a devastating year for wildfires in the US: 10.1 million acres burned. California was particularly hard hit, losing over 4.2 million acres to wildfires, setting state records. This year’s wildfire season was predicted to break records again but thankfully fell short.

Drought is only part of the problem. Strong winds, high heat, low humidity and lightning also create conditions for wildfires to more easily start or spread. Others, like last year’s 7,000-acre El Dorado gender-reveal party fire, were started by humans by accident. All of these factors, including how to manage wildfires once they start, are compounded by the climate crisis.

Wildfire season doesn’t have an official start date. It begins with the first wildfire of the year and ends with the last. Historically, wildfires are most likely to happen between May and October. Lately that paradigm has shifted — wildfires raged well into late 2020, burning a record-setting 735,125 acres in December.

We’ll be regularly updating the section below with resources on how to protect yourself, your family and your home if you live in a wildfire-prone area, as well as how to be more aware if you travel to an area prone to wildfires:

Natural disaster insurance: Protect your home: Homeowners insurance covers some damage caused by major events like floods and fires, but not necessarily everything. Learn about additional coverage you might need if you live in an area prone to natural disasters, including wildfires.
Best air purifiers: CNET’s Dave Priest details your options for improving indoor air quality if you’re dealing with anything from allergies to nearby smoke from wildfires.
Pet disaster prep: How to keep animals safe during a wildfire evacuation: There are a lot of natural-disaster resources out there, but there are special guidelines you need to follow if you have pets. Read tips from Cal Fire, FEMA and the American Red Cross on how to keep your pets safe before, during and after a wildfire evacuation.
Wildfires, tornadoes, floods, intruders: 4 ways your phone can save you in an emergency: There are a lot of ways your phone can help you out in an emergency. Get details on how your Android phone or iPhone can provide important resources when you need them most, in a variety of scenarios.
Emergency prep: 3 tips on recovering important documents after a natural disaster: Learn how to secure and recover IDs and other important documents to save yourself time and stress following a wildfire or other disaster.
How to prepare your home for wildfire season: CNET’s Kent German lives in a wildfire-prone area. Here he outlines the steps you need to take to get your home ready for wildfire season, including everything from how to store your propane tank to planting fire-resistant landscaping.
16 emergency apps for wildfires, earthquakes and other disasters: There are tons of apps out there with information and resources detailing what you should do before, during and after a natural disaster, including wildfires.
Emergency go bag: What to pack if you need to leave home ASAP: This detailed guide walks you through what type of bag you’ll need in the event of a natural disaster and what items to pack — and why they’re important to bring along.

There’s a lot more to come to help guide your emergency planning and preparedness, so be on the lookout for new stories right here. In the meantime, keep an eye on InciWeb for current information on wildfires in the US.

Technologies

YouTubers Sue Amazon, Claim AI Tool Was Trained on Scraped Videos

The lawsuit alleges that Amazon bypassed YouTube protections to collect content for its generative AI video system.

A group of YouTube creators is suing Amazon, accusing the tech giant of secretly scraping their videos to train its AI video model without permission.

The proposed class action lawsuit, filed in federal court in Seattle, alleges Amazon used automated tools to download and extract data from millions of YouTube videos to build and improve its Nova Reel generative AI system — a model that can create short videos from text prompts and images.

At the center of the complaint is how that data was obtained. The plaintiffs claim that Amazon bypassed YouTube’s protections using virtual machines and rotating IP addresses to avoid detection, effectively sidestepping the platform’s safeguards against bulk downloading.

The lawsuit was brought by several creators, including Ted Entertainment (the company behind the H3 Podcast and h3h3 Productions), as well as individual YouTubers and channel operators. They argue that the alleged scraping violated copyright law and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and are seeking damages as well as an injunction to stop the practice.

Amazon did not respond to a request for comment.

The case lands at a pivotal moment for generative AI, as courts weigh whether training on copyrighted material qualifies as fair use and how much control creators retain once their work is used to build these systems. The disputes have often centered on written material, which has been at the center of the AI revolution for several years, while AI video generators such as OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo have emerged more recently.

The lawsuit is one of dozens testing the boundaries of AI training practices, alongside high-profile cases from authors, artists and news organizations, including lawsuits against OpenAI and Meta, all circling the same unresolved question: Where does fair use end and infringement begin?

Technologies

The Galaxy Z TriFold Is Back. You Can Buy It From Samsung Soon

The $2,899 phone paused its sales in March after selling through its inventory, but Samsung is bringing it back to its online store.

Samsung’s $2,899 Galaxy Z TriFold is going back on sale on Friday, following a halt to its sales in March after the foldable phone sold through its inventory. Samsung has announced the TriFold’s return with a countdown clock on the phone’s online store page along with a Wednesday newsletter email sent to customers.

The initial pause, which Samsung said at the time was related to the TriFold being a «super-premium device in limited quantities,» happened after just three months of availability. The TriFold first went on sale in South Korea on Dec. 12 and then arrived in Samsung’s US store on Jan. 30. The TriFold sold out in the US within minutes of going on sale — which I know personally after joining my colleagues that morning in an attempt to buy it. Thankfully Senior Reporter Abrar Al-Heeti succeeded, and then reviewed the TriFold.

It’s unclear whether the Galaxy Z TriFold is now permanently returning to Samsung’s online store or if it is again on sale until its stock sells through. Given that the phone is very expensive, and unfolds to reveal a large, 10-inch display, it wouldn’t be surprising if its stock will be in limited quantities. We’ve asked a Samsung representative to clarify and will update if we hear more.

The Galaxy Z TriFold’s return also comes ahead of the summer season when we expect a slew of other foldable phones: Samsung typically refreshes its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip line in July or August, and Motorola has announced its first book-style Razr Fold phone will also debut during the season. And Apple’s rumored iPhone Fold (or perhaps iPhone Ultra based on latest rumors) could also be teased later this year.

Technologies

Help Us Crown the Most Loved Headphones and Earbuds of 2026

Got a pair you swear by? Take our People’s Picks survey to help us find a winner.

CNET just launched People’s Picks, a series of surveys where actual humans like you vote for the products and services you use. Starting in April, we want you to weigh in on your favorite headphones and earbuds. We’ll pick a winner based on which ones you love the most.

Why we want to hear from you

Our writers and editors test hundreds of products each year, but your real-world experience with these devices is something we can’t replicate in our labs. You’ve used these headphones at the gym, on your commute to work and on long flights, and that perspective is invaluable. Your voice helps others know about the headphones or earbuds you love, too.

«I review a lot of headphones and earbuds for CNET, and there are plenty of great models from the top brands in this survey that I rate highly. I’m always curious about what models people ultimately choose and why, so I’m excited to get your feedback and learn the results of this survey,» says David Carnoy, CNET’s executive editor and headphones expert.

With our survey, we’ll collect answers from real-world users like you. The headphones and earbuds chosen through our 3-minute survey will be featured in our People’s Picks roundup of the top picks based on your recommendation.

Make your voice heard

Whether you swear by a pair of $25 earbuds or love a pair of high-end headphones, your pick counts. The survey takes just a few minutes to complete, and after we gather enough information, we’ll tally the results and publish the winners.

Not sure what to pick? Check out our Best Headphones to revisit your favorites before voting.