Author: Ryan W. Miller and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY

Two fires, one near Los Angeles and the other farther south near Laguna Beach, spread amid fierce winds on Thursday, along with a continued drought.

Fred was downgraded to a tropical depression, but the storm is forecast to strengthen again before taking aim at south Florida this weekend.

Meredith Watson said in a statement through her lawyers that Fairfax raped her while they were students at Duke University in 2000.