That’s a wrap – thank you for reading the Need to Know blog today. These were some of the main stories:

• New LA fire prompts evacuations: A fresh blaze prompted evacuations on Thursday (Friday AEDT) in and around the battered city even as firefighters aided by calmer winds saw the first signs of successfully beating back the deadly and devastating bushfires, while the enormity of the devastation started to emerge.

• Trump fails to delay sentencing in hush money case: A divided Supreme Court rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s bid to postpone his hearing in New York.

• Biden debunks Trump’s wildfire water claims: President Joe Biden took some time during a White House briefing to refute President-elect Donald Trump’s claims that the hydrants were running dry because of water conservation priorities, without naming Trump directly.

• Republicans, led by Trump, blame Democrats for wildfires: Donald Trump, Elon Musk and other Republicans have blamed Democrat policies rather than climate change for the California fires that have killed at least five people and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.

• Coalition targets Victorian seats: Liberal MP Keith Wolahan said Victorians are hurting and are “looking for an alternative on social issues” ahead of the federal election, where the Coalition is hoping to retake seats from Labor within the southern state.

• Jimmy Carter’s funeral brings together five current and former US presidents: As they filed into the front pews at Washington National Cathedral, wearing dark suits and mostly solemn faces, five current and former presidents came together for Carter’s service. For an event that stretched more than an hour, the feuding, grievances and enmity that had marked their rival campaigns and divergent politics gave way to a reverential moment for one of their own.