diff --git a/app/main.py b/app/main.py
index 3b4defe..8d3b7ec 100644
--- a/app/main.py
+++ b/app/main.py
@@ -69,17 +69,17 @@ def event_to_out(row: dict) -> EventOut:
     return EventOut(
         id=row["id"],
         source_type=row["source_type"],
-        source_id=row["source_id"],
-        title=row["title"],
-        body=row["body"],
-        url=row["url"],
-        sentiment_score=row["sentiment_score"],
-        sentiment_label=row["sentiment_label"],
-        location_lat=row["location_lat"],
-        location_lon=row["location_lon"],
-        location_name=row["location_name"],
-        entities=row["entities"],
-        tags=row["tags"],
+        source_id=row.get("source_id"),
+        title=row.get("title"),
+        body=row.get("body"),
+        url=row.get("url"),
+        sentiment_score=row.get("sentiment_score"),
+        sentiment_label=row.get("sentiment_label"),
+        location_lat=row.get("location_lat"),
+        location_lon=row.get("location_lon"),
+        location_name=row.get("location_name"),
+        entities=row.get("entities"),
+        tags=row.get("tags"),
         ingested_at=row["ingested_at"],
         source_timestamp=row["source_timestamp"],
     )
@@ -218,7 +218,15 @@ async def list_events(
 ):
     """List recent ingested events."""
     async with async_session() as session:
-        stmt = select(events).order_by(events.c.ingested_at.desc())
+        if has_coords:
+            stmt = select(
+                events.c.id, events.c.source_type, events.c.source_id,
+                events.c.title, events.c.url,
+                events.c.location_lat, events.c.location_lon, events.c.location_name,
+                events.c.ingested_at, events.c.source_timestamp,
+            ).order_by(events.c.ingested_at.desc())
+        else:
+            stmt = select(events).order_by(events.c.ingested_at.desc())
         if source_type:
             stmt = stmt.where(events.c.source_type == source_type.value)
         if since:
@@ -272,7 +280,29 @@ async def create_event(payload: EventCreate):
 
 # ── Active Fires / Hotspots (NASA FIRMS) ─────────────────────────────────
 
-@app.get("/api/fires", response_model=list[FireOut])
+def fire_heat_row(r) -> dict:
+    """Minimal FIRMS point for the heatmap overlay."""
+    return {
+        "lat": r["latitude"],
+        "lon": r["longitude"],
+        "i": r["brightness"],
+        "c": r["confidence"],
+    }
+
+
+def camera_map_row(r) -> dict:
+    """Minimal camera pin — URLs stay off the list payload."""
+    return {
+        "id": str(r["id"]),
+        "lat": r["location_lat"],
+        "lon": r["location_lon"],
+        "device_type": r["device_type"],
+        "discovery_source": r["discovery_source"],
+        "location_name": r["location_name"],
+    }
+
+
+@app.get("/api/fires", response_model=None)
 async def list_fires(
     bbox: str | None = Query(
         None,
@@ -286,12 +316,16 @@ async def list_fires(
                     "(ISO 8601, e.g. '2026-08-24T12:00:00Z').",
     ),
     limit: int = Query(2000, ge=1, le=10000),
+    format: str = Query("full", description="'full' FireOut rows or 'heat' {lat,lon,i,c}"),
 ):
     """List stored FIRMS active fire/hotspot detections as JSON.
 
     This is the data contract for the map's fire heatmap overlay: the frontend
-    calls `GET /api/fires?bbox=...&since=...` and renders the returned points.
+    calls `GET /api/fires?bbox=...&since=...&format=heat` and renders the points.
     """
+    fmt = (format or "full").lower()
+    if fmt not in ("full", "heat"):
+        raise HTTPException(422, "format must be 'full' or 'heat'")
     async with async_session() as session:
         stmt = select(fires).order_by(fires.c.acq_time.desc())
         if since:
@@ -316,6 +350,8 @@ async def list_fires(
             )
         stmt = stmt.limit(limit)
         rows = (await session.execute(stmt)).mappings().all()
+    if fmt == "heat":
+        return [fire_heat_row(r) for r in rows]
     return [
         FireOut(
             latitude=r["latitude"], longitude=r["longitude"],
@@ -798,7 +834,11 @@ async def list_cameras(
             stmt = stmt.where(cam_table.c.discovery_source == source)
         rows = (await session.execute(stmt.limit(limit))).mappings().all()
 
-    return [{
+    return [camera_map_row(r) for r in rows]
+
+
+def camera_detail_row(r) -> dict:
+    return {
         "id": str(r["id"]),
         "source_url": r["source_url"],
         "snapshot_url": r["snapshot_url"],
@@ -808,9 +848,23 @@ async def list_cameras(
         "location_name": r["location_name"],
         "vendor": r["vendor"],
         "device_type": r["device_type"],
-        "first_seen": r["first_seen"].isoformat(),
-        "last_seen": r["last_seen"].isoformat(),
-    } for r in rows]
+        "first_seen": r["first_seen"].isoformat() if r["first_seen"] else None,
+        "last_seen": r["last_seen"].isoformat() if r["last_seen"] else None,
+    }
+
+
+@app.get("/api/cameras/{camera_id}")
+async def get_camera(camera_id: UUID):
+    """Full camera row for a map popup. List endpoint stays slim."""
+    from camera_models import cameras as cam_table
+
+    async with async_session() as session:
+        row = (await session.execute(
+            select(cam_table).where(cam_table.c.id == camera_id)
+        )).mappings().one_or_none()
+    if not row:
+        raise HTTPException(404, "Camera not found")
+    return camera_detail_row(row)
 
 
 @app.get("/api/cameras/{camera_id}/snapshot")
@@ -959,6 +1013,10 @@ async def list_news(
     ),
     limit: int = Query(50, ge=1, le=500),
     offset: int = Query(0, ge=0),
+    include_content: bool = Query(
+        False,
+        description="Include full article body. Default false — ticker/list only need title/url.",
+    ),
 ):
     """Most recent scraped news articles (newest first)."""
     async with async_session() as session:
@@ -974,7 +1032,7 @@ async def list_news(
     return [
         NewsArticleOut(
             id=r["id"], title=r["title"], url=r["url"],
-            content=r["content"], domain=r["domain"],
+            content=r["content"] if include_content else None, domain=r["domain"],
             timestamp=r["timestamp"],
         )
         for r in rows
diff --git a/app/static/index.html b/app/static/index.html
index 0efdc8e..0b8242a 100644
--- a/app/static/index.html
+++ b/app/static/index.html
@@ -1921,10 +1921,12 @@ function setBaseOpacity(v) {
 
 /* ── FIRMS fire heatmap ── */
 function firesIntensity(f) {
+    const confidence = f.confidence || f.c;
+    const brightness = f.brightness != null ? f.brightness : f.i;
     if (firesColor === 'confidence') {
-        return f.confidence === 'h' ? 1.0 : f.confidence === 'l' ? 0.35 : 0.6;
+        return confidence === 'h' ? 1.0 : confidence === 'l' ? 0.35 : 0.6;
     }
-    const b = f.brightness || 300;
+    const b = brightness || 300;
     return Math.max(0.05, Math.min(1, (b - 290) / 110));
 }
 function firesGradient() {
@@ -1972,14 +1974,14 @@ async function loadFires() {
     if (!map) return;
     const req = ++fireReq;
     try {
-        let url = `${API}/api/fires?bbox=${currentBBox()}&limit=2000`;
+        let url = `${API}/api/fires?bbox=${currentBBox()}&limit=2000&format=heat`;
         const since = sinceToISO(firesSince);
         if (since) url += `&since=${encodeURIComponent(since)}`;
         const r = await fetch(url);
         const fires = await r.json();
         if (req !== fireReq) return; // superseded by a newer pan/zoom
         if (firesHeat) map.removeLayer(firesHeat);
-        const pts = fires.map(f => [f.latitude, f.longitude, firesIntensity(f)]);
+        const pts = fires.map(f => [f.lat ?? f.latitude, f.lon ?? f.longitude, firesIntensity(f)]);
         firesHeat = L.heatLayer(pts, {
             radius: 22, blur: 20, maxZoom: 9, max: 1.0, minOpacity: 0.2,
             gradient: firesGradient(),
@@ -2066,7 +2068,7 @@ async function loadCams() {
     }
     const req = ++camReq;
     try {
-        const r = await fetch(`${API}/api/cameras?bbox=${currentBBox()}&limit=5000`);
+        const r = await fetch(`${API}/api/cameras?bbox=${currentBBox()}&limit=2000`);
         const cams = await r.json();
         if (req !== camReq) return; // superseded by a newer pan/zoom
         if (camsGroup) map.removeLayer(camsGroup);
diff --git a/tests/test_map_payloads.py b/tests/test_map_payloads.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..982aeb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_map_payloads.py
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+"""Slim map-payload helpers (no DB)."""
+
+from uuid import uuid4
+
+from main import camera_map_row, fire_heat_row
+
+
+def test_fire_heat_row_is_tiny():
+    row = {
+        "latitude": 35.0,
+        "longitude": -78.0,
+        "brightness": 340.1,
+        "confidence": "h",
+        "satellite": "N21",
+        "acq_time": "2026-08-27T00:00:00Z",
+        "instrument": "VIIRS",
+        "frp": 12.4,
+    }
+    out = fire_heat_row(row)
+    assert out == {"lat": 35.0, "lon": -78.0, "i": 340.1, "c": "h"}
+    assert "satellite" not in out
+    assert "frp" not in out
+
+
+def test_camera_map_row_omits_urls():
+    cid = uuid4()
+    row = {
+        "id": cid,
+        "location_lat": 37.8,
+        "location_lon": -122.4,
+        "device_type": "hls",
+        "discovery_source": "caltrans",
+        "location_name": "I-80 WB",
+        "source_url": "https://example.invalid/playlist.m3u8",
+        "snapshot_url": "https://example.invalid/cam.jpg",
+        "vendor": "Caltrans",
+        "first_seen": None,
+        "last_seen": None,
+    }
+    out = camera_map_row(row)
+    assert out["id"] == str(cid)
+    assert out["lat"] == 37.8
+    assert out["lon"] == -122.4
+    assert out["device_type"] == "hls"
+    assert "source_url" not in out
+    assert "snapshot_url" not in out
+    assert "vendor" not in out