Actor Zachary Levi spoke with Jesse Watters of Fox News, calling for Democrat leaders, specifically Governor Gavin Newsom (D), to be held accountable for the California fires.
Political commentator Mike Cernovich called for President-elect Donald Trump to intervene in the state of California to reconstruct its policies to benefit its citizens.
The Department of Defense announced that it would "provide additional firefighting personnel and capabilities to California as that state’s Los Angeles County region continues to be ravaged by a series of out-of-control wildfires.”
As devastating wildfires ravage California, some liberal voices have taken to social media to blame former President Donald Trump for the crisis. Sam Stein, managing editor at The Bulwark, claimed on Twitter that Trump’s past remarks about withholding federal wildfire aid were relevant to the state’s current struggles. Stein tweeted that Trump’s threats to cut wildfire relief funds “dawned on him” as fires consumed thousands of acres in Los Angeles, destroying homes and forcing evacuations.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing backlash after her city was engulfed by wildfires while she was on a trip to Africa. Just weeks prior, Bass had touted her administration’s achievements in making Los Angeles "greener," including surpassing water conservation goals and creating sustainable water supplies.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has delayed its Oscar nominations announcement by 48 hours due to the deadly wildfires devastating Los Angeles. Originally scheduled for January 17, the announcement will now take place on January 19, the BBC reports.
As wildfires rage across California, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and President-elect Donald Trump offered starkly different explanations for the devastation. Sanders attributed the fires to climate change, calling it an "existential crisis" and urging swift action. Trump, meanwhile, placed the blame on California’s Democratic leadership, citing poor water management and restrictive regulations as contributing factors.
Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., criticized California's handling of forest management amid the wildfires currently devastating areas near Los Angeles. Speaking on Newsmax's Wake Up America, Zinke attributed the scale and intensity of the fires to years of inadequate management practices.
Border Patrol agents in California apprehended Venezuelan migrant Jose Gonzalez Roa, a suspected member of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang. Gonzalez Roa has a lengthy criminal record spanning New York, Colorado, and California, where he is wanted for attempted murder. Despite previous deportations, the suspect managed to cross the U.S.-Mexico border multiple times, including a recent return to Mexico reportedly to visit his girlfriend.
