Actress Jean Smart has called on television networks to forego broadcasting live award shows and instead donate the proceeds to aid victims of the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County.
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 under fire for her absence during the city’s battle with catastrophic wildfires fueled by unprecedented windstorms. The mayor was in Ghana on a taxpayer-funded delegation to attend the inauguration of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama as fires ravaged the city and forced over 80,000 residents to evacuate.
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.
Southern California is facing dangerous air quality conditions as three major wildfires—the Palisades Fire in western Los Angeles, the Eaton Fire near Altadena, and the Hurst/Sylmar Fire near Santa Clarita—continue to burn out of control.
