Hollywood icon Barbra Streisand took to social media on Thursday to blame the fierce winds fueling Los Angeles wildfires on climate change, demanding that the government take immediate action. "These horrible winds I think are the strongest we’ve ever experienced and a lot of that is due to climate change, which this coming government better address!" Streisand wrote on Bluesky, a left-leaning social platform.
Joel Pollak, Breitbart News senior editor-at-large, criticized California's government response to the Pacific Palisades wildfires during an appearance on Fox News Channel's The Ingraham Angle Thursday night. Pollak praised residents for stepping up to help each other while accusing government leaders of being "completely AWOL" during the crisis.
President Joe Biden surprised reporters with a personal announcement during a press briefing with California Governor Gavin Newsom about the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires. Speaking from a firehouse in Santa Monica, the 82-year-old president shifted focus from the devastating fires to share that he had become a great-grandfather.
A homeless man was arrested for allegedly starting the Kenneth Fire in Los Angeles after locals detained him while he appeared to use a makeshift flamethrower. The suspect was seen in Woodland Hills on Thursday afternoon, riding a bicycle and igniting fires on old Christmas trees and trash cans. These incidents occurred near the ignition point of the Kenneth Fire, which has since burned over 960 acres.
Los Angeles County is grappling with five major wildfires that have consumed over 27,000 acres, destroyed nearly 2,000 structures, and displaced over 130,000 residents under evacuation orders.
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.
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.
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.
