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.
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.
Actor Chris Pratt urged his followers to pray for Los Angeles firefighters battling the fast-moving wildfires engulfing the city for a second consecutive day. Pratt, known for his roles in Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World, took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to share his concerns and gratitude for first responders.
Firefighters contained a blaze in West Hollywood on Tuesday morning near Sunset Boulevard, as powerful winds created dangerous fire conditions across Southern California. The fire, reported at 10:10 a.m. near Sunset and La Cienega boulevards, prompted a swift response from crews.
