Upon her return, Mayor Bass was met at the airport by David Belvins, a reporter for Skynews. In a video confrontation, Belvins questioned Bass about her absence by asking, “Madam Mayor, have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today who are dealing with this disaster?” Bass looked uncomfortable and avoided eye contact with Belvins from Skynews, as she did not respond to his questions.
Bass has been thrown into the spotlight and criticized for her leadership. And many have blamed her for the disaster which the fire has caused because of the extreme budget cuts she made to the L.A. Fire Department. For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the city of L.A budgeted $837 million for the L.A fire department. Which is roughly 65 percent of the size of the homeless budget, which sits at just $1.3 billion. This year, the L.A. Fire Department’s budget was reduced by $17,553,814, which took the budget from $837,191,237 down to $819,637,423. Bass is also facing backlash for a four-year-old Tweet that criticized Senator Ted Cruz for leaving the state of Texas to take a trip to Mexico while the state dealt with a severe winter storm.
People on social media quickly began to resurface the old Tweet and accuse Bass of being a hypocrite since she left California for Ghana just before the fires broke out. President-elect Donald Trump even joined in on the conversation. Trump took to Truth Social to shame Mayor Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom by blaming the spread of wildfires on them and their “gross incompetence.”
Several wildfires are still blazing across California. According to authorities, five individuals have already died, and thousands of others have been put under evacuation orders. As of Thursday, January 9, 2024, the fire has destroyed and/or damaged over 2,000 homes, businesses, and other structures, forcing over 100,000 people into evacuation. Power outages have also had a serious effect on citizens.
The fires in California currently affect citizens in the L.A. area; they are severe and cause mass destruction. Here are some of the key fires that have profoundly impacted the people of California.
The Palisades Fire is the most serious in California. It started on Tuesday and destroyed over 17,000 acres as of Thursday morning. The fire is located along the coast just between Santa Monica and Malibu, impacting some of the most expensive real estate in the United States. The fire has not been contained, as it is difficult due to the weather conditions and the terrain.
The Eaton Fire, which started near Altadena in the San Gabriel Mountains, has grown to just over 10 thousand acres. The Eaton Fire has led to at least five fatalities. The exact causes of the deaths of these individuals are still under investigation by authorities. The fire significantly damaged property and forced evacuation orders on thousands of people.
The Sunset Fire, located in the Hollywood Hills, was reported on Wednesday night as it grew to around 43 acres rapidly. Evacuation orders were in place for residents as the fire threatened some of Hollywood’s most iconic areas, such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Chinese Theatre, and the Dolby Theatre.
Several other fires have impacted California, such as the Hurst Fire in Sylmar and the Lidia Fire. The Hurst Fire has burned 855 acres and was driven by the powerful Santa Ana wind event, which saw wind gusts reach 100 miles per hour. About 10 percent of the fire is contained, and authorities are still investigating its cause.
The Lidia Fire broke out around 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, 2024, in the Action area of Los Angeles County. It began along Soledad Canyon Road in Acton, just 50 miles north of L.A. The fire started out small but then grew rapidly over the span of a few hours. Just an hour later, it spread from just a few acres to 50. By the evening, the fire had spread across 348 acres. It was reported on Thursday morning that the Lidia Fire had been 60 percent contained.
The Santa Ana winds have aggravated the fires. The winds are known for their hot and dry conditions, which was a key contributor to the rapid spread of the fires. The lack of rain has also left some areas containing vegetation extremely dry, amplifying the fires. Firefighting efforts to combat these fires have included using helicopters, water tenders, and dozers, along with additional support from neighboring states and military assets.
The firefighters and emergency responders are using all available resources to contain the fires burning across California.
