Los Angeles Wildfires: 24 Confirmed Dead, Blame Game Intensifies
The Los Angeles wildfires claim 24 lives, with political leaders trading accusations over management failures as thousands evacuate their homes.
Politics
Mostly Reliable
Summary
The Los Angeles wildfires have resulted in 24 confirmed deaths, with significant property damage reported. President-elect Donald Trump criticizes California Gov. Gavin Newsom for alleged mismanagement, while Newsom defends collaborative efforts. Mary Trump condemns her uncle's politicization of the crisis. Local officials face scrutiny over resource allocation and environmental policies that exacerbated the situation. Experts highlight the longstanding systemic issues in California's fire management and water policies. Despite political finger-pointing, the fires reveal a catastrophic confluence of environmental factors and insufficient crisis preparation.
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From the Left
Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to expedite the rebuilding process for those affected by recent wildfires, acknowledging the bureaucratic barriers that delayed recovery efforts and vowing to cut red tape.
The state has recognized the role of local water infrastructure in firefighting challenges, with Newsom focusing on fixing these issues to improve response in future incidents, while climate change is still framed as a major contributor to the fires.
In response to the criticism over funding, the administration stresses its commitment to supporting fire management and prevention efforts through increased investments, emphasizing the long-term goal of fire resilience for communities.
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From the Right
Critics have condemned Governor Gavin Newsom's management of California's water resources during the wildfire crisis, citing his failure to address local reservoir issues that exacerbated firefighting efforts.
There are ongoing concerns about the adequacy of state firefighting resources and responsiveness, with expert commentary highlighting the dramatic conditions facing firefighters, raising doubts about state preparedness in handling disasters of this magnitude.
President-elect Donald Trump and other critics have consistently blamed Newsom's environmental policies for the worsening situation, arguing that the lack of water management has led to broader devastation and questioning the governor's accountability in this disaster.
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Highlights (18)
But that dodging and weaving can't erase the serious missteps that led to this very predictable moment.
California’s fire catastrophe is largely a result of bad government policies
Reason
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The catastrophe unfolding in Los Angeles is the result of a perfect confluence of environmental factors — that even the best planning likely could not have stopped.
Opinion | Stop looking for someone to blame for Los Angeles’ tragic wildfires
MSNBC
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"After four years of his first administration, we are all too familiar with the sort of chaos he brings to already fraught situations."
Mary Trump Exposes The ’Sordid’ Truth About Uncle's Leadership In Disasters
HuffPost
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This fire in Altadena was just one of eight destructive wildfires that lay siege to Los Angeles this past week. With almost no rain for eight months, hillsides and backyards were bone dry, primed to burn.
CBS News
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Gov. Gavin Newsom's decision to increase California National Guard personnel to combat the Los Angeles wildfires underscores the state's urgent need for resources amid a disaster that has already claimed lives and devastated communities.
Newsom deploys an additional 1,000 National Guard members to California wildfires
The Hill
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While we're making some progress, the end is not even close yet.
LA fires death toll rises to 24 as high winds expected
BBC News
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom told NBC News' Jacob Soboroff in a wide-ranging "Meet the Press" interview that the wildfires will be one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history.
L.A.-area fires rage, extreme conditions expected to last for days: Weekend Rundown
NBC News
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The fires have killed at least 16 people and sent over 100,000 people from their homes under evacuation orders with another 87,000 told to be ready, if they haven't already fled.
Eaton and Palisades fires: See preliminary damage maps from Los Angeles County
USA TODAY
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday will likely go down as the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.
Critical days ahead as emergency crews make progress against L.A. fires
Boston Herald
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Trump has been bought for $1 billion by Big Oil. Just a payoff to kill the IRA and the Green New Deal. We know what will happen. More fires, more climate disasters, more death.
Democrat Sen. Markey: L.A. Fires Are 'Climate Disaster' Stoked by Trump, 'More Death' Coming
Breitbart News
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday tried to play semantics and weasel out of blame by saying state reservoirs were “completely full” when the LA fires broke out — even though a county-run reservoir had been drained at the time.
California Gov. Newsom tries to weasel out of blame with reservoir claim — is immediately called out
New York Post
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The increased exploitation of fossil fuels that Donald Trump has promised would worsen our already severe wildfire problems.
Donald Trump's policies could exacerbate future wildfires, professors warn
Newsweek
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When the fires are extinguished, victims who have lost their homes and businesses must be able to rebuild quickly and without roadblocks.
MEDIAite
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Trump has hurled blame at Governor Gavin Newsom (D) – whom he has feuded with for years – for the wildfire crisis, proclaiming he should resign.
Trump slams officials’ handling of Los Angeles inferno: ‘Incompetent’
NewsNation
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Critics said the California governor was deflecting responsibility following multiple media appearances amid the crisis.
Gov. Newsom dragged on social media after recent interviews amid devastating wildfires
FOX News
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Trump seemed to suggest the water constraints were due to statewide water management plans, but experts said those plans would not have affected the fire response, highlighting that the local water system failed because the city’s infrastructure was built to respond to routine structure fires, not massive wildfires.
Fact-checking misinformation about the Los Angeles wildfires and California water policy
PBS NewsHour
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This initiative comes as Newsom faces sharp criticism over his handling of the ongoing fires, which Newsom has pushed back against.
The Post Millennial
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At least 24 people are believed to be dead and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple fires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds, continue to rage across Southern California, leaving fire crews scrambling to contain the historic destruction.
California fires live updates: If you fly a drone, you'll be prosecuted, DA warns
ABC News
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