Destructive Wildfires in Los Angeles County Leave Thousands Devastated and Displaced

Recent wildfires in Los Angeles County have destroyed thousands of homes, resulting in fatalities and widespread evacuations across affected areas.

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World

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Summary

A summary of the key points of this story, verified by multiple sources.

Wildfires in Los Angeles County have burned over 27,000 acres, destroyed 1,900 structures, and resulted in at least five fatalities. With evacuation orders affecting over 130,000 residents, President Biden signed a federal emergency declaration and sent assistance as the catastrophic fires continue fueled by strong winds and dry vegetation. The situation has raised significant concerns over disaster preparedness and resources amid climate change contributing to increasingly severe fire seasons.

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From the Left

A recap of the main views or arguments shared by left-leaning sources.

Governor Gavin Newsom's decision to prioritize emergency measures for the Palisades fire, including a state of emergency declaration, highlights his commitment to public safety amidst increasingly severe climate-induced disasters.
The collaboration between state and federal resources, including the deployment of National Guard troops, underscores an effective partnership necessary for managing the catastrophic wildfires exacerbated by climate change and suboptimal urban planning.
Despite the scrutiny faced by Governor Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass over their crisis handling, they advocate for urgent climate action and necessary infrastructure improvements, emphasizing that climate change is a significant influence on the rising severity of wildfires.

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From the Right

A recap of the main views or arguments shared by right-leaning sources.

Donald Trump has publicly condemned Governor Gavin Newsom's management of California's water resources, asserting that his decisions have led to insufficient supply during wildfires, thus worsening the crisis.
The fires have revealed critical weaknesses in L.A.'s urban water system, which was unprepared for the high demand during such emergencies, raising significant concerns about management policies under Newsom and Bass.
Critics argue that an overemphasis on environmental regulations has left California vulnerable to deadly wildfires, highlighting an urgent need for policy reforms that prioritize practical firefighting strategies over restrictive regulations.

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Highlights (30)

Excerpts from the underlying articles that best reflect each outlet's unique perspective on this story.

The scope of the destruction was just becoming clear: Block after block of California Mission Style homes and bungalows were reduced to nothing but charred remains dotted by stone fireplaces and blackened arched entryways.
New Fire Breaks Out In Hollywood Hills, Threatening Iconic Landmarks
HuffPost
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·Leans Left
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said there was an "immediate threat to life" in the area and that it was being legally closed to the public.
Hollywood Hills evacuated as LA fire spreads
BBC News
Reliable
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·Center
The escapes were perhaps the most harrowing from a disaster that Los Angeles has ever seen.
Harrowing escapes from Los Angeles wildfires were made by foot, by car or by the grace of strangers
Associated Press
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·Center
Widespread wildfires across Los Angeles County have forced city schools to shutter, with at least three buildings in Pacific Palisades sustaining "significant damage" from the raging blazes.
LA County school districts announce fire-related closures; at least 3 buildings sustain 'significant damage'
FOX News
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·Leans Right
This is likely to end up being one of the most expensive wildfires in modern California history and it will also be one of the most damaging in terms of the numbers of structures that have been destroyed.
LA fires could hit $50 billion or more in damages. They're shaping up to be the most expensive in state history.
Business Insider
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·Center
Firefighters gained an upper hand on a fast-moving wildfire that erupted in the Hollywood Hills, prompting a mandatory evacuation order for a wide area of the historic Hollywood entertainment district.
Fast-moving Sunset Fire erupts in Hollywood Hills, evacuations ordered
NewsNation
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·Center
the situation became so dire that people were seen abandoning their cars in the middle of the road to escape the massive blaze, which firefighters were then forced to bulldoze to clear the way.
Watch: Hollywood Streets Gridlock Amid Evacuations for Sunset Fire
Breitbart News
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·Right
The admission comes as residents have wondered how the wildfires — whose causes are still under investigation — got so out of hand and turned into one of the most devastating Los Angeles fires in recent memory, killing at least five and destroying at least 1,000 homes, businesses, and other structures.
'Pushed the system to the extreme': Los Angeles fires unchecked amid scarce water supply
USA TODAY
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·Center
A sixth blaze erupted in the Greater Los Angeles area—this time in the Hollywood Hills—late Wednesday evening, as emergency crews were still fighting to contain a devastating spate of wildfires that have resulted in five deaths and forced thousands to flee from their homes.
"Explosive" Sunset Fire prompts evacuation order in Hollywood Hills: Map
Newsweek
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·Center
The flames marched toward highly populated and affluent neighborhoods, including Calabasas and Santa Monica, home to California’s rich and famous.
Hollywood Hills fire breaks out as deadly wildfires burn out of control across Los Angeles area
Boston Globe
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·Leans Left
However, Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said the LADWP proactively filled all available water storage tanks before the fires began.
Fire hydrants ran dry due extreme demand in Pacific Palisades, officials say
CBS News
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·Center
The Santa Ana windstorm described as the strongest in a decade is expected to cause unpredictable conditions through Thursday, and fires have continued to spread and erupt in different locations.
Los Angeles Fires: Tracking, Evacuation, and How to Volunteer
Rolling Stone
Mixed Reliable
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·Left
With climate change altering rainfall patterns and making droughts both more likely and more intense, destructive wildfires like the ones in the Los Angeles area will continue to threaten people's lives and livelihoods.
The dangerous combination fueling the L.A. fires: Exceptional dryness and strong winds
NBC News
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·Center
The fast-moving fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills, threatening some of Los Angeles’ most famous landmarks.
California fires live: sixth wildfire breaks out in Los Angeles as five people killed
The Guardian
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·Leans Left
But the governor's office called Trump's evidence "pure fiction."
'He is the blame for this': Trump points finger at Newsom for wildfires with disputed evidence
ABC News
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·Center
Here’s the real, ugly truth: This is just how every major climate disaster is going to unfold online from here on out.
As Los Angeles Burns, We’re Seeing a Conflagration of Lies and Disinformation
Mother Jones
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·Left
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is being criticized for being out of the country during this critical time. Bass was in Ghana as part of a U.S. delegation for the inauguration of Ghana’s president.
Gov. Newsom, LA mayor criticized over Palisades Fire response, empty hydrants
Straight Arrow News
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·Center
Critics, however, have noted that defunding the fire department is a recipe for disaster as the climate crisis brings increasingly devastating fires to the drought-stricken region.
LA Gave More Money to Cops While Cutting Fire Budgets. Now It’s Burning.
The Intercept
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·Left
In all my years in and studying disaster management, I have never seen a president (elect) blame a jurisdiction WHILE the disaster was still out of control. It distracts, is cruel to first responders and victims, and could impede effective response.
Trump blames wildfires on 'Biden/Newscum duo' in multiple attacks as Californians lose all
AlterNet
Mixed Reliable
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·Left
At least two people are dead and over 30,000 people evacuated their homes as multiple wildfires tore through Southern California, forcing Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency as flames engulfed homes and left hillsides charred to the ground from the beach to the inland areas.
4 things you may not know about the Los Angeles wildfires
Christian Post
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·Leans Right
As wildfires ravage Los Angeles, horse owners are being forced to flee with their animals to protect them from the encroaching flames, adding to the overwhelming chaos as authorities respond to the crisis.
Horse owners flee with animals amid LA wildfire chaos
The Post Millennial
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·Right
As wildfires become increasingly common in urban areas such as Boulder, Colorado and Lahaina, Hawaii, public water systems are often unable to meet the demand of fighting these large fires.
Fire hydrants ran dry in California, highlighting a major problem in firefighting
Boston Herald
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·Leans Right
Instead Trump has taken verbal potshots at California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and President Biden, suggesting their actions are to blame for the failure to contain the fires.
The Memo: Trump sparks political fight as Los Angeles wildfires rage
The Hill
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·Center
This is just how every major climate disaster is going to unfold online from here on out. There will be criticisms and expressions of fury, some more fair and reasoned than others, But in an ecosystem where social media outlets have purposefully hobbled their ability to provide real-time, reliable updates to users, the people affected by those disasters are literally left in the dark.
The California Wildfires Just Revealed This Very Grim Truth
Slate
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·Left
At one point, she stood silently as a Sky News reporter peppered her with questions about her decision to go to Africa.
Karen Bass left L.A. for Africa as wind, fire warnings increased. Mayor returned to a burning city
Los Angeles Times
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·Leans Left
The fight to contain the flames has put immense strain on the system.
Fire hydrants ran dry in Pacific Palisades as a major wildfire raged
NPR
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·Center
Trump’s message to Newsom came as the Kincade Fire raged in Sonoma County from Oct. 23 to Nov. 6, 2019.
Trump repeatedly warned Gov. Newsom about ‘terrible’ wildfire prevention in wake of deadly Palisades fire
New York Post
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·Leans Right
The devastating nature of the fires is in part due to climate change, experts say, which has exacerbated the size, intensity, and damage caused by the wildfires in recent years.
The Conditions that Led to the L.A. Fires
TIME Magazine
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·Leans Left
With an estimated 1,000 structures destroyed and the flames still growing on Wednesday, it is far more destructive than the second-most destructive, according to statistics kept by the Wildfire Alliance, a partnership between the city's fire department and MySafe:LA.
Pacific Palisades Fire Most Destructive in Los Angeles History
Newsmax
Mixed Reliable
The underlying sources have a mixed track record. They provide accurate information in some cases but are known to inject bias, sensationalism, or incomplete reporting. Read these stories cautiously and cross-check claims when possible.
·Right
Multiple fires are consuming swaths of Los Angeles, so far destroying thousands of homes and taking at least 11 lives, and at one point straining firefighting efforts so much that some hydrants ran dry.
Extreme Fires Whip Across Los Angeles: Updates
New York Magazine
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·Leans Left