A 19-year-old man was arrested on arson charges for the massive fire that burned thousands of acres in New Jersey earlier this week, law enforcement announced Thursday.
The Ocean County Prosecutor&#8217;s Office charged Joseph Kling on Wednesday with aggravated arson with the purpose of destroying the forest and arson over the blaze that has burned around 15,000 acres in Ocean County. The fire prompted thousands of evacuations and led to a state of emergency being declared.
Kling was determined by law enforcement to be the &#8220;individual responsible for setting wooden pallets on fire &#8211; and then leaving the area without the fire being fully extinguished,&#8221; Ocean County prosecutors said. Kling, from Watertown, is currently behind bars at the Ocean County Jail. The county has <a href="https://coroms.co.ocean.nj.us:8087/IML" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> no information about when Kling will appear in court. 
Investigators determined that the fire was incendiary, likely from an improperly extinguished bonfire, and used GPS to determine its origin. 
The fire prompted around 5,000 people to evacuate from the area, though the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said Thursday that the evacuation orders for Lacey and Ocean Townships had been lifted. The forest service also announced that the blaze had been 50% contained. 
On Wednesday, Lacey Township Mayor Peter Curatolo <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nj-wildfire-ocean-county-barnegat-lacey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the fire may &#8220;very well end up being the largest wildfire in New Jersey in 20 years.&#8221;
There have been no reported deaths or loss of homes from the fire, though at least one commercial building was destroyed alongside multiple vehicles and outbuildings.
The investigation involved Ocean County&#8217;s Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s Office.
&#8220;Thanks to the incredible, heroic work of the good men and women of our New Jersey Forest Fire Service, folks&#8217; homes and lives have been saved, and we&#8217;ve truly averted a major disaster,&#8221; New Jersey Forest Fire Service Commissioner Shawn LaTourette<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nj-wildfire-ocean-county-barnegat-lacey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> </a>said Wednesday. &#8220;This wildfire is not under full and complete control, we still have a lot of work to do to achieve complete containment of the wildfire. But there were 1,300 homes that were threatened during the course of fighting this fire.&#8221;

MixCollage-24-Apr-2025-12-11-PM-7379

Police Arrest 19-Year-Old Over Massive New Jersey Fire, Reveal Cause Of Blaze

Arson

Crime

Fire

New Jersey

U.S.

wildfire

Wildfires

Mel Gibson blasted Democrat California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, calling for the recall of the governor over his “gross mismanagement” of the state, especially when it comes to the massive wildfires in Southern California.
During a <a href="https://x.com/TONYxTWO/status/1894948199934079110">press conference</a> in Los Angeles, the 69-year-old actor told the crowd that both Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass let them down after Gibson became one of the numerous people who lost their homes in the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire.
“Governor Newsom and Karen Bass let us all down,” Gibson said, pointing out how much California residents pay in taxes. “Now for that kind of money, we deserve much more and much better, and there is absolutely no adequate excuse the governor or mayor can make for this gross mismanagement and failure to preemptively deal with what they knew was coming.”
“Was it incompetence? Was it indifference, complacency, carelessness? Was it negligence? Absolutely,” he added, asking the crowd if the mayor or governor “give a damn about you,” to which the crowd replied, &#8220;no.&#8221; “Newsom … has brought us nothing but rampant crime, acute homelessness, horrendous inflation.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mel Gibson speaks at Newsom recall event 🔥
“Governor Newsom and Karen Bass let us all down.”
“There is absolutely no adequate excuse the Governor or Mayor can make for this gross mismanagement and failure to preemptively deal with what they knew was coming.” <a href="https://t.co/jwH61x4EYG">pic.twitter.com/jwH61x4EYG</a>
— TONY™ (@TONYxTWO) <a href="https://twitter.com/TONYxTWO/status/1894948199934079110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
“I mean, the industry I work in, the film industry, this used to be the Mecca of filmdom. It is no more. All of my fellow citizens who have lost their homes, they have no recourse, no insurance payouts because the carriers dropped them,” Gibson continued, per The <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/mel-gibson-slams-mayor-bass-governor-newsom-altadena-press-conference-1236148644/">Hollywood Reporter</a>. “Even the carriers realized that California was ill-prepared and had scant resources to deal with the inevitable fires. They knew that. So are we supposed to believe that our elected officials didn’t know that? Of course they knew that. Of course.”
At one point, “The Passion of the Christ” director praised the firefighters who worked hard to try and save the homes.
“The firefighters, I have to say they were practically in tears. You know why? Because they thought they had let us down,” Gibson said. “I want to say loudly right here: You did not let us down.”
The event, which was organized by <a href="https://savingcalifornia.vote/">Saving California</a>, is focused on recalling Newsom and fixing the state’s economy, per its website.
In January, Gibson opened up about how he wasn’t even in town when the fires consumed his Malibu home because he was in Austin, Texas, recording an episode with Joe Rogan for “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/your-heart-just-breaks-jeff-bridges-mel-gibson-and-others-become-latest-to-lose-homes-in-fires" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“I was doing the Rogan podcast. … And [I was] kind of ill at ease while we were talking, because I knew my neighborhood was on fire, so I thought, I wonder if my place is still there. But when I got home, sure enough, it wasn’t there,” Gibson said. “I went home and I said to myself, well, at least I haven’t got any of those pesky plumbing problems anymore.”
The actor admitted he was still dealing with the “devastating” impact of losing the home that he’d lived in for more than a decade.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/your-heart-just-breaks-jeff-bridges-mel-gibson-and-others-become-latest-to-lose-homes-in-fires" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Your Heart Just Breaks’: Jeff Bridges, Mel Gibson, And Others Become Latest To Lose Homes In Fires</a>

Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson Blasts Newsom At Recall Event For Governor

California

Celebrities

Entertainment

Gavin Newsom

Hollywood

Karen Bass

Los Angeles

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mandy-moore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mandy Moore</a> blasted Amazon, accusing the company of delivering a package to the home of her in-laws’ that was completely destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires last month.
In her Instagram Stories, the 40-year-old actress shared an image of what appeared to be packaging similar to Amazon’s sitting on the steps of a property that had been burned down, <a href="https://people.com/mandy-moore-claims-amazon-delivered-package-to-in-laws-destroyed-home-after-los-angeles-fires-8924612?utm_campaign=people&amp;utm_content=likeshop&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=instagram">People</a> magazine reported.
“Do better, Amazon,” Moore captioned her photo. “Can we not have better discretion than to leave a package at a residence that no longer exists? This is my mother and father in law’s home. Smh.”
Following the report by People magazine about her comments, the “This Is Us” star hit back at those who criticized her for calling out the company.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mandy Moore trashes Amazon for leaving delivery on doorstop of in-laws’ home destroyed in deadly LA fires: ‘Do better’ <a href="https://t.co/l1c69bBwcG">https://t.co/l1c69bBwcG</a> <a href="https://t.co/jN13miXXxc">pic.twitter.com/jN13miXXxc</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1889513329825099786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Sigh. This comment section is abysmal. Change the address?” Moore wrote in the post. “They’re in a hotel because their house burned down.”
“Something was ordered before the fires and was delivered to rubble?” she added.  “I merely said have some discretion and say the package wasn’t able to be delivered. It’s pretty simple.”
In a statement from Amazon to People, spokesperson Steve Kelly said: &#8220;We’ve reached out to Ms. Moore via Instagram to apologize for this and to ask for more information from her in-laws so we&#8217;re better able investigate what happened here.&#8221;
&#8220;For weeks, we’ve advised those who are delivering on our behalf in southern California to use discretion in areas that were impacted by wildfires – especially if it involves delivering to a damaged home – that clearly didn’t happen here,” he added.
Last month, multiple wildfires broke out in Los Angeles County, forcing Moore and many others to evacuate their homes.
Initially, the actress posted that she had to leave her home in Altadena, unsure if it would be there when she returned. Later, Moore opened up about having “weird survivors guilt” after the main part of her home survived the blaze.
&#8220;We were able to park and walk up our street to bear witness to all the loss. Miraculously, the main part of our house is still standing. For now,&#8221; the actress wrote on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DEnXs-Gy2jn/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=f6d90c6d-7550-4b8c-8259-a015c9cc7361">Instagram</a>. &#8220;It&#8217;s not livable but mostly intact.”
“We lost Taylor and Griffin&#8217;s studio with every instrument and piece of equipment they&#8217;ve ever owned,” she added, noting losing her husband Taylor Goldsmith’s music studio. “We lost our garage and back house.&#8221;
&#8220;Everyone we know lost everything. Every house on our street is gone. My in laws. My brother and sister in law- 6 weeks from welcoming their first baby,” Moore continued. “Our best friends. Feeling weird survivors guilt.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-stars-talk-leaving-and-losing-homes-as-socal-fires-continue-to-burn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hollywood Stars Talk Leaving And Losing Homes As SoCal Fires Continue To Burn</a>

Mandy Moore-2

Mandy Moore Blasts Amazon After Package Delivered To Burned Down Home

Amazon

Los Angeles County

Mandy Moore

The 67th <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/grammys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grammy Awards</a> raised millions of dollars for fire relief efforts in Southern California while the ratings saw a drop in viewership from 2024.
The CBS telecast of Sunday’s music awards show scored 15.4 million viewers, according to same-day ratings from Nielsen, according to The <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/grammy-awards-tv-ratings-feb-2-2025-1236126284/">Hollywood Reporter</a>. That’s down from the 17 million who tuned in for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards last year. While Sunday’s numbers were down compared to last year, it was the third largest show since 2020, the outlet noted.
Since the pandemic, the Grammy Awards have seen a rollercoaster of viewership, with an average of under 10 million viewers in 2021 and 2022 tuning in to see if their favorite singer would take home the Grammy. In 2023, the show had a slight bounce back to pre-pandemic numbers with 12.55 million watching, before the 17 million number the show brought in last year.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Despite Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter and Kendrick Lamar, ratings for the Grammys fall <a href="https://t.co/OeuEb4PXad">https://t.co/OeuEb4PXad</a>
— The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1886842169148703186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
To put those numbers into context, the 2020 Grammys &#8212; which took place before the pandemic and lockdowns &#8212; scored 18.69 million viewers.
During Sunday night’s show, the fires and communities destroyed in the multiple wildfires were top of mind as host Trevor Noah announced the academy would accept donations throughout the evening to help with recovery efforts.
CBS and the recording academy announced that the awards show helped raise $9 million for fire relief efforts in Los Angeles and the academy and MusiCares brought in $24 million in charitable giving, THR noted. In addition, FireAid benefit concerts in LA helped raise more than $100 million to support ongoing recovery efforts, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/fireaid-benefit-concerts-raised-100-million-los-angeles-1236127036/">outlet</a> noted.
Despite the Sunday show celebrating the efforts by firefighters tackling insane blazes for weeks, the night’s host comedian Trevor Noah turned things political with a jab at President Donald Trump in his opening monologue.
“There’s been a few changes in Washington. I’m going to enjoy tonight because this may be the last time I get to host anything in this country,” Noah told the room.
Several other artists attempted to make the night about political issues as well, with acceptance speeches about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), transgender issues, and illegal immigrants, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ricky-gervais-torches-grammy-winners-political-speeches">reported</a>.
Shakira was honored for Best Latin pop album and said, “I want to dedicate this award to all of my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country. You are loved, you’re worth it, and I will always fight for you.” Her comment was in reaction to Trump’s crackdown on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/illegal-immigration">illegal immigration</a>.
Near the end of the show, singer Alicia Keys was honored with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, and claimed that DEI “is not a threat, it’s a gift. And the more voices, the more powerful the sound.” Trump and numerous corporations across the country have opted to get rid of their <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-rolls-back-dei-joining-other-major-companies-like-walmart-meta">DEI programs</a>.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ricky-gervais-torches-grammy-winners-political-speeches" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ricky Gervais Torches Grammy Winners’ Political Speeches</a>

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards

Grammy Awards Raise Millions For Fire Relief While Ratings Fall

Grammys

Ratings

Southern California Edison disclosed that its equipment may have been “involved” in the Eaton and Hurst wildfires that tore through <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Southern California</a> last month, as the Los Angeles Fire Department continues investigating.
Southern California Edison (SCE), a subsidiary of Edison International, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/edison-unit-says-its-equipment-may-have-been-involved-in-socal-fires-32c16040?mod=hp_lead_pos9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">submitted</a> two letters to the California Public Utilities Commission indicating its equipment might be linked to one, if not several, of the fires, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Investigators with the Los Angeles Fire Department have suggested a possible connection to the Hurst fire, while the cause of the Eaton fire remains under review.
“While we do not yet know what caused the Eaton wildfire, SCE is exploring every possibility in its investigation, including the possibility that SCE’s equipment was involved,” Edison Chief Executive Pedro Pizarro said.
However, the company reported it hadn’t discovered typical signs of equipment failures, such as broken conductors, raising additional questions about what specifically triggered the damage. Meanwhile, fire department personnel have shared that their own examination into the Hurst fire prompted them to evaluate the condition of transmission lines and other potential ignition causes.
While the possibility of a link to Southern California Edison’s equipment remains under review in both incidents, officials have noted that further investigation may stretch on for several months. Past wildfire cases in the region have proven complex, occasionally requiring extended collaboration between state regulators, legal teams, and the utilities themselves.
As inquiries continue, Southern California Edison has said it will offer updates on its inspections and any findings that could help determine how these fires began.

Los Angeles Pushes To Rebuild Homes Fast Despite Wildfire Danger

Utility Giant Reveals Possible Role In Recent California Fires

General

Los Angeles Fire Department

The biggest applause and longest standing ovation at the 67th Grammy Awards on Sunday went to the members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
<a href="https://x.com/RecordingAcad/status/1886275764162580710" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nearly two dozen firefighters</a> stepped on stage to present the Album of the Year award as the stars in attendance cheered loudly for them for the incredible work they did while they battled the multiple <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wildfires" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wildfires</a> that raged in Southern California last month.
Before naming the artists nominated for the night’s biggest honor, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGXJOd4l3NQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles County Fire Chief</a> Anthony Marrone thanked everyone for their support. The first responders appeared overwhelmed by the reception.
“Wow, thank you,” Marrone told the audience. “Thank you for supporting all of us and recognizing the heroes that are standing behind me and the sheroes.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT | 2025 GRAMMYs" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aGXJOd4l3NQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“On behalf of the County of Los Angeles Fire Department, I would like to thank the recording academy for having us here this evening,&#8221; he added. “This is a tremendous honor and privilege to be in the company of such talented music industry professionals.”
“As fire chief, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank first responders who came from near and far to battle this wildfire siege,” Marrone continued. “In the midst of unprecedented fire conditions, their selfless acts of courage and commitment were nothing short of inspiring. Our heartfelt condolences and prayers remain with all the families who have lost loved ones, friends, and neighbors, along with everyone who has lost homes, businesses, and been displaced.”
“I am confident that we will recover and rebuild together because we are LA Strong.”
Captain Sheila Kelliher Berkoh then listed off the names of the nominees for Album of the Year: André 3000, Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, Jacob Collier, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Taylor Swift. She then pulled the name out of the envelope and announced that Beyonce had won for her “Cowboy Carter” album.
During the ceremony, the fires and communities destroyed in the fires were top of mind as host Trevor Noah announced the academy would accept donations throughout the evening to help with recovery efforts. 
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/female-rapper-praises-god-for-sobriety-after-winning-first-ever-grammy-award" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Female Rapper Praises God For Sobriety After Winning First Ever Grammy Award</a>

Grammy Awards 2025

Biggest Applause, Longest Standing Ovation At Grammys Goes To LA Firefighters

Biggest Applause, Longest Standing Ovation At Grammy Awards Goes To LA Firefighters

Awards

Firefighters

Grammy Awards

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> man pleaded guilty to federal charges this week in connection with a drone that crashed into a firefighting aircraft in California earlier this month.
Peter Tripp Akemann, 56, pled guilty to one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft for &#8220;recklessly operating a drone that crashed into and damaged a Super Scooper firefighting aircraft fighting the Palisades Fire earlier this month,&#8221; the U.S. Justice Department said on Friday.
&#8220;As a result of the drone collision, the firefighting aircraft was taken out of service for a period of time and was not able to continue its firefighting mission,&#8221; prosecutors said in a statement. &#8220;As part of the plea agreement, Akemann agreed to pay full restitution to the Government of Quebec, which supplied the plane, and an aircraft repair company that repaired the plane. Akemann also agreed to complete 150 hours of community service in support of the 2025 Southern California wildfire relief effort.&#8221;
The incident happened on January 9 when Akemann flew his drone over the Palisades fire – which burned tens of thousands of acres and caused billions of dollars in damage — after he drove to the area to gather footage.
The statement continued:
<blockquote>Akemann flew the drone at least 2,500 meters (more than 1.5 miles) toward the fire and lost sight of the drone. As Akemann was flying the drone, it collided with a Government of Quebec Super Scooper carrying two crewmembers attempting to fight the blaze. The impact caused an approximately 3-inch-by-6-inch hole in the left wing. After landing, maintenance personnel identified the damage and took the aircraft out of service for repairs.
At the time of the collision, the Federal Aviation Administration had issued temporary flight restrictions that prohibited drone operations near the Los Angeles County wildfires that erupted earlier this month.
As a result of the collision, the Government of Quebec and an aircraft repair company incurred costs of at least $65,169 to repair the plane.</blockquote>
Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally said, “This defendant recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property.”
“This damage caused to the Super Scooper is a stark reminder that flying drones during times of emergency poses an extreme threat to personnel trying to help people and compromises the overall ability of police and fire to conduct operations,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;As this case demonstrates, we will track down drone operators who violate the law and interfere with the critical work of our first responders.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FBI Los Angeles has finally identified the Drone Operator, who was flying a DJI Drone in “Restricted Airspace” over the Pacific Palisades on January 9th, when it was struck by a Canadair CL-415 “Super Scooper” Aerial-Firefighting Aircraft, as 56-Year-Old Peter Tripp Akemann from… <a href="https://t.co/iRv36zW0um">pic.twitter.com/iRv36zW0um</a>
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1885421007533408379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2025</a></blockquote>

Palisades fire

Law Enforcement Catches Man Who Flew Drone That Damaged Firefighting Aircraft In California

Courts

Drones

Meryl Streep’s nephew Abe Streep shared the Hollywood star’s harrowing escape from her home, which was in the line of fire following multiple <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wildfires" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wildfires</a> in the Los Angeles area earlier this month.
In a <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/la-fires-wildfires-lost-homes-rebuild.html">New York Magazine</a> article about the devastating fires, Abe wrote that the evacuations came so fast that his 75-year-old aunt almost ended up being trapped inside her home due to a fallen tree.
&#8220;Evacuation mandates were sent across the city,” Streep wrote. “My aunt Meryl Streep received an order to evacuate on January 8, but when she tried to leave, she discovered that a large tree had fallen over in her driveway, blocking her only exit.”
&#8220;Determined to make it out, she borrowed wire cutters from a neighbor, cut a car-size hole in the fence she shared with the neighbors on the other side, and drove through their yard to escape,” he added.
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Streep’s nephew also spoke with pals Martin Short and actor Haley Joel Osment for the piece, whom he said were forced to evacuate due to the raging fires. The two actors were part of the massive evacuations in the area, unsure of whether their homes would be there when they returned.
Short moved to the southern California area in 1984 and bought a house three years later in the Palisades, the article noted.
“Right away I knew this is where I wanted to live,” the actor told Abe. &#8220;You’re five minutes from the ocean or five minutes from the greatest hiking in the mountains imaginable.&#8221;
&#8220;Beyond that, he said, the Palisades offered a sense of safety: &#8216;There was only one way in and one way out.'&#8221;
Five years ago, Osment moved to an area near Eaton Canyon. The 36-year-old actor said he had just returned home from shooting a film when he spotted the rising black smoke coming from the canyon, the piece noted.
“He went for a walk in his yard and looked back at his house, a 1951 post-and-beam structure with large glass windows and skylights,” Streep’s nephew wrote. “Bears sometimes rambled through the yard, and he often heard owls at night; it felt like he lived in the forest.”
“After he let his dogs out into the yard, he saw a large plume of black smoke and a glow coming from the canyon,” he added.” So he loaded up his dogs, passport, and family photos and went to his parents’ house, which was nearby.”
Short’s home miraculously managed to survive the blaze. However, Osment wasn’t so lucky and he lost his home, as did his parents, and so many others in southern California, the outlet noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/la-reporters-aerial-video-shows-near-entire-town-destroyed-in-socal-fires" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LA Reporter’s Aerial Video Shows Near-Entire Town Destroyed In SoCal Fires</a>

Meryl Streep’s Family Shares Star’s Harrowing Escape From LA Wildfire

Meryl Streep

President Donald Trump called out <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/khloe-kardashian-blasts-la-mayor-karen-bass-for-fire-dept-buget-cuts-you-are-a-joke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass</a>, a Democrat, during a roundtable discussion on Friday about the devastating wildfires that killed 28 people and destroyed more than <a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/california-wildfires/map-la-fires-containment-2/3614547/#:~:text=More%20than%2016%2C200%20structures%20were%20destroyed%20in%20the%20Eaton%20and%20Palisades%20fires." target="_blank" rel="noopener">16,200</a> structures.
Trump ripped Bass for not exercising her emergency powers effectively to cut red tape and help residents rebuild as quickly as possible.
“You have emergency powers, just like I do, and I’m exercising my emergency powers,&#8221; Trump told the mayor. &#8220;You have to exercise them also.&#8221;
“I did exercise them,” Bass responded. “If individuals want to clear out their property, they can.”
Members of the Palisades and Eaton communities in attendance at the event shouted from their seats that this was not true. Subsequently, Bass rephrased her statement, saying that, eventually, they will be able to clear out their properties.
&#8220;You know that you will be able to go back soon,&#8221; Bass told the homeowners, who responded by asking when that would be. &#8220;I think, within a week,&#8221; the mayor replied.
Trump reacted by telling Bass that &#8220;a week&#8221; is actually a long time, considering the fires started back on January 7.
Bass justified the delay by citing &#8220;safety.&#8221;
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Trump argued that residents are &#8220;not safe now&#8221; and said he&#8217;s been told by homeowners that they can&#8217;t get permits to start the rebuilding process for another 18 months.
&#8220;I watched hundreds of people standing in front of their lots, and they’re not allowed to go in,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;It’s all burned. It’s gone, it’s done. Nothing’s going to happen, it&#8217;s not going to burn anymore. The people are all over the place, they’re standing and they say, ‘We’re trying to get a permit,’ and the permit is going to take them &#8212; everybody said, 18 months.&#8221;
Residents shouted in agreement with Trump. One female homeowner told the president, &#8220;We can&#8217;t even see our home right now. We&#8217;re blocked from entering our street. The first time we saw our house was yesterday.&#8221;
Trump was not done laying into California Democrats, however.
When Republican Rep. Darrell Issa (CA) told the president that they were going to implement practices to stop future fires, Trump interjected, &#8220;Like, water &#8212; little things like water,&#8221; and turned his attention to Democrat Rep. Brad Sherman (CA). &#8220;Brad, we&#8217;re the party of common sense. You&#8217;re not, in all fairness. We like water to put out fires, it&#8217;s really quite efficient.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: President Trump demands that LA&#8217;s Democrat Mayor Karen Bass let people back into their homes to start the rebuilding process.
All she does is sputter.
California Democrats are not in the same league as President Trump&#8217;s common-sense approach to disaster recovery. <a href="https://t.co/mTz0jUs8vY">pic.twitter.com/mTz0jUs8vY</a>
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1882965356807164025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/la-mayor-bass-appointee-who-oversaw-fire-dept-was-on-leave-over-alleged-bomb-threat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LA Mayor Bass Appointee Who Oversaw Fire Dept Was On Leave Over Alleged Bomb Threat</a>

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Calls Out Mayor Bass During Live Presser, Community Members Back Him Up

Donald Trump

Politics

Former reality star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/celebrities">Spencer Pratt</a> and his wife, former “The Hills” alum Heidi Montag, have made good on their promise to sue the City of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/los-angeles">Los Angeles</a> for the destruction of their $3 million home in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wildfires">wildfires</a> earlier this month.
The 41-year-old filed the lawsuit in California&#8217;s Superior Court in Los Angeles County on Tuesday, saying the house fire was &#8220;an inescapable and unavoidable consequence&#8221; of the city’s alleged mismanagement of water, per <a href="https://people.com/spencer-pratt-heidi-montag-sue-city-of-los-angeles-after-losing-home-in-palisades-fire-8779585">People</a>. Other plaintiffs besides Pratt and Montag include Pratt&#8217;s mother, Janet Pratt, and someone named William Pratt.
The former reality stars are alleging &#8220;inverse condemnation&#8221; in the lawsuit. This allows property owners to seek compensation for damages caused by the government.
Pratt’s lawsuit mentions the Santa Ynez Reservoir, described as being “out of commission since February 2024.&#8221; The suit alleges that the City of Los Angeles and the Department of Water and Power (LADWP) decided to &#8220;operate the water supply system&#8221; despite the drained reservoir to save money. The reservoir is reportedly awaiting repairs.
&#8220;With the Santa Ynez Reservoir effectively out of commission, hydrants in Pacific Palisades failed after three tanks each holding one million gallons of water went dry within a span of 12 hours,&#8221; the document states.
&#8220;Defendants deliberately designed and maintained this water supply system in this way, despite Los Angeles being in a fire-prone area,&#8221; it said.
Pratt and his fellow plaintiff’s lawsuit also notes criticism previously stated by a union employee. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s completely unacceptable that this reservoir was empty for almost a year for minor repairs,&#8221; Gus Corona <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-10/as-flames-raged-in-palisades-a-key-reservoir-nearby-was-offline">told</a> The Los Angeles Times in an article published January 10, which the lawsuit references. &#8220;This work should have been done in-house, and they shouldn&#8217;t have depended on a contractor to do it; I truly believe it&#8217;s something that could have been avoided.&#8221; 
They are suing for an undisclosed amount and are also seeking attorneys&#8217; fees and trial by jury, the outlet noted. Damages are noted to be their destroyed properties, loss of enjoyment of their properties, and loss of wages and earning capacity.
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The Eaton and Palisades fires alone killed 28 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures, making them among the most destructive fires in California history, per <a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-fires-los-angeles-water-lawsuit-548b08e13f256079ff0ffc4e7a9c55a3">AP News</a>.
Pratt and Montag have been vocal about the loss of their home, frequently posting about it on social media and keeping their followers updated. 
“I’m watching our house burn down on the security cameras,” Pratt told fans in a Snapchat video taken from inside a car right after the fires broke out.
The father of two <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reality-star-spencer-pratt-says-hes-suing-state-of-ca-after-losing-3m-home">told</a> blogger Perez Hilton earlier this month that he was planning to sue the city, noting how he was unable to get help from the Los Angeles Fire Department as his house went up in smoke. 
“They never came. The gate was still locked,” Pratt said. “They never came. I watched from my security cameras until our house burned down. There were no fire trucks.”

Spencer and Heidi Pratt

Reality Star Spencer Pratt Sues City Of L.A. After His Home Burns Down

Reality Star Spencer Pratt Sues City Of L.A. For Loss Of His Home In Wildfires

Lawsuit

President Donald Trump, who has harshly criticized California Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom in the wake of the savage fires that engulfed Los Angeles County, will <a href="https://www.foxla.com/news/president-donald-trump-visit-la-wildfire-areas-friday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visit</a> the city himself on Friday.
Newsom invited Trump to California after the Palisades and Eaton fires had erupted.
Asked by Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday night whether he would meet Newsom during his visit, Trump replied, “I haven&#8217;t even thought about it.”
The Daily Wire previously reported:
<blockquote>
President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> has repeatedly warned California Governor Gavin Newsom about needing to do a better job of managing the state&#8217;s resources to prevent massive wildfires from erupting. &#8230;
&#8220;The Governor of California, @GavinNewsom, has done a terrible job of forest management,&#8221; Trump wrote in November 2019. &#8220;I told him from &#8230; the first day we met that he must &#8216;clean&#8217; his forest floors regardless of what his bosses, the environmentalists, DEMAND of him. Must also do burns and cut fire stoppers. &#8230; Every year, as the fire’s rage &amp; California burns, it is the same thing-and then he comes to the Federal Government for $$$ help. No more. Get your act together Governor. You don’t see close to the level of burn in other states &#8230;
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
..Every year, as the fire’s rage &amp; California burns, it is the same thing-and then he comes to the Federal Government for $$$ help. No more. Get your act together Governor. You don’t see close to the level of burn in other states&#8230;But our teams are working well together in&#8230;..
&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1190995035703185408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump&#8217;s 2019 comments followed <a href="https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2019">two massive fires</a> in California, the Walker Fire in Plumas County, which started in early September 2019 and consumed almost 55,000 acres, and the Kincade Fire, which started in Sonoma County on October 23, 2019, and consumed almost 78,000 acres. In 2019 alone, 34 wildfires that burned at least 1,000 acres reputed in California.
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This year, on January 8, Trump called on Newsom to resign.
“One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!”
The next morning, Trump reiterated, “Fire is spreading rapidly for 3 days — ZERO CONTAINMENT. Nobody has ever seen such failed numbers before! Gross incompetence by Gavin Newscum and Karen Bass….And Biden’s FEMA has no money — all wasted on the Green New Scam! L.A. is a total wipeout!!!”
Ryan Saavedra contributed to this article.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-repeatedly-warned-gavin-newsom-to-get-state-prepared-for-destructive-fires">Trump Repeatedly Warned Gavin Newsom To Get State Prepared For Destructive Fires</a>

Pacific-Palisades-California-Wildfires-January-14

Trump To Visit Los Angeles County Wildfire Areas

Executive

Natural Disaster

Another major fire has engulfed an area in Los Angeles County, as the Hughes Fire that started on Wednesday morning north of Santa Clarita and near Castaic has covered more than 10,000 acres and is only 14% contained.
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, roughly 31,000 area residents threatened by the Hughes Fire were under evacuation orders and 23,000 under evacuation warnings by Wednesday night.
“We’re still expecting some dry humidity and then gusts of winds possible up to 60 mph,” Cal Fire Battalion Chief David Acuna said. “It’s super dry. Anyone spark will have a new start of a fire that establishes and raises quickly.”
Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Sheila Kelliher reassured the public, telling <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/23/us/hughes-fire-los-angeles-county-thursday/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> that water supply should not be a problem, as fire crews have access to Castaic Lake and other reservoirs.
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However, a new problem may arise this weekend as rain is expected to fall, possibly causing mudslides. “The Los Angeles and San Diego areas will get more rain this weekend than in the last six months combined,” CNN reported.
<p style="font-weight: 400;" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cm69hvgoy000u356mgjhdhl4a@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true" data-analytics-observe="on">“A lot of that rain may fall in a relatively short amount of time,” Ariel Cohen, who the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles, conjectured, which could lead to “the possibility of at least shallow debris flows, mudslides and landslides. The burn scars, with the widespread loss of trees, shrubs and vegetation, will have a much lower capability of handling the rain and will be more susceptible to failure. It behaves more like cement; the ground can’t accept the water, so it all goes to runoff immediately.&#8221;
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<p style="font-weight: 400;" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cm69hvgoy000u356mgjhdhl4a@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true" data-analytics-observe="on">The prospective mudslides could be dangerous, “taking down other structures and certainly be a threat to life and property,” Cohen said. Meanwhile, the catastrophic Palisades Fire, which has killed 11 people, burned more than 23,000 acres, and destroyed 6,662 structures, is <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/live/la-fire-updates-huges-eaton-palisades-red-flag-warning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still</a> only 72% contained. The Eaton Fire, which killed 17 people and burned more than 14,000 acres, is 95% contained.

New rapidly spreading ‘Hughes Fire’ erupts near Los Angeles, more than 9,000 acres burned

SoCal Fire Update: Another Blaze Erupts, Mudslides Feared

San Diego

Severe Weather

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