“I’m literally talking to the President right now,” Newsom said, pacing with a phone in hand. “To specifically answer the question of what we can do for you and your daughter.” The resident fired back, questioning why the call wasn’t going through. “Why is the president not taking your call?” she asked, demanding to hear the supposed conversation with Biden firsthand.
Newsom, appearing flustered, explained he was struggling to get cell service. “I’ve tried five times. That’s why I’m walking around to make the call,” he said. The woman, whose daughter’s school was destroyed in the fires, didn’t let up. “So let’s get it. Let’s get it. I want to be here when you call the president.”
“I appreciate it. I’m doing that right now. And it’s to immediately get reimbursements, individual assistance, and to help young people. I’m so sorry, especially for your daughter. I have four kids,” Newsom responded. “Everyone who went to school there, they lost their homes, they lost two homes because they were living in one building and another. Governor, please tell me, what are you going to do with the President right now? she pressed, pointing to what she described as preventable failures in the state’s preparedness. “Why was there no water in the hydrants, Governor?”
WATCH:
This isn’t the first time Newsom has faced backlash for California’s handling of wildfires. Critics have long pointed to the state’s mismanagement of resources and lack of infrastructure improvements as contributing factors to the severity of the crisis. As firefighters continue to battle the relentless Palisades and Eaton fires, which have prompted a state of emergency, the pressure on Newsom to deliver results is mounting. Residents are demanding accountability and swift action to prevent future disasters.
Thursday saw a modest easing of the intense winds driving a series of wildfires across California, yet the National Weather Service has issued warnings of expected stronger winds by this evening. The relentless blazes include the Palisades fire near the coast, which has charred approximately 26.9 square miles (69.8 square kilometers). The Eaton fire, situated north of Pasadena, has consumed about 16.6 square miles (43 square kilometers), while the Hurst fire in the San Fernando Valley covers 1.3 square miles (3.4 square kilometers). The relatively smaller Sunset fire in the Hollywood Hills has also made its mark, burning less than a square mile according to The Associated Press.
As of Thursday, nearly 400,000 state residents are without power, as reported by PowerOutage.us, and evacuation orders affect close to 180,000 people, according to authorities. In response to the crisis, Biden declared the provision of increased federal aid to California, branding the ongoing wildfires as the most severe Los Angeles has ever seen. The president has approved funding that will fully cover the costs for 180 days.
