01a Apocalyptic

FEMA Reactivates Online Rumor Response Page to Combat Los Angeles Fire Misinformation – Campus Safety Magazine
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reactivated its rumor response website to address misinformation about Southern California’s current spate of wildfires. The agency posted similar information after last fall’s hurricanes Helene and Milton.

These are some of the false claims the page is addressing:

• FEMA only provides a one-time payment when you apply for assistance: False
• FEMA will take my property and land after a disaster: False
• FEMA is handing out vouchers for disaster assistance: False
• I can be paid $3,000 a week to assist with storm cleanup: False
• If you receive a grant from FEMA you will get less money from Social Security: False
• Survivors can’t apply if they have insurance: False
• I am automatically registered for FEMA assistance if I reported damage to my local parish, county officials, or a disaster relief organization: False
• FEMA will reimburse me for a generator I purchase: It depends.

The FEMA helpline is 1-800-621-3362.

LAFD Is Also Addressing Misinformation

The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) has also been addressing misinformation about the fires the area is currently experiencing.

Newsom Climbs To Moral High Ground As California Incinerates– thefederalist.com
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If excuses were good for putting out fires, California’s Democrat chief executive Gavin Newsom could have his state fixed in a jiffy.

As California sailed into the weekend literally ablaze, Newsom thought there was no better time to sit for a half-hour podcast interview with a former Obama administration official. It was beautiful and truly everything we’ve grown to expect from a Democrat in a position of authority.

In 30 minutes, Newsom explained that every criticism leveled at him is “misinformation,” that he is just as much a victim as anyone who saw his home burn to ashes, and that he’s helping fix the problem even though it’s not his responsibility.

Asked by former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau if there was anything his administration “could have done to be better prepared for a fire” that has so far killed at least two dozen people and incinerated over 40,000 acres, Newsom — I’m not kidding you — asked the public to give him a little more credit. “Well, you always have to have some humility and grace as it relates to that question,” he said, “and I’m very self-critical in that respect.”

He has humility and grace, plus he’s very self-critical, so have a heart, why don’t you?

When Favreau then suggested to Newsom that he’s “ultimately responsible as the … governor of the state” and that the newly announced investigation into a water shortage appeared to some as an effort to “pass the blame,” the Democrat governor assured the audience that no, no, no, that’s not it at all. He’s actually in the same boat as the people who want accountability for as many as seven separate wildfires so far, a number of which are still torching the state’s biggest city after a full week.

“So, I’m the governor of California. I want to know the answer,” he said. “I’ve got that question, I can’t tell you by how many people — ‘What happened?’ My own team saying, ‘What happened?’ And I want to get the answers.”

Now wait a minute! Who’s in charge here? The governor wants answers!

Then he went back to needing you to do a little more for him.

“You have to have a little bit of grace,” Newsom said before adding, “But no one has any patience anymore in this weaponized — back to the grievance of Trump.”

FAA says drone collided with firefighting aircraft flying over Palisades Fire – MSN
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A firefighting aircraft was grounded on Thursday after it was struck by a drone while flying over the Palisades Fire near the Pacific Coast, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The incident occurred on the third day of the wildfire, one of five active wildfires across Los Angeles County. The aircraft landed safely and the incident is being investigated by the FAA, the agency said in a statement.

“It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands,” according to the agency. “The FAA has not authorized anyone unaffiliated with the Los Angeles firefighting operations to fly drones in the (temporary flight restrictions).”

The FAA said it could impose a civil penalty of up to $75,000 against any drone pilot who interferes with operations involving wildfire suppression, law enforcement, or emergency response while temporary flight restrictions are in place. The agency has implemented several temporary flight restrictions in the Los Angeles region to protect firefighting aircraft.

L.A.’s Fire Hazard Mayor Who was in Africa when Wildfires Hit Caught in Embarrassing Social Media Attack– lidblog.com
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L.A.’s fire hazard Mayor Karen Bass has been caught in an embarrassing social media attack on Sen. Ted Cruz, no less, and accusing him of doing exactly what she did — but what she did was even worse.

We all know that the incompetent Bass was in Africa when the wildfires broke out and that she is a non-entity in the response. But an old tweet Bass posted back in 2021 to attack Sen. Ted Cruz.

First some necessary background. You might recall that in February of 2021, Texas was hit with a vicious ice storm that sent thousands of citizens into the darkness when they lost power. Liberals attacked Senator Cruz because he took his daughter down to Cancun during the storm for 24 hours. But the left claimed he “abandoned” Texans during a crisis.

Now, first of all, a federal Senator has no roll in local crisis control. Further, a federal senator has little roll in state energy police. So, he could have flown to the moon and it wouldn’t have much mattered during the ice storm crisis. Still, it was a bit embarrassing for Ted, despite that it wasn’t really a big deal. And the left tried to make a big deal out of it… with the help of the left-wing, establishment, media.

FOX 11 Anchor’s On-Air Fact Check Exposes Bias in LA Wildfire Coverage– www.newsbusters.org
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Rarely has media spin control bias been more sharply on display than during the coverage of the Los Angeles wildfires by FOX 11 local news on Wednesday.

Their Good Day LA anchor Melvin Robert heard something from former L.A. mayoral candidate Rick Caruso — who lost to Karen Bass in the primary — that was critical of the local officials regarding the lack of water for the fire fighters. Robert immediately went into spin mode and denied any such lack of water only to be contradicted a few moments later by his own reporter on the scene with the fire fighters.

Here is the scene as it played out much to the humiliation of poor Melvin.

In an attempt to debunk Rick Caruso, LA morning anchor Melvin Robert is embarrassingly fact-checked by their own on-the-ground reporter: pic.twitter.com/lCvfMEnXxJ

— MarioFakerREAL 🥸 (@mario_faker) January 8, 2025

Ron DeSantis Slams Media For Giving Newsom A Pass: “If Newsom Was A Republican You Guys Would Have Him Nailed To The Wall”– www.louderwithcrowder.com
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If Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass don’t receive the criticism they deserve, there are two reasons. First, the media is the de facto PR wing of the Democratic party. So, while they would not think twice about criticizing the response if California were a Republican state, they would likely end up protecting those who should be held accountable to the fullest extent. Second, they will probably blame this on Climate Change and shield the public from the blatant government incompetence.

Nonetheless, the media still refuses to give these politicians the coverage they deserve, which is why Ron DeSantis is the voice of reason across the country.

The entire state and city are run by a bunch of incompetent DEI hires and the media refuses to expose the neglect this caused. You cannot get a worse response to a disaster than this and no one seems to care to report on it.

LA Officials Issued Countywide Evacuation Order—by Mistake– freebeacon.com
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Los Angeles County officials mistakenly issued a countywide evacuation order Thursday evening, followed by another erroneous order Friday morning for Beverly Hills, panicking residents already reeling from devastating wildfires.

“An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued in your area,” the first text alert reads, urging nearly 10 million county residents to “gather loved ones, pets, and supplies” and evacuate their homes. A second alert later that evening advised residents to “disregard last evacuation warning,” clarifying that the message was intended only for those near the Kenneth Fire burning in West Hills.

The county again sent an erroneous alert at 4 a.m. Friday morning, this time to residents of Beverly Hills. The city later confirmed that “this was another error.”

Looters On Scooters Attempted To Ransack Evacuated LA Homes As Wildfires Raged, Resident Says– dailycaller.com
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“A hundred” scooter-riding thieves attempted to rob multiple homes evacuated due to the wildfires ripping through Southern California, a woman told KTLA on Thursday.

Allison Agsten, a Los Angeles-area resident, said her neighbor witnessed the suspects trying to “get into any and all houses” in her neighborhood. Attempting to thwart burglaries, Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the deployment of 8,000 California National Guard troops to secure fire-ravaged zones Thursday after Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said his department arrested 20 people on suspicion of looting affected areas.

“We just started seeing all these cars pull up,” Agsten told the outlet. “Doors open, and groups of men are running up our street, going up to the doors of these houses … my next-door neighbor said, his quote, ‘there were like a hundred people that came up on scooters and were trying to get into any and all houses.’”

Hollywood Director Jim Jarmusch Blames Climate Deniers for Deadly L.A. Wildfires– conservativeroof.com
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Hollywood director Jim Jarmusch blamed the deadly Los Angeles wildfires on “climate deniers,” demanding that people “wake the fuck up.”

“I know all of us are worried about our friends in Los Angeles,” Jarmusch began before presenting filmmaker Sean Baker with an award for best screenplay for the 2024 film, Anora, at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards on Wednesday night in New York City.

Jarmusch’s remarks then took a bizarre turn as he proceeded to blame the wildfires on people skeptical of so-called “climate change.”

“This climate crisis is brought to you by climate deniers and venal corporate greed,” Jarmusch declared.

“We’re in a period where these clowns are telling that woke is a negative thing, and I would just like to say it’s time we wake the fuck up,” the director added.

20 Suspects Arrested for Looting Homes During Los Angeles Wildfires– conservativeroof.com
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As wildfires rage across Los Angeles County, leaving destruction and despair in their wake, opportunistic criminals have descended on vulnerable neighborhoods, targeting homes abandoned by evacuees.

During a press conference Thursday morning, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna announced the arrest of at least 20 individuals for looting homes damaged or destroyed by the fires.

“Last night and this morning, we are up to 20 individuals who chose to go into our areas and deprive these poor people who have been through so much of their property. Absolutely unacceptable,” Luna told reporters.

Luna warned that anyone caught looting or trespassing in evacuation zones would face severe consequences. He emphasized that deputies are patrolling these vulnerable areas.

CA wildfire backlash: State Farm, other insurers slammed for dropping coverage – Fox Business
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CA wildfire backlash: State Farm, other insurers slammed for dropping coverage  Fox Business

More than 9,000 homes, structures damaged or destroyed in Palisades, Eaton fires, officials say – Los Angeles Times
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More than 9,000 homes, structures damaged or destroyed in Palisades, Eaton fires, officials say  Los Angeles Times

Plane scooping water from ocean to fight wildfires grounded after hitting drone illegally flying over Pacific Palisades– www.theblaze.com
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A drone that was being illegally flown damaged and grounded a Super Scooper plane that was leased to help fight the damaging wildfires in Los Angeles.

Officials said the drone collided with the plane and left a fist-sized hole in its wing, which needed repair. Drones are not allowed to fly during firefighting efforts, and the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.

‘If you fly a drone at one of these brush fires, all aerial operations will be shut down.’

Two Super Scoopers were leased from Canada to help fight the tremendously damaging wildfires in Pacific Palisades and elsewhere in Southern California.

US agency declares California wildfires a public health emergency – The Straits Times
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US agency declares California wildfires a public health emergency  The Straits Times

Even ‘Morning Joe’ Scarborough Knows Leftist Leadership Is Responsible For Los Angeles ‘Hellscape’– wltreport.com
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Headlines across the nation are focused on the uncontrolled wildfires decimating swaths of California, particularly Los Angeles and surrounding areas.

As first responders struggle to obtain the resources needed to battle the blaze, state and local leaders have faced mounting criticism. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass have been pilloried by prominent figures from across the ideological spectrum.

According to the New York Post:

“We don’t know the exact causes for the complete failure of government to be able to protect these homes,” the lefty anchor told viewers Friday morning.

“I don’t think we can say it’s the smelt alone. We don’t know what it is. But I do think it is going to be like Hurricane Katrina,” he continued. “I mean, the infrastructure has been slashed.”

Both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and local government officials, like Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, have been lambasted repeatedly this week for alleged mismanagement that may have worsened the devastation currently wreaking havoc on the region.

“You can’t just say it is Karen Bass. You can’t just say it is Gavin Newsom. This has been a trend for 30 years,” Scarborough argued.

Over the past three decades, three out of five governors in the Golden State have been Democrats. Four of the five mayors who have overseen Los Angeles County in that time were Democrats, too.

Man Seen Starting Fires With Blow Torch in LA County Not Charged With Arson › American Greatness– amgreatness.com
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A suspect seen starting fires with a blow torch in a Los Angeles neighborhood Thursday afternoon is not being charged with arson because a police investigation found “no probable cause.” The man is still being detained on a felony probation violation amid the ongoing investigation, Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said in a press conference Friday.

The arrest comes amid growing speculation that at least some of the LA fires were started by arsonists.

The suspect was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of arson near the Kenneth fire, a wildfire that started at about 2:30, Thursday afternoon. The suspect, believed to be a homeless man, had reportedly been seen riding around on a bicycle in Woodland Hills Thursday afternoon, attempting to set numerous old Christmas trees and garbage cans on fire with a blow torch.

A resident saw the man wielding a yellow blow torch and called on his neighbors to help him apprehend the suspected arsonist. The neighbors banded together, using zip ties and rope to detain the man.

With help from neighbors, they cornered him and made the citizens arrest.

 

BREAKING: Pacific Palisades reservoir was offline, empty, under repair when LA wildfires broke out | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com
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The Santa Ynez Reservoir holds up to 117 million gallons in the water storage complex.

As the Los Angeles area deals with ongoing wildfires threatening lives and homes, it has been revealed that a large reservoir in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of LA was out of service for repairs.

The Santa Ynez Reservoir, which holds up to 117 million gallons in the water storage complex, has been closed for ongoing repairs, officials told the Los Angeles Times. The Palisades fire was the first to begin burning Tuesday morning, and as of Friday has burned over 20,000 acres and is just 8 percent contained. It has forced thousands of people to evacuate from their homes. Firefighters battling the largest fire of multiple wildfires burning in the area have faced dry hydrants at higher-elevation streets in the neighborhood and low water pressure.

Officials with the Department of Water and Power (DWP) said that demand for water during the fire has made it impossible to maintain pressure to hydrants at higher elevations. If the reservoir was operable at the time the fires began, former DWP general manager Martin Adams said that it would have extended water pressure in the Palisades on Tuesday night, but only for a period of time.

Mel Gibson Reveals $14.5M Malibu Mansion Burned to Ashes While Filming Joe Rogan’s Podcast: ‘It Was Like Someone Did It on Purpose’ | The Gateway Pundit– www.thegatewaypundit.com
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Legendary actor, director, and Oscar-winning producer Mel Gibson has revealed that his $14.5 million Malibu mansion was reduced to ashes during the raging wildfires sweeping through Los Angeles County.

LA area’s 2 biggest blazes burn at least 10,000 structures, while new fire leads to more evacuations– abcnews.go.com
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LOS ANGELES — The two biggest wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area have burned at least 10,000 homes, buildings and other structures, officials said Thursday as they urged more people to heed evacuation orders after a new blaze ignited and quickly grew.

The fast-moving Kenneth Fire started in the late afternoon in the San Fernando Valley just 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from a school serving as a shelter for fire evacuees and then moved into neighboring Ventura County by the evening.

Only hours earlier officials expressed encouragement after firefighters aided by calmer winds and help from crews from outside the state saw the first signs of successfully beating back the region’s devastating wildfires that have killed 10 people so far.

Los Angeles fire victims grieve lost homes, church: ‘It’s too much’ – Detroit Catholic
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Los Angeles fire victims grieve lost homes, church: ‘It’s too much’  Detroit Catholic