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News & politics

LA Wildfires

(258 Posts)
Bea65 Thu 09-Jan-25 15:25:35

My sis in law and niece had to pack up car yesterday with the hurricane winds throwing up more fires ready to evacuate but hurricane winds changed..They live in Anaheim Orange County… they are soo scared and exhausted and the air quality is really bad although 7 miles away from an ongoing fire….watching the images it truly looks apocalyptic and terrifying…they are considering relocating back to the UK …IVE asked them to come… apparently firefighters are/ running out of water….climate changes are really dire IMO
🙏🙏

NotSpaghetti Mon 13-Jan-25 10:27:43

I suppose, Bea65 it's possible they went out of concern and helped anonymously on day 1 and also took a cameraman on day 2.
I don't think we should be knocking people who are helping though.

I was certain they had done something anonymously. Thanks Bea - Allsorts hasn't come back yet so don't know where she's read otherwise.

Allira Mon 13-Jan-25 10:32:24

There are thousands of people volunteering at centres to help those who have lost everything in these fires. Are they al, to be condemned as virtue signallers?
Is this little lad a publicity seeker?
"Among the volunteers is six-year-old Oliver Lee, who is volunteering alongside his father, Danny Lee.'

"Let's go help, we have to. We could easily be the next victims", Danny said."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c0rq8r21qkyo

If Meghan and Harry want to go and help too then well done to them, they are just two amongst many.

MissAdventure Mon 13-Jan-25 10:41:02

Only certain types of virtue signallers are allowed.

The family which sang about a woman being raped by 72 men.
Tom Moore and his greedy, grasping family.

Meanwhile everyone yawns that they're fed up with Harry and Meghan, while taking every opportunity to swipe at them.

Allira Mon 13-Jan-25 10:48:13

I really never thought I'd be defending M&H so vociferously 😯

Someone made the point (could be on the other thread) about Harry being an ex-servicemen and yes, this is what service personnel (and others) do.
They run towards a disaster to do what they can to help, not away.

Our condemnation should be reserved for those who are looting, charging extortionate rents to those made homeless by this disaster.

MissAdventure Mon 13-Jan-25 10:52:16

I'm no particular fan of theirs, one way or the other.
I'm just amazed at how much vitriol there is for them.

I reckon some spend far more time getting worked up about them than the royals ever do.

Bea65 Mon 13-Jan-25 11:23:26

MissAdventure

I'm no particular fan of theirs, one way or the other.
I'm just amazed at how much vitriol there is for them.

I reckon some spend far more time getting worked up about them than the royals ever do.

Agree with your comments..think most Cali people were pleased to see them offer any help ..don’t think they took a personal cameraman/woman, the media globally are there..
Harry had his back turned a few times..yes as a former soldier he would offer his support wherever…🙏

Bea65 Mon 13-Jan-25 11:24:01

NotSpaghetti

I suppose, Bea65 it's possible they went out of concern and helped anonymously on day 1 and also took a cameraman on day 2.
I don't think we should be knocking people who are helping though.

I was certain they had done something anonymously. Thanks Bea - Allsorts hasn't come back yet so don't know where she's read otherwise.

🙏

Bea65 Mon 13-Jan-25 11:24:29

Allira

I really never thought I'd be defending M&H so vociferously 😯

Someone made the point (could be on the other thread) about Harry being an ex-servicemen and yes, this is what service personnel (and others) do.
They run towards a disaster to do what they can to help, not away.

Our condemnation should be reserved for those who are looting, charging extortionate rents to those made homeless by this disaster.

🙏

MissAdventure Mon 13-Jan-25 11:26:06

I thought he seemed to deliberately position himself with his back to the camera, so blocked out their view. in the clip I posted.

Wyllow3 Mon 13-Jan-25 11:30:43

Charity begins at home? Musk, whose main engineering operations are based in California, and has enough money to make a real difference, has done nothing but firing falsehoods off against Newsom as has Trump. Shame on them for politicising it like this. It it were a republican state, we know it wouldn't be the same. Why can't they get on with helping?

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/elon-musk-california-wildfires-conspiracy-theories-b2676105.html

www.indy100.com/politics/musk-gaving-newsom-la-wildfires

Guardian: www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/11/los-angeles-wildfires-diversity

"
On Wednesday, for example, Musk took some time out from obsessively tweeting about whether the US should “liberate” Britain to proclaim that the Los Angeles fire department (LAFD) “prioritized DEI over saving lives and homes”. He has continued to post spurious claims about diversity initiatives (for example, “DEI means people DIE”) for days now, along with posts

insinuating that if LAFD’s fire chief weren’t a woman, then things would be very different

Musk is not the only one trying to link wildfires to “wokeness”: all the usual suspects are at it. Donald Trump Jr has also been busy making uninspired jokes about DEI meaning DIE.

BlessedArt Mon 13-Jan-25 11:41:19

The obsession with criticising Harry and Meghan on this says more about the people doing it than it says about them, and absolutely nothing good. Thousands of people, celebs or not, are getting involved in volunteering. Obsessing over cameras in Hollywood capturing it is like obsessing over swimmers getting wet at the beach. It’s weird. Funny, I was in the states last month. The only vitriol you see in US media toward comes from mostlyMurdoch-linked, almost always right wing tabloids. Hardly reputable and hardly in lock-step with general sentiment (which seems at worst indifferent). People here make me chuckle.

Wyllow3 Mon 13-Jan-25 11:55:43

It's good to see mass involvement in help instead of carping from the sidelines by X (and sometimes some help from Fox News). Newsom has invited Trump to come and visit himself.

(People are right about this obsession with Meghan and Harry. Its on the front page of UK newspapers - quite bizarre given the scale of the damage and distress)

If you want the facts of whats actually happening CNN has a very good running commentary which doesnt over politicise

edition.cnn.com/weather/live-news/los-angeles-wildfires-palisades-eaton-california-01-12-25/index.html

GrannyGravy13 Mon 13-Jan-25 12:43:23

Elon Musk has positioned his cyber trucks with star link providing feee Wi-Fi, water and food in a grid pattern in areas of LA. (I can only assume the grid pattern is for wi-if reasons 🤷‍♀️)

To say he is doing nothing is erroneous.

Lots of details available online.

This doesn’t make his posts on X acceptable.

Only time will tell if things could have been handled differently along with more homes and lives saved.

Claremont Mon 13-Jan-25 12:46:16

Disgusting to see both extremes of the human spectrum taking despicable advantage of this terrible tragedy. Those who try to loot, and those who are trying to apply despicable market forces on the victims- like landlords/realtors, hotels, etc- asking for hugely inflated rates for tempory rentals, etc. Just sick.

Wyllow3 Mon 13-Jan-25 13:53:45

More reports on CNN - scammers purporting to be from the government asking for bank details etc.

I just get really angry at the X claims it's "all because of diversity policy" when "Experts told CNN even fully functioning hydrants would not have been enough to battle fires of the magnitude of those that raged this week, particularly when air resources, such as helicopters and fixed-winged aircrafts were grounded due to the wind"

I'm glad Musk is helping with more cyber trucks: there are a number in operation in the area already, privately owned, also offering help. (they are like gigantic power chargers for your mobile)

Only in the US - Musk warned "Elon Musk Advises Tesla Cybertruck Owners in Los Angeles: “Cybertruck Side Panels are Bulletproof, but the Glass is Not, so Make Sure to Duck If You See Anyone Wielding a Gun"

GrannyGravy13 Mon 13-Jan-25 14:00:28

Wyllow3 it can be similar to going down the rabbit hole on X

Depending on who or what you are following there is far more good being seen in and around LA than bad.

Conspiracy theorists feed on a disaster, wherever it occurs, and there are some conspiracy theorists in the US that are really out there with their facts (or as I call them fairy tales)

I tend to stick to Following only occasionally dipping into For you

GreatGM60 Mon 13-Jan-25 14:04:52

Arson has nothing to do with climate change and the reason they have run out of water is because the mayor ordered it to be so. Also , all the environmentalists wanted the clearing of the trees and bushes, which is done every year to avoid fires, to be quashed as well as it wasn't 'eco friendly'. A perfect storm set up for carnage.

Wyllow3 Mon 13-Jan-25 14:07:34

GrannyGravy13

Wyllow3 it can be similar to going down the rabbit hole on X

Depending on who or what you are following there is far more good being seen in and around LA than bad.

Conspiracy theorists feed on a disaster, wherever it occurs, and there are some conspiracy theorists in the US that are really out there with their facts (or as I call them fairy tales)

I tend to stick to Following only occasionally dipping into ^For you^

I don't follow X, I get sources from else where which quote X and investigate

but I agree with more good than bad.

Wyllow3 Mon 13-Jan-25 14:18:13

GreatGM60

Arson has nothing to do with climate change and the reason they have run out of water is because the mayor ordered it to be so. Also , all the environmentalists wanted the clearing of the trees and bushes, which is done every year to avoid fires, to be quashed as well as it wasn't 'eco friendly'. A perfect storm set up for carnage.

They had enough water to cover what they had previously known and could reasonably have been predicted, as local fire chiefs said and I reported above

I dont believe there is one single reason, but it includes climate change, its not an either/or for all coming together in this huge combination of events.

Also, don't forget that one major reservoir in the areas had closed for repairs and remember a lot of the water supplies are privately owned/managed and are no under direct state control, just as we have problems with for example Thames water. I counted 7 different water agencies on google all who have a part in it.

Mt61 Mon 13-Jan-25 15:33:29

BlessedArt

The obsession with criticising Harry and Meghan on this says more about the people doing it than it says about them, and absolutely nothing good. Thousands of people, celebs or not, are getting involved in volunteering. Obsessing over cameras in Hollywood capturing it is like obsessing over swimmers getting wet at the beach. It’s weird. Funny, I was in the states last month. The only vitriol you see in US media toward comes from mostlyMurdoch-linked, almost always right wing tabloids. Hardly reputable and hardly in lock-step with general sentiment (which seems at worst indifferent). People here make me chuckle.

Not so sure about that! Maybe she will make peace with her dad & family, after seeing what others have lost!

Bea65 Mon 13-Jan-25 17:21:47

MissAdventure

I thought he seemed to deliberately position himself with his back to the camera, so blocked out their view. in the clip I posted.

This is what I was alluding to MISS ADVENTURE.. he was trying to be discreet IMO

Some negative comments on here actually repulse me - I think if I had to leave because my house was burning or the neighbours..I’d have to act quickly with both crutches put shoes on ..get meds and a couple of family photos..if I had the time
Some people had no time ..😢

imaround Mon 13-Jan-25 18:56:36

GreatGM60

Arson has nothing to do with climate change and the reason they have run out of water is because the mayor ordered it to be so. Also , all the environmentalists wanted the clearing of the trees and bushes, which is done every year to avoid fires, to be quashed as well as it wasn't 'eco friendly'. A perfect storm set up for carnage.

I would like to see your proof of the mayor ordering the shut off of the water and stopping the cut down of the trees.

That is a dangerous claim you are making.

Wyllow3 Mon 13-Jan-25 19:01:00

Also not true. I'd like to see your proof too. It is complicated, but because of a whole number of circumstances, but it's only Trump and friends posting it as a sort of evil democratic plot.

imaround Mon 13-Jan-25 19:37:48

They haven't even proven it was arson yet. The only thing they can show is it was not lightning because there was none in the area.

This article shows how the arsonist story get fabricated.

"The prospect of arsonists torching Los Angeles gained traction on social media Thursday when a group of people in Woodland Hills detained a man they suspected of setting a trash fire. The man was arrested, but there was not enough probable cause to charge him with arson, police officials said Friday. He was arrested on a felony probation violation instead."

www.nbcnews.com/weather/wildfires/are-arsonists-responsible-los-angeles-wildfires-rcna186949

Bea65 Mon 13-Jan-25 21:07:47

Why are people arguing about truth and arson?
Cannot understand why..