Wildfires are raging, panicking the city of Los Angeles, fire hydrants running dry, and the mayor thousands of miles away.
The fire itself was not a surprise, as forecasts called for strong winds of up to 160 mph, which can turn even a small blaze into a towering inferno. above monday nightMayor Karen Bass (D) warned that the winds could be “destructive and potentially life-threatening.”
She was right. A fire broke out in the city's picturesque Pacific Palisades neighborhood near the coast around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate the area.
While many people try to escape, the fire continues to consume almost everything in its path.
governor of california gavin newsome (D) flew into Los Angeles shortly thereafter and noted that “not a few buildings” had already been “destroyed.” those destroyed structures reportedly That included the homes of celebrities such as former reality TV stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag.
a scary video Images of two men and a dog trapped inside a house surrounded by fire and smoke quickly went viral on social media. another video shows the evacuation of an assisted living facility, showing a young man who is able to walk quickly pushing elderly and infirm people in wheelchairs across the street.
Firefighters have been battling the fire for hours, and at least 1 firefighterthe 25-year-old woman has already suffered a “severe head injury.”
Thankfully no one has died yet. reported. As of Wednesday morning, about 4,000 acres had already burned.
“My understanding is that the reservoir was not refilled in a timely manner to activate the fire hydrants.”
But by Tuesday night, another big problem had materialized. Firefighters were running out of water.
According to the paper, one firefighter reported over the company radio that the hydrant was stopped. Los Angeles Times.
“The water supply just went down,” said another.
The Ministry of Water and Power acknowledged that water shortages were a problem, but a spokesperson said crews were working in the affected areas “to ensure water supplies.”
“Water tanks have been installed in the area and close coordination is being made to ensure continued water supply to the area.”
The extent of the water shortage is unknown.
Meanwhile, Mayor Basu, who warned LA residents of the impending disaster associated with strong winds, was halfway around the world in Ghana to attend President John Dramani Mahama's inauguration as part of an official US delegation.
People on social media were furious that the bus was in Africa while the city was burning.
- “Please resign! Why are you in Ghana?!” one user commented One of Bass's X posts.
- “Hey Karen! What about Ghana? What about Los Angeles? Yes, it's burnt out, but you shouldn't be here anyway, you're useless,” said another man.
- “No water, Karen,” joked another.
Bass, 71, is reportedly on his way back to Los Angeles due to the fire.
Billionaire Rick Caruso, who ran against Bass in the 2022 Democratic mayoral primary, blamed Bass and other officials for the devastation, likely caused by a lack of preparation and policies restricting water supplies. .
“It took decades to clear the brush on these hillsides, which spread very quickly,” Caruso said. KTTV on tuesday.
“Water has to be provided,” he continued, “and my understanding is that the reservoir was not refilled in a timely manner to activate the hydrants. It's a failure on the part of the city government, but this is fundamental.”
“What we're seeing is about leadership and management, and we're seeing a failure of that. And all of these residents are paying the ultimate price for that,” he added.
Probably to avoid further criticism for the mayor's absence. Bass's X official account They posted messages late at night warning of continued storms, providing updates on emergency shelters and thanking firefighters for their tireless work.
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