Los Angeles County resident Christian Forss, a researcher at the California-based Independent Research Institute, said local residents are losing money on their tax dollars as authorities struggle to contain devastating wildfires fanned by strong winds. He says he wonders what it will be used for.
Wildfires have destroyed more than 12,300 homes in the Los Angeles area for five consecutive days, killing at least 11 people and forcing thousands to evacuate. As of Saturday morning, the Palisades Fire was 11% contained, the Eaton Fire 15%, the Kenneth Fire 80% and the Hearst Fire 76% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“I think we as Americans and Los Angeles people expect a certain level of provision from our government at a core level, and people get angry when they see our basic needs not being met. ,” Folse said. Fox News Digital.
“I think Californians are willing to pay high taxes. They're willing to support things that they may not necessarily agree with because there's a fundamental premise that underlies everything. That means our government is here to 'take care of us,''' he continued. “But now, in a situation like this, when there is total mismanagement and people are scared and the containment rate is 0%, people are asking themselves: What was all that tax money spent on? Is that so?”
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Firefighters work near a burning building in Pacific Palisades, California, on January 8, 2025. (Jason Ryan/Na Photo)
Force, whose research focuses on government waste and inefficiency in California, arrived at La Cañada Flintridge, next to the now smoldering city of Altadena, after a neighbor knocked on his door at 6 a.m. and said, I evacuated from a house with my grandfather. “We need to leave.”
The researcher said steps could have been taken to mitigate wildfires, such as more favorable insurance policies that would encourage “many productive types of construction” to be built to withstand wildfires and other natural disasters. I pointed out several issues that I think are. Bury fireproof electric wires underground. Power is cut off when strong winds blow in a specific area. You have more control over the burn.
Power grid outages spike just before Los Angeles wildfires start: experts
Luke Dexter reacts while rummaging through the remains of his father's fire-ravaged beachfront property in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire on Friday, January 10, 2025, in Malibu, California. (John Locher)
Folse also noted that California has struggled for years to address the housing crisis, with displaced residents struggling to find a place to go after being evacuated from their homes.
“I don’t know if the efforts that need to be made are being taken on a statewide level.”
”[California Gov.] “Gavin Newsom signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Forest Service in 2020, agreeing to clear 500,000 acres of forest annually,” Folse explained. The problem with living in a place like California is that you're surrounded by wilderness. These virgin lands have an accumulation of brush, which can be very dangerous. … So they came up with this memorandum of understanding where they said they were going to log 500,000 acres of land, but they only log about 100,000 acres a year. ”
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A helicopter sprays water on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles, Saturday, January 11, 2025. (Etienne Laurent)
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone told reporters Saturday he was preparing for strong Santa Ana winds that could fan the flames into Wednesday.
“These winds, combined with dry air and dry vegetation, will increase the fire danger in Los Angeles County,” Marrone said.
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People watch smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 7, 2025. (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
The Eaton Fire has burned 14,117 acres and is now 15% contained, with more than 7,000 buildings damaged or destroyed. Marrone said 2,832 emergency personnel were on duty to fight the fire.
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Cal Fire Battalion Chief Todd Hopkins said the Palisades Fire is now 21,596 acres and 11% contained. The fire destroyed a total of 5,316 structures, including 426 residences. He added that more than 150,000 residents have been evacuated.
FOX News' Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
