Multiple wildfires are continuing to burn across southern California, forcing more than 45,000 people to evacuate their homes. The Palisades Fire has resulted in at least two deaths and consumed over 1,000 structures. As of the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 8, the fire remains at zero percent containment.
As firefighters struggle with limited resources, including reports of empty hydrants amid a water shortage, local and state officials are facing mounting criticism from residents, online commentators and political figures.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is being criticized for being out of the country during this critical time. Bass was in Ghana as part of a U.S. delegation for the inauguration of Ghana’s president. Despite declaring a local state of emergency in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and assuring the public that the city was aggressively addressing the fires on X, Bass’s absence has drawn criticism.
Notably, Elon Musk called her “utterly incompetent.” Developer Rick Caruso, who owns the Palisades Village shopping center in the affected area, criticized her trip.
Caruso spoke to local news to express his frustration.
“This is like a Third World country,” Caruso said. “There is no water coming out of the fire hydrants. LA Mayor Karen Bass is on a foreign trip to Ghana. The firefighters are there, and there’s nothing they can do. It should never happen.”
Bass is also under fire for cutting the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget by $17.6 million in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. This budget reduction is raising concerns about the city’s preparedness, especially with reports of water resources running dry. Firefighters have been radioing each other from active fire zones. They reported that fire hydrants were down and the water supply had dropped.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the city’s Water and Power Department acknowledged the diminished flow but could not specify how many hydrants were affected or explain why it was happening.
President-elect Donald Trump also weighed in on the water shortage during California’s state of emergency, criticizing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump posted.
Trump blamed Newsom for prioritizing the protection of endangered fish species over the water supply, calling the situation the result of “incompetence.”
Newsom, who has been on the ground in active wildfire zones, assured residents in a video message on X that the state is working to contain the fires.
All hands are on deck to fight the #PalisadesFire in Southern California. California is deeply grateful for the brave firefighters & first responders battling the blaze.
— Governor Newsom (@CAgovernor) January 8, 2025
We will continue to mobilize resources and support local communities as they respond to this severe weather. pic.twitter.com/JZrYy85e4z
“Hundreds of personnel are here, we’ve prepositioned 110 engines, we’ve got fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, dozers, water tenders, specialty personnel, putting everything we can into not only suppressing this fire but preventing additional fires over the course of the next few days,” Newsom said.
Water supply failures are not a new issue for the state. The Los Angeles Times reported that during the Mountain Fire in Ventura County in November 2024, inactive water pumps delayed water deliveries to areas affected by the fire.
The Palisades Fire is burning outside of California’s typical wildfire season. It is still at zero percent containment as of this publish time. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
