LOS ANGELES residents have been left furious after the whole 10 million population were sent an “extreme” fire evacuation emergency text.
Residents in the area were already feeling anxious after witnessing the destructive wildfires, and news of the blunder only added to their distress. Many criticized both the Democrat Governor and Mayor for the oversight.
On Thursday afternoon, the whole population of LA were burdened with a text reading that the blaze was close and they should prepare to evacuate.
It read: “”An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued in your area.”
One resident, Rebecca Alvarez-Petit, was on a video work call when her phone began blaring the sham emergency warning.
The sound began to echo around the call as each of her colleagues had received the exact same message.
She told BBC: “It was like a massive panic that I was watching in real-time.”
This led to moments of panic among Rebecca and her fellow workmates, all of whom scrambled to research whether they were in imminent danger.
But a corrected alert then came through, telling them to disregard the terrifying warning.
The initial relief that residents felt quickly turned to frustration over the significant mistake. Rebecca expressed her disappointment, mentioning that they were relying on various forms of media, such as phones, TV, and radio, for information as there seemed to be a lack of a reliable communication system in place.
She added: “And then this. It’s like – you have got to be kidding me.”
The raging wildfires ripping through Los Angeles have killed ten people and destroyed 10,000 homes.
Out-of-control flames have been tearing through neighborhoods for days as fierce winds threaten to fuel the towering infernos.
For many, the fear surrounding saving their lives and homes has turned into frustration over the handling of the catastrophic natural disaster.
Embattled LA Governor Gavin Newsom has faced huge criticism from his residents, as well as President-elect Donald Trump.
Both Newsom and LA’s Mayor, Karen Bass, are facing allegations of neglecting forest management regulations and reducing funding for the fire department in California leading up to the wildfire.
There has been uproar amongst residents about fire hydrants running out of water as firefights tried to minimise the blazes.
Dodging accountability, Newsom embarrassingly passed off on “local folks” during a CNN interview.
Claiming the hydrants weren’t designed to handle mass fires, he said: “Look, the local folks are trying to figure that out.
“I mean those hydrants are typical for two or three fires – maybe one fire and you have something of this scale, but again that’s gonna be determined by the local.”
One distraught LA mom was captured on Sky News desperately asking the Governor what he was going to do for her daughter after her school was burnt down.
Newsom nonchalantly responded that he was “literally” calling President Joe Biden to see about gathering help.
But when the mom asked him to prove it as she didn’t “believe it,” Newsom said he had no reception.
He defensively responded: “I’ve tried [calling] five times, that’s why I’m walking around to make the call.
“I’m so sorry, especially for your daughter.”
Trump called for Newsom to resign on Wednesday after claiming he blocked a law passed during his first term that diverted water runoff from north California.
The Republican said earlier in the day that Newsom was more focused on saving “worthless fish” than his own residents.
Trump posted to Truth Social: “Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA!
“He is to blame for this.”
Newsom responded by telling CNN that Trump was trying to “politicize” the wildfires.
But Trump isn’t the only big name angered by the Democrat’s handling of the wildfires.
Hollywood star Mel Gibson ripped into Newsom on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, claiming the governor was unprepared to handle the wildfires tearing through Los Angeles.
When Gibson went to film the podcast in Austin, Texas, he told NewsNation he was “ill at ease” because his neighborhood was “on fire”.
The 69-year-old Patriot actor talked of Newsom’s incompetence during Rogan’s show, saying: “In 2019, I think Newsom said, you know, ‘I’m going to take care of the forest and maintain the forest’ and do all that kind of stuff.
“He didn’t do anything.”
“And on top of that, they cut the water off.
“I think all our tax dollars probably went for Gavin’s hair gel.
“It’s sad. The place is just on fire.”
Meanwhile Mayor Karen Bass has been dubbed the most “incompetent politician in America” after managing to botch a fire emergency information website address.
Bass has previously been slammed for cutting an eye-watering $17.6 million from the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
The Democrat was also under fire with her constituents for being 74,00 miles away in Africa attending the inauguration of Ghana‘s president as wildfires began to engulf her city.
In the fire emergency information blunder, Bass carelessly told locals to just visit “URL” after admitting the deadly fire is “the big one”.
Reading from a script, the flailing mayor said vaguely: “If you need help, emergency information, resources, and shelter is available.
“All of this can be found at URL.”
The new Kenneth Fire is one of six fires wreaking havoc in LA – with ten people confirmed dead, though the toll is feared to be much higher.
The remains of three victims are still being identified, the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner said.
More than 180,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes – with a further 200,000 warned they may need to quickly evacuate.
The Kenneth Fire ignited after five separate fires broke out on Tuesday morning – causing mass destruction.
Among them are two major fires – Palisades and Eaton, which have torn through 53 square miles.
‘War zone’ LA feels ‘broken’ as fires still ravage the city – but we will rebuild
The U.S. Sun’s Assistant Editor for Exclusives Katy Forrester is an LA resident and she witnessed first-hand the horror as flames engulfed the city. She said the city feels like a “war zone
EVERY year Los Angeles braces itself for wildfires. It is not uncommon to see flames torching the hills and even houses burning to the ground.
But many residents have never witnessed anything as devastating as this week. And it’s nowhere near over.
I spent time near Pacific Palisades, where thick smoke filled the air, and saw desperate families fleeing the city while others begged police to give them access to their properties as roads were blocked off.
“Everything is gone” was heard many times, as thousands of people were left homeless and with few possessions.
I was lucky to only have the power go out in my home, but I’ll never forget what I witnessed traveling throughout the city.
It was like a war zone.
During a visit to a shelter, I spoke with a resident who has lived in his home for almost 30 years and is battling cancer. He stayed long after he was told to pack up and go.
It was only when flames began leaping around his building that he finally gathered his belongings and ran out.
I reported from Altadena, where buildings were still engulfed in flames, and few fire trucks were in sight as emergency services were overwhelmed.
Cars and school buses were completely torched, and heartbroken families stood around in shock, not being able to process what had happened.
As the sun went down, I drove back home towards the city center, which I felt was safe, until I saw orange flames leaping behind buildings just minutes from my house.
I felt sick. I’ve never known wildfires so close to Hollywood, and suddenly, phones were blaring with emergency notifications to evacuate the area.
Traffic lights and street lamps were out, and areas filled with fallen trees from the strong winds became gridlocked.
I feel extremely lucky I live minutes outside of the evacuation zone, but friends panicked and fled their homes.
Although many worldwide will merely shrug when they hear wealthy people have lost their homes, the reality is very different.
The city as a whole feels broken, everyone from single mothers to elderly people have been through hell.
And people are angry.
Dozens have spoken of their insurance policies being canceled just months before the fires, while others are reeling over alleged corruption and mismanagement.
They may be angry. But they are also hopeful. The people of Los Angeles are made of strong stuff.
We will get through this. And we will rebuild.
