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How Politics Could Play A Role In Wildfire Aid

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joins Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, and State Sen. Alex Padilla while surveying damage during the Palisades Fire on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, California. (Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, January 16, 2025…

  • Fire crews are still on the front lines battling the Los Angeles blazes, but California’s Democratic state leaders are bracing for a different fight ahead: a potential clash with the administration of President-elect Donald Trump over disaster aid.
  • A 14-year-old in Los Angeles is trying to help restore a sense of normalcy for girls who lost everything in the wildfires there. Her effort to give those girls some free retail therapy has gone viral. 
  • The fires that have destroyed homes have also burned through thousands of acres of wildland that’s home to bears, mountain lions, squirrels and other animals.

Trump’s Misinformation About LA Fires Fuels Concerns Over Future Disaster Aid For California

While firefighters battle unprecedented blazes in Southern California, Democratic state leaders are bracing for a different fight ahead: a potential clash with the administration of President-elect Donald Trump over disaster aid.

In the days after the deadly fires broke out amid bone-dry conditions and hurricane-force winds, Trump posted more than half a dozen social media statements blaming Gov. Gavin Newsom and local leaders for the fires. Trump falsely tied the urban fires to state water policies and environmental protections for the Delta smelt, a tiny, endangered fish.

Conservative politicians and commentators, including billionaire Elon Musk, piled on, blaming forest management and even DEI initiatives.

However, it’s not just the rhetoric that concerns state leaders: In Trump’s first term, he refused to send disaster relief funds to California until an aide showed him how many people voted for him in one of the impacted areas. Last fall, Trump made a direct threat, saying if Newsom wouldn’t send more water to Central Valley farmers, “we won’t give him money to put out all his fires.”

Pasadena Girl Helps Fellow Teens With Fire Recovery

A 14-year-old in the Los Angeles area has started a wildfire relief fund to help fellow teenagers impacted by the wildfires.

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Avery Colvert’s home survived the Eaton Fire. But her school burned down. And many of her friends were left with only the clothes on their backs. That got her thinking.

That got Colvert thinking. “My clothes and the way I do my hair and my makeup is so important to my identity and my confidence. And they lost that piece of identity when they lost all their things,” she said. Colvert started collecting donations of new clothes and beauty supplies, and giving them to teenagers impacted by the fires. Professional stylists, Hollywood producers, and some big stars have chipped in. Colvert hopes to help teens rebuild their wardrobes – and their confidence.

You Might See Injured Wild Animals In Fire Areas. Here’s What To Do

The L.A. area fires that have destroyed homes have also burned through thousands of acres of wildland that’s home to bears, mountain lions, squirrels and other animals. Wildlife rehab centers across Southern California are already taking in injured animals — and people are likely to come across more of them as they’re allowed back into evacuated areas.

Wildlife displaced from the burn area — potentially including bears, mountain lions, American badgers and ring-tailed cats — may wander into surrounding neighborhoods. They might have burnt paws or singed feathers, making it hard for them to flee and find food or water.

If you come across an injured animal, keep your distance and don’t feed it — doing so might prompt them to come back for more instead of going back to their own habitat.

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