THE fires which are currently wreaking havoc Los Angeles and the surrounding areas caused mass evacuations and significant material damage, putting thousands of residents in a critical situation. While firefighters tirelessly battle the flames, Mayor Karen Bass is singled out by some of the public and some local elected officialswho criticize him for insufficient handling of the crisis and lack of upstream prevention.
Critics focus primarily on the slowness of the local government’s response to California’s recurring crisis. While weather conditions – with strong winds and prolonged drought – were reported to have fueled the fires, evacuation and emergency deployment plans would not have been activated in time. “There was a preparation error” reported a municipal representative who requested anonymity to the American media. “We knew this risk existed, yet no measures were taken to strengthen the means of intervention.”
Another criticism concerns the maintenance of infrastructure and green spaces, which are often invaded by flammable brush. According to the report, the Los Angeles TimesIn 2024, only 40% of the risk areas would have benefited from settlement campaigns due to the lack of an adequate budget. Karen Bass’s political opponents point the finger at her government for not prioritizing fire prevention policies.
Faced with contradictions, Karen Bass responded at a press conference. He expressed his support for the emergency crews and affected residents while defending his record:
-“The top priority is to protect lives and contain fires. We will do everything we can with the resources available. » He also called for increased federal support to deal with what he called a “climate crisis beyond local capacity.”
The mayor promised to strengthen the budgets for fire prevention from 2025 and to speed up the adoption of new regulations for construction in hazardous areas. However, for the victims of the fires, these promises come too late…
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