By Ryan Leon, Feb. 11, 2025
Thinking back on a childhood home can fill someone up with a number of emotions. Memories both happy and sad, watching cartoons, sharing laughs with parents, fights with siblings and family pets running around the entire house are a few that come to mind. While many individuals have the ability to look back fondly on the place they called home for years, this privilege has now been stripped away for victims of the recent Los Angeles wildfires and replaced by ruin.
After the Eaton Fire ravaged through Altadena, people who lived there must face a tragic reality — memories of a home that stands no longer. The same can be said about the Palisades Fire blazing through the Pacific Palisades and the surrounding area of the Santa Monica Mountains.
Although these wildfires are the main reason for the extreme devastation many Los Angeles residents have been experiencing, Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom are at fault as well. City officials are supposed to take the utmost care of the metropolis they serve, creating a safe and habitable place for all residents. And it is their civic duty to be there for citizens during times of need, responding quickly and effectively when disaster strikes.
It’s safe to say Bass has failed miserably in this regard. I’m fully aware high-speed winds played a significant role in worsening the wildfires that began Jan. 7; I’m also aware it isn’t fair to put all the blame on a public official who wasn’t even in the country when these events began but enjoying time in Africa instead.
However, Bass’ lackluster response cannot go unnoticed. Even though Bass has been trying to pick up the pieces since, her absence during the start of the fires deeply angers me. She still left the city after the National Weather Service warned about high winds and the possibility of fires. The warnings took place two days prior.
Loz Feliz resident Eric Spiegelman said Bass should’ve come home earlier as a result, noting the significance of the warnings from the National Weather Service, according to an article from the Los Angeles Times.
What further upsets me is the footage of Bass refusing to answer difficult questions from a Sky News reporter Jan. 9 about her absence while victims’ homes were engulfed in flames. This is on top of her decision to cut the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget prior to the wildfires’ ignition.
Bass’ decision to cut the LAFD’s budget increased the Los Angeles Police Department’s budget instead. While it can be argued this was a decision made with good intentions, it completely backfired in the wake of the destruction plaguing Los Angeles.
Newsom’s response to the wildfires, while not as damning as Bass’, has still been met with some criticism, including mine. Although Newsom declared a state of emergency immediately after the fires began, he ultimately failed by not taking precaution sooner.
If Newsom had intervened in Bass’ involvement in cutting the fire department’s budget, then firefighters would’ve had access to more resources. This is detrimental to California because it isn’t the first time Newsom has dealt with a disaster of this nature, and it feels like the cycle keeps repeating.
Adam Nagourney, a national political reporter, stated these wildfires remind the public Newsom’s residence as governor has been solely marked by disaster, bringing up past issues such as other wildfires, mudslide accidents, the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd incident, according to an article from The New York Times.
The natural disasters occurring during Newsom’s tenure make it difficult to think about the good he’s done. It’s up to elected officials to prepare for times like these, something with which Newsom seems to struggle. With this latest disaster only adding fuel to the fire, Newsom has a lot more work to do if he’s to regain public trust.
It begs the question: Will Newsom be remembered for his positive affirmations or for all the devastation California has endured throughout his tenure? My money’s on the latter.
What angers me the most is the grueling pain and heartbreak victims of these wildfires have suffered through, whether it was losing a home or loved ones. Imagine being someone who has been affected by these wildfires, losing everything they know and value. Now imagine the dread they must have felt seeing their leader ignore questions after their home burned down or someone they knew burned to death. What an unbelievable, cowardly response.
Even worse, not one peep was heard from Bass. Just looks of confusion and complete and utter silence. Silence for those who lost their homes. Silence for those who lost family and friends. Silence for those who will never be the same. Silence for those who will never be able to recover.
Mario Guerrero, chair of the Department of Political Science at Cal Poly Pomona, emphasized the importance of communication — something Bass could have done better to improve the situation.
Guerrero mentioned he wasn’t as critical of Bass for her initial response or lack thereof but noted Bass should have anticipated those questions, ultimately referring to her gaff as a communication issue.
Bass’ legacy will forever be tainted by this incident. Even though Bass has been more active since this whole ordeal started, I can’t get the image of her blank stare out of my mind. The aftermath of suffering I’ve seen is simply too much.
Feature image courtesy of Darren LooÂ
