The Palisades Fire, which has engulfed more than 15,800 acres between Malibu and Santa Monica, has killed at least five people and forced more than 150,000 people to evacuate.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone reported that it is the largest current fire in the county, having destroyed around 1,000 structures.
Elon Musk, billionaire and CEO of Tesla, posted videos on X (formerly Twitter) showing the severe damage. One video depicted Malibu’s beachfront homes devastated by the fire, prompting city officials to urge a full evacuation.
A friend in LA just took this video pic.twitter.com/WJBWCHmCUs
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2025Another clip from Musk revealed the charred aftermath in a suburban LA area, with burnt cars, homes, and trees.
As the White House stated, President Joe Biden authorized a major disaster declaration on Wednesday in response to the crisis. This action released federal funds and resources for those impacted by the fires.
The White House detailed, “President Biden has endorsed a Major Disaster declaration for California, enabling immediate access to recovery funds and resources for survivors.”
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2025
Moreover, FEMA has granted a Fire Management Assistance Grant to help California cover firefighting costs.
Amidst this, President-elect Donald Trump criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom on Truth Social for his handling of state water resources, linking it to the severity of the fire. He accused Newsom of prioritizing an endangered fish species over human safety and correlated this with the current disaster.
This criticism coincides with reports that several Los Angeles County fire hydrants ran dry, overwhelmed by the city’s water system demand during firefighting efforts. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works attributes this to the system’s inability to manage such extensive use.
