Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Local Congresswoman Co-Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Enhance Wildfire Detection

In response to deadly wildfires across Southern California, U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu, who represents Pasadena, and two other California representatives, introduced legislation Monday to strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s capabilities in detecting and forecasting wildfires.

The Fire Information and Reaction Enhancement (FIRE) Act, introduced by Chu and co-sponsored by Representatives Young Kim (CA District 40) and Julia Brownley (District 26), directs the NOAA to focus its assets on wildfire management and rapidly share critical information with land managers and firefighters.

The Eaton Fire, which has swept through Altadena and northern Pasadena in Chu’s District, has destroyed more than 9,500 structures and left 20,000 people homeless.

“The Southern California wildfires this month are on track to become one of the costliest and devastating natural disasters in our country’s history,” Chu said. “As climate change causes longer, more severe fire seasons in California each year, we need to leverage all the tools at our disposal to keep communities safe.”

Rep.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Getty Trust Launches Growing $12 Million Emergency Fund for Los Angeles Artists Affected by Wildfires

Coalition of major arts organizations mobilizes support for creative community devastated by unprecedented Eaton and Palisades crisis

A powerful alliance of arts organizations and philanthropists, spearheaded by the J. Paul Getty Trust, has launched an initial $12 million emergency relief fund that continues to grow.

The Los Angeles Arts Community Fire Relief Fund unites the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art through the Mohn Art Collective, alongside East West Bank, the Mellon Foundation, and Ford Foundation in helping survivors of the Eaton and Palisades crisis.

The Center for Cultural Innovation, a longstanding intermediary providing funding, advocacy, and research support, began to administer grants to affected artists through cciarts.org on January 20.

“People around the world are watching in horror as vast areas of Los Angeles burn, but this regional tragedy has global cultural repercussions,” said Katherine E. Fleming, President and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust.

The initiative has drawn support from over two dozen major donors,

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Cooler Weather Dominates as Fires Near Full Containment

CITY NEWS SERVICE

With the Los Angeles area’s major wildfires all nearing full containment Wednesday, cooler and drier weather will dominate for the next few days — with no signs of any immediate return of dangerous Santa Ana wind conditions or precipitation that could spark debris flows.

National Weather Service forecasters said Tuesday’s high temperatures will be about 3 to 6 degrees below normal, followed by “chilly” overnight temperatures into Wednesday, possibly meaning more frost or freeze warnings in some areas.

Cooler temperatures “will remain over the next several days with daytime temperatures remaining below normal for this time of year,” according to the NWS.

A warming trend is anticipated by the weekend, pushing temperatures back into the 70s for most coastal and valley areas, thanks to a “weak offshore flow” between Saturday and Monday.

Forecasters said there is a potential for some rain by the middle of next week, but it was still too early if it will actually develop and how strong the system might be.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Eaton Fire Nears Full Containment; Evacuation Centers Remain Open

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The deadly Eaton Fire in the Pasadena and Altadena areas is almost fully contained Wednesday, and fears of flooding or debris flows from weekend rains are easing as the storm system moved off to the east.

The Eaton Fire has burned 14,021 acres in Altadena and Pasadena since Jan. 7, leaving at least 17 people dead, according to Cal Fire. Nine firefighters were injured battling the blaze. It has destroyed 9,418 structures and damaged another 1,073. The fire was 99% contained as of Wednesday.

An evacuation center remained open at the Pasadena Convention Center at 300 E. Green St., although all evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted.

Southern California Edison reported that service has been restored to 12,422 structures, with 6,961 remaining without power.

SoCalGas officials temporarily shut off natural gas service to thousands of customers in the Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre communities as a safety measure. As of Tuesday, the utility had restored service to 7,188 of them.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Gov. Newsom Launches LA Rises to Raise Funds and Resources for LA Fire Victims

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Gov. Gavin Newsom is launching a program called LA Rises Tuesday and it will provide financial support from private sectors to rebuild areas affected by recent wildfires in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Pasadena, Sylmar, West Hills, Castaic and throughout Southern California.

The unified recovery initiative combines relief efforts of the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County and state of California. Newsom has enlisted Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter, business leader and basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Casey Wasserman, LA28 Chairperson and President to lead and recruit others to this private sector and philanthropic effort.

“Los Angeles will rise again — stronger, more united, and more resilient than ever. Just as California came together to fight the fires, we’ll work together to rebuild. With Mark, Earvin and Casey’s proven leadership and deep commitment to Los Angeles, we’ll tap into the enormous creativity, experience, and resources of the private sector, alongside local, state, and federal efforts, to deliver a recovery that benefits all Angelenos,”

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Debris Clearance Program Forms Now Available

CITY NEWS SERVICE

“Right of Entry” forms giving the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clear debris of wildfire-destroyed homes became available for affected property owners Tuesday, as Gov. Gavin Newsom said authorities are expediting the debris clearance process to get the rebuilding process moving.

The debris removal process is currently in Phase 1, which is the removal of hazardous materials from properties by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to ensure the debris areas are safe for people to enter.

Once hazardous waste is cleared from properties, the Corps of Engineers or private contractors hired by homeowners will be able to move in and physically remove the debris from properties. Property owners who want the Corps of Engineers to conduct the work — at no cost to the homeowner — must opt in to the program by completing a “Right of Entry” form. Property owners also have the option of opting out of the program if they plan to hire their own contractor to do the removal work.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Study: Black Households Disproportionately Impacted by Eaton Fire

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Black residents of Altadena were disproportionately impacted by the Eaton Fire’s devastation, both in the concentration of households within the burn area and the percentage of homes that were destroyed or sustained major damage, according to a UCLA study released Tuesday.

According to the report by the UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, the UCLA Center for Neighborhood Knowledge and the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, at least 2,800 Black households were forced to evacuate within a day of the Eaton Fire’s outbreak on Jan. 7, and a disproportionate number of homes damaged or destroyed were located in neighborhoods historically occupied by Black residents.

“Altadena’s Black community has long served as a symbol of resilience and opportunity in the Los Angeles region, but the Eaton Fire exposes how decades of segregation and the legacy of redlining practices have left Black households more vulnerable,” Lorrie Frasure, a professor of political science and African American studies who directs the Bunche Center,

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Judge Pauses Portion of Trump Freeze on Federal Grants, Loans

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

A judge on Tuesday afternoon paused part of the Trump administration’s freeze on federal loans, grants and other financial assistance.

The decision is a win for advocacy groups who said the policy would be devastating.

U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan ordered the Trump administration not to block “open awards,” or funds that were already slated to be disbursed, until at least Feb. 3.

The temporary ruling is intended to “maintain the status quo.” It does not block freezes funding to new programs, or require it to restart funding that has already ended.

AliKhan scheduled another hearing for Monday at 11 a.m. EST to determine the next steps.

The decision caused widespread panic and chaos on Tuesday.

By 2 p.m. PST on Tuesday, organizations and agencies that depend on federal health department funds, including Medicaid, reported they cannot access online system responsible for tracking and depositing their money.

City officials were attempting to ascertain how the pause could impact City funding.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

County Supervisors Look for Review of Emergency Notification System

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The county Board of Supervisors approved a motion Tuesday calling for an independent review of the emergency notification systems used during fires and other crises to inform residents of evacuation orders, following faulty alerts.

The notification system generated complaints in the early days of the Los Angeles-area firestorm when several erroneous alerts were sent to cell phones countywide telling residents they were in an evacuation area. Those alerts were intended to be sent to residents near the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills area, but they instead went to millions of residents countywide, and even some in Orange County.

Authorities at the time called it a technology issue, not human error.

The Los Angeles Times later reported that residents in the Altadena area west of Lake Avenue did not receive any emergency evacuation orders until roughly nine hours after the Eaton Fire erupted, despite the blaze burning uncontrollably and spreading rapidly due to fierce Santa Ana winds.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

LA Supervisors Approve $32 Million Fire Recovery Fund, Additional Efforts

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a proposal Tuesday to create a Fire Recovery Fund to provide direct cash aid to wildfire victims, with an initial bankroll of $32.2 million.

The motion calls for the county to initially allocate the $32.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars, with the departments of Economic Opportunity and Consumer and Business Affairs directed to report back in a week with an implementation update, including details on a process for people to apply for relief funds.

The county CEO was asked to find additional county funding to be re-purposed for fire recovery.

The fund will provide “direct cash aid to homeowners, renters, business owners, workers, and other community members impacted by the fire events,” according to the motion by Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Kathryn Barger. “The fund will provide immediate, temporary assistance to impacted residents until longer term state and federal recovery resources become available.”

The wind-driven Palisades,