section_path: Reactions/Domestic
section_name: Domestic
paragraph_text: Domestic
  
  Los Angeles councilwoman Traci Park stated that the wildfires were "a devastating loss, for all of Los Angeles". Governor of California Gavin Newsom urged residents to follow evacuation orders and stated to the incoming Trump administration that "I'm not here to play any politics" after he contacted President Joe Biden to receive federal fire assistance with "No politics, no handwringing, no kissing of the feet." He later canceled his trip to Washington, D.C., where he had planned to attend President Jimmy Carter 's memorial service. President Joe Biden also canceled his trip to Italy in order to focus on tracking the wildfires across the Los Angeles area. He also offered any federal assistance needed to suppress the Palisades Fire. In addition, Vice President Kamala Harris urged people to heed the guidance of local officials and also canceled her own trip to Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany.
  
  President-elect Donald Trump placed blame on Governor Gavin Newsom for refusing to sign a "water restoration declaration", citing a desire for the governor to protect "an essentially worthless fish called the smelt." Newsom's press office responded, stating that such a declaration does not exist and is "pure fiction". On January 10, 2025, Newsom told Joe Biden that the country needed to address "hurricane-force winds of mis- and disinformation" about the fires. On January 11, Newsom launched the CaliforniaFireFacts.com webpage on his website, intended to correct misinformation and disinformation regarding California's policies and management before and during the wildfires. He accused "so-called leaders and partisan media outlets" of spreading misinformation, whom he stated was dividing the country "for their own political gain" and causing distress to the fire's victims. On January 12, while being interviewed on the Pod Save America podcast, Newsom stated that he was ordering an inquiry to determine why several fire hydrants ran out of water during the firefighting response, elaborating that he kept "getting different answers" from Los Angeles officials. Newsom also criticized Elon Musk for politicization and disinformation on wildfires.
  
  On January 15, 2025, US Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) argued for the imposition of conditions on the release of federal aid to California wildfire victims. He criticized the moral hazard inherent in California's "laws where they made it very unattractive for private insurers to come in and actually insure their properties and assess the risk properly" and thereby "encouraged people to build multimillion... homes and complexes in very vulnerable areas". He further argued that such increased exposure to wildfire risk was then compounded by incompetent mitigation of that risk. Kelsey Piper, a journalist writing for Vox, criticized Newsom and Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara 's impulse to respond "to a problem that was substantially caused by price controls with more price controls" by banning policy nonrenewals and fire sales of homes at less than pre-fire values.
  
  Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' absence during President Biden's visit to Santa Monica to assess fire damage drew criticism, including from former Obama administration spokesperson Tommy Vietor. At the time the fires broke out, Bass was in Ghana as part of a delegation attending the inauguration of President John Mahama. She later ended her trip early, returning to the city on January 8. A New York Times article characterized Bass's international visit occurring when the NWS had warned of "extreme fire weather conditions" as having "set off a political crisis". The article reported that during her 2021 mayoral campaign, Bass explicitly stated to The New York Times that she would restrict her travel as mayor to domestic locations after she expressed initial reluctance about leaving her international work, particularly her involvement in United States–Africa relations. Despite this campaign pledge, the article stated that Bass undertook several international trips after assuming office in December 2022, including multiple visits to France regarding the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and a diplomatic visit to Mexico for President Claudia Sheinbaum 's inauguration. The article reported that Bass claimed that the visit was conducted at the Biden administration 's request, that she maintained "constant contact" with officials as the wildfires grew, and that she took a military plane back to Los Angeles as the quickest possible trip. Bass's spokesperson Zach Seidl stated that her 2021 pledge about only conducting domestic travel as a mayor was "a miscommunication".
  
  Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong criticized Bass for cutting $17.6 million from the annual budget to the fire department, noting that severe fire hazard conditions had been known well in advance and that fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades lacked pressure. Politico stated that Soon-Shiong's assertions were wrong, and that the city was in the process of drafting a new contract with the fire department as the budget was being crafted, and that additional funding was set aside in a separate fund until the deal was finalized in December. It also stated that Bass "did not push back on the record to inquiries about Soon-Shiong's post, allowing the incorrect information to circulate widely online for most of Wednesday". Bob Blumenfield, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, said that the fire department's budget had increased by more than $50 million. The city's financial analysts stated that the fire department's operating budget increased more than 7% compared to the prior fiscal year. When reporters asked Mayor Bass about the budget cuts on January 9, she said that "There were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation".
  
  Several drone operators were targeted with harsh criticism for flying in unauthorized airspace to take pictures and videos of the wildfires and neighborhoods damaged by the fires. Critics included other drone operators and photographers, with many posting comments under drone pictures chastising the operator for causing danger to and hindering firefighting efforts. Several people who used drones to take pictures or videos during the outbreak subsequently deleted their social media accounts.
  
  The Los Angeles Rams wore hats and shirts inscribed with "LAFD" in solidarity with the fire department and wildfire victims during the NFL Wild Card playoff game (their home game but played in another venue) against the Minnesota Vikings in Glendale, Arizona, on January 13. Former Rams tackle and Super Bowl winner Andrew Whitworth spoke to the State Farm Stadium crowd at the beginning of the contest talking about the impact of the wildfires, the bravery of first responders and firefighters, and the resiliency of LA's residents in uniting and rebuilding. After a 27–9 upset victory, Rams head coach Sean McVay described the team as having "epitomized and represented the city the right way" amid its struggle and resilience during the fires. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said:
  
  "But we knew we weren't playing just for us. playing for people back home that needed something to, you know, watch and enjoy. And I'm glad we could give that to them."
  
  The Los Angeles Kings, during their five-game road trip, wore patches and stickers honoring the LAFD as well as their opponents they played against: Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and Seattle Kraken. A special moment was held in Winnipeg dedicated to the firefighters. During their first home game on January 21 against the Pittsburgh Penguins since the fires, the Kings repainted center ice with the logo of the LAFD and honored both firefighters and first responders. The Los Angeles Lakers during their home game against the San Antonio Spurs held a moment of silence and dedicated the game to the firefighters. Despite the fact Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul were playing for the Spurs, the two gave the children of Lakers coach JJ Redick their game jerseys, as the two boys lost their basketball collection in the Palisades Fire. The Los Angeles Clippers gave away rally towels during their home game against the Miami Heat featuring the words "LA Strong" and a blue image of the state of California. The Anaheim Ducks honored Orange County firefighters who battle the Palisades and Eaton fire at their home game on January 21 against the Florida Panthers.
  
  All twelve teams in the Los Angeles area donated more than $8 million to the American Red Cross, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, Eaton Canyon Fire Relief and Recovery Fund, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund, Team Rubicon, and various local animal rescue organizations. Several celebrities including Taylor Swift, Leonardo DiCaprio, Eva Longoria, Beyoncé, Paris Hilton, Jamie Lee Curtis, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, and Halle Berry donated money to various organizations in order to help the victims affected by the wildfires. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry also aided the victims by volunteering their time alongside workers from the World Central Kitchen by distributing meals to those in need at a meal distribution center.
  
  On January 28, governor Gavin Newsom launched "LA Rises", a fundraising initiative in collaboration with the private sector to help rebuild areas affected by the fires in addition to $2.5 billion in state relief. The Los Angeles Dodgers made a $100 million donation to LA Rises.
  
  On January 30, 2025, the benefit concert FireAid was held, and other similar concerts followed. Compilation benefit albums, such as Los Angeles Rising and Super Bloom: A Benefit for Los Angeles Fire Relief, were also released.
  
  During Los Angeles FC 's home opener against Minnesota United FC on February 22, 2025, LAFC fans unveiled a tifo honoring the LAFD and other firefighters. A day later, the LA Galaxy honored Los Angeles County firefighters at their home opener against San Diego FC.
  
  During the Los Angeles Dodgers's home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 27, 2025, firefighters from across the Los Angeles area were brought in for the flag salute ceremony before the game started. The Los Angeles Angels started wearing a firefighter helmet during the 2025 season whenever they hit home runs.
  
  The Rams held their 2025 NFL draft at the LAFD's Air Operations facility in Van Nuys to honor the firefighters who fought in the fires.
  
  In January, along with other celebrities, Taylor Swift donated to Santa Barbara based relief organization, Direct Relief, to help California communities rebuild after the devastating wildfires that overran parts of L.A.
  
  Los Angeles councilwoman Traci Park stated that the wildfires were "a devastating loss, for all of Los Angeles". Governor of California Gavin Newsom urged residents to follow evacuation orders and stated to the incoming Trump administration that "I'm not here to play any politics" after he contacted President Joe Biden to receive federal fire assistance with "No politics, no handwringing, no kissing of the feet." He later canceled his trip to Washington, D.C., where he had planned to attend President Jimmy Carter 's memorial service. President Joe Biden also canceled his trip to Italy in order to focus on tracking the wildfires across the Los Angeles area. He also offered any federal assistance needed to suppress the Palisades Fire. In addition, Vice President Kamala Harris urged people to heed the guidance of local officials and also canceled her own trip to Singapore, Bahrain, and Germany.
  
  President-elect Donald Trump placed blame on Governor Gavin Newsom for refusing to sign a "water restoration declaration", citing a desire for the governor to protect "an essentially worthless fish called the smelt." Newsom's press office responded, stating that such a declaration does not exist and is "pure fiction". On January 10, 2025, Newsom told Joe Biden that the country needed to address "hurricane-force winds of mis- and disinformation" about the fires. On January 11, Newsom launched the CaliforniaFireFacts.com webpage on his website, intended to correct misinformation and disinformation regarding California's policies and management before and during the wildfires. He accused "so-called leaders and partisan media outlets" of spreading misinformation, whom he stated was dividing the country "for their own political gain" and causing distress to the fire's victims. On January 12, while being interviewed on the Pod Save America podcast, Newsom stated that he was ordering an inquiry to determine why several fire hydrants ran out of water during the firefighting response, elaborating that he kept "getting different answers" from Los Angeles officials. Newsom also criticized Elon Musk for politicization and disinformation on wildfires.
  
  On January 15, 2025, US Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) argued for the imposition of conditions on the release of federal aid to California wildfire victims. He criticized the moral hazard inherent in California's "laws where they made it very unattractive for private insurers to come in and actually insure their properties and assess the risk properly" and thereby "encouraged people to build multimillion... homes and complexes in very vulnerable areas". He further argued that such increased exposure to wildfire risk was then compounded by incompetent mitigation of that risk. Kelsey Piper, a journalist writing for Vox, criticized Newsom and Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara 's impulse to respond "to a problem that was substantially caused by price controls with more price controls" by banning policy nonrenewals and fire sales of homes at less than pre-fire values.
  
  Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' absence during President Biden's visit to Santa Monica to assess fire damage drew criticism, including from former Obama administration spokesperson Tommy Vietor. At the time the fires broke out, Bass was in Ghana as part of a delegation attending the inauguration of President John Mahama. She later ended her trip early, returning to the city on January 8. A New York Times article characterized Bass's international visit occurring when the NWS had warned of "extreme fire weather conditions" as having "set off a political crisis". The article reported that during her 2021 mayoral campaign, Bass explicitly stated to The New York Times that she would restrict her travel as mayor to domestic locations after she expressed initial reluctance about leaving her international work, particularly her involvement in United States–Africa relations. Despite this campaign pledge, the article stated that Bass undertook several international trips after assuming office in December 2022, including multiple visits to France regarding the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and a diplomatic visit to Mexico for President Claudia Sheinbaum 's inauguration. The article reported that Bass claimed that the visit was conducted at the Biden administration 's request, that she maintained "constant contact" with officials as the wildfires grew, and that she took a military plane back to Los Angeles as the quickest possible trip. Bass's spokesperson Zach Seidl stated that her 2021 pledge about only conducting domestic travel as a mayor was "a miscommunication".
  
  Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong criticized Bass for cutting $17.6 million from the annual budget to the fire department, noting that severe fire hazard conditions had been known well in advance and that fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades lacked pressure. Politico stated that Soon-Shiong's assertions were wrong, and that the city was in the process of drafting a new contract with the fire department as the budget was being crafted, and that additional funding was set aside in a separate fund until the deal was finalized in December. It also stated that Bass "did not push back on the record to inquiries about Soon-Shiong's post, allowing the incorrect information to circulate widely online for most of Wednesday". Bob Blumenfield, a member of the Los Angeles City Council, said that the fire department's budget had increased by more than $50 million. The city's financial analysts stated that the fire department's operating budget increased more than 7% compared to the prior fiscal year. When reporters asked Mayor Bass about the budget cuts on January 9, she said that "There were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation".
  
  Several drone operators were targeted with harsh criticism for flying in unauthorized airspace to take pictures and videos of the wildfires and neighborhoods damaged by the fires. Critics included other drone operators and photographers, with many posting comments under drone pictures chastising the operator for causing danger to and hindering firefighting efforts. Several people who used drones to take pictures or videos during the outbreak subsequently deleted their social media accounts.
  
  The Los Angeles Rams wore hats and shirts inscribed with "LAFD" in solidarity with the fire department and wildfire victims during the NFL Wild Card playoff game (their home game but played in another venue) against the Minnesota Vikings in Glendale, Arizona, on January 13. Former Rams tackle and Super Bowl winner Andrew Whitworth spoke to the State Farm Stadium crowd at the beginning of the contest talking about the impact of the wildfires, the bravery of first responders and firefighters, and the resiliency of LA's residents in uniting and rebuilding. After a 27–9 upset victory, Rams head coach Sean McVay described the team as having "epitomized and represented the city the right way" amid its struggle and resilience during the fires. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said:
  
  "But we knew we weren't playing just for us. playing for people back home that needed something to, you know, watch and enjoy. And I'm glad we could give that to them."
  
  The Los Angeles Kings, during their five-game road trip, wore patches and stickers honoring the LAFD as well as their opponents they played against: Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and Seattle Kraken. A special moment was held in Winnipeg dedicated to the firefighters. During their first home game on January 21 against the Pittsburgh Penguins since the fires, the Kings repainted center ice with the logo of the LAFD and honored both firefighters and first responders. The Los Angeles Lakers during their home game against the San Antonio Spurs held a moment of silence and dedicated the game to the firefighters. Despite the fact Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul were playing for the Spurs, the two gave the children of Lakers coach JJ Redick their game jerseys, as the two boys lost their basketball collection in the Palisades Fire. The Los Angeles Clippers gave away rally towels during their home game against the Miami Heat featuring the words "LA Strong" and a blue image of the state of California. The Anaheim Ducks honored Orange County firefighters who battle the Palisades and Eaton fire at their home game on January 21 against the Florida Panthers.
  
  All twelve teams in the Los Angeles area donated more than $8 million to the American Red Cross, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, Eaton Canyon Fire Relief and Recovery Fund, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund, Team Rubicon, and various local animal rescue organizations. Several celebrities including Taylor Swift, Leonardo DiCaprio, Eva Longoria, Beyoncé, Paris Hilton, Jamie Lee Curtis, Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, and Halle Berry donated money to various organizations in order to help the victims affected by the wildfires. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry also aided the victims by volunteering their time alongside workers from the World Central Kitchen by distributing meals to those in need at a meal distribution center.
  
  On January 28, governor Gavin Newsom launched "LA Rises", a fundraising initiative in collaboration with the private sector to help rebuild areas affected by the fires in addition to $2.5 billion in state relief. The Los Angeles Dodgers made a $100 million donation to LA Rises.
  
  On January 30, 2025, the benefit concert FireAid was held, and other similar concerts followed. Compilation benefit albums, such as Los Angeles Rising and Super Bloom: A Benefit for Los Angeles Fire Relief, were also released.
  
  During Los Angeles FC 's home opener against Minnesota United FC on February 22, 2025, LAFC fans unveiled a tifo honoring the LAFD and other firefighters. A day later, the LA Galaxy honored Los Angeles County firefighters at their home opener against San Diego FC.
  
  During the Los Angeles Dodgers's home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 27, 2025, firefighters from across the Los Angeles area were brought in for the flag salute ceremony before the game started. The Los Angeles Angels started wearing a firefighter helmet during the 2025 season whenever they hit home runs.
  
  The Rams held their 2025 NFL draft at the LAFD's Air Operations facility in Van Nuys to honor the firefighters who fought in the fires.
  
  In January, along with other celebrities, Taylor Swift donated to Santa Barbara based relief organization, Direct Relief, to help California communities rebuild after the devastating wildfires that overran parts of L.A.