USA New fires in Los Angeles and the surrounding area
New horror for California: More than two weeks after the fires broke out, new fires have already flared up again.
23.01.2025, 14:04
SDA
A fire in the west of the metropolis temporarily threatened parts of the upscale Bel Air district. According to the fire department, however, the spread was stopped, while thousands of people were asked to leave their homes north of Los Angeles. The "Hughes" fire broke out there on Wednesday (local time) and spread to an area of over 41 square kilometers within hours, the fire department reported.
Trump's threat from Washington
While the fire is burning in California, Donald Trump is striking a new tone in the White House: In his first TV interview as US President, he threatened to cut off aid from Washington. Trump attached conditions to federal aid for firefighting.
First, California would have to change its water management. "I don't think we should give California anything until they drain the water," he told Fox News.
Trump's criticism is not new - and according to the US media, experts reject it as false. There have been repeated reports in recent weeks about dry hydrants making firefighting work more difficult. Trump has now blamed the Democratic governor of the state, Gavin Newsom.
Trump claimed - falsely, as reported by the Washington Post newspaper and CNN - that Newsom had refused to allow water from the northern part of California to flow into the Los Angeles area in order to protect fish stocks. However, L.A. does not receive its water from there, the newspaper wrote, citing experts.
In the interview, Trump praised the firefighters as "courageous". The President is expected in California on Friday, where he wants to visit areas affected by the fires.
Concerns about landslides
Meteorologists are expecting rain in the region at the weekend. But people cannot breathe a sigh of relief. After the wildfires, which are destroying the vegetation, there are further dangers. Landslides and floods are possible and authorities are preparing for them, wrote the broadcaster CBS.
Over the past few days, thousands of firefighters have made progress in extinguishing the fire. The "Eaton" fire was most recently 95 percent under control, the "Palisades" fire 70 percent. At least 28 people have died in the fires so far. According to estimates, over 18,000 buildings have been destroyed, reported CBS.
Burning hills and huge clouds of smoke again
The "Hughes" fire is currently burning around 70 kilometers north of Los Angeles. Around 30,000 people in the affected districts were asked to leave the danger zone. According to the authorities, there were initially no reports of houses being burnt down. The fire had mainly burned vegetation.
There was thick smoke over the region. TV pictures showed burning hills and huge clouds of smoke. A section of the important highway 5 was temporarily closed. The authorities referred to winds that would contribute to an increased risk of fire.
Hardly any tickets for benefit concert with stars such as Billie Eilish
According to the New York Times, tickets for two benefit concerts for the victims of the fire disaster were almost sold out within an hour.
Stars such as soul legend Stevie Wonder and pop singer Alanis Morissette have announced their attendance at the "FireAid" concerts, as have Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, Joni Mitchell, Rod Stewart and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The performances are to take place at two venues in Inglewood, south of Los Angeles.
According to the report, ticket prices started at 99 dollars. However, only a few seats were available after a short time, with the lowest price being 750 dollars.
According to the organizers, the proceeds will be used to support people who have lost their homes in the fires. The proceeds will also go towards rebuilding the infrastructure.
