Fire Breaks Out Again in Los Angeles; Trump Says He May Cut Federal Aid

With the onset and spread of another fire in the northern areas of Los Angeles, tens of thousands of residents in Southern California have been forced to evacuate their homes. This new blaze, known as 'Hughes,' began on Wednesday, January 23, approximately 70 kilometers north of Los Angeles. The flames quickly engulfed an area of 38 square kilometers within a few hours. Anthony Maroney, the head of the Los Angeles Fire Department, emphasized that as of Wednesday evening local time, the fire had not been contained. So far, over 31,000 residents in these areas have received evacuation orders, and more than 20,000 others have been asked to be prepared to leave their homes. No reports of home and structure damage due to this new fire have been released yet. Images that have been published show a thick, black cloud of smoke over the area. A portion of Highway 5, which is considered a vital artery in California, was also temporarily closed. According to local officials, the continued winds have played a significant role in the rapid spread of this fire. In recent days, thousands of firefighters have made progress in containing two other large and devastating fires in Los Angeles. By Wednesday evening, over 90% of the 'Eaton' fire near Pasadena had been contained, and the 'Palisades' fire, which burned large parts of affluent areas in Los Angeles, was also 70% under control. It is estimated that due to these two major fires, about 15,000 structures have been destroyed or severely damaged, and at least 28 people have lost their lives. Meanwhile, the President of the United States has threatened that if California officials do not change their approach to water management policies, he may cut federal aid for firefighting efforts. Donald Trump, in his first television interview after returning to the White House with Fox News, claimed that 'policies protecting aquatic life in northern California' have resulted in a lack of water to combat fires in the rural south, an accusation that local officials vehemently deny. The U.S. President also blamed California's Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, a serious critic of Trump, for the spread of the fires. Donald Trump, who is set to visit Southern California on Friday for his first trip in office, also called for 'reform' in the Federal Emergency Management Agency and stated that he prefers states to solve their problems directly. Trump claimed that federal agency intervention actually slows down operations.