Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined City and County officials on Friday morning as they give the latest updates on everything related to the ongoing wildfire calamity currently facing LA County.
Along with an update to the Palisades Fire, which has burned 20,000 acres, more than 5,000 structures and is currently 8% contained, the briefing included the shocking issues of crime, theft and the fact that a drone collided with one of the two specifically designed CL-415 "Super Scooper" firefighting planes.
"You've heard this message before, but I'm going to say it again, because it's so important and so critical, looting has zero tolerance," said Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
"Looting or exploiting in the disaster areas will not be tolerated. Anybody caught looting or committing crimes in the affected areas will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Will remain vigilant and patrol these areas and ensure that we can mitigate any activity like this. And again, if you haven't already done so, you will start seeing in the city of Los Angeles the National Guard being deployed at the Palisades fire. Their role is going to be traffic control, managing roadways to ensure access to affected areas is restricted to Authorized Personnel only."
He also said that a drone being illegally flown in restricted airspace collided with one of the aircraft that have been collecting water from the Santa Monica Bay to help not only fight the Palisades Fire, but others across Los Angeles County as well. According to Hochman, the pilots were unaware that their aircraft had hit the drone and it wasn't until they landed at at Van Nuys Airport that they that the maintenance staff noticed that "there was a fist sized hole in the leading edge of the wing in board of the landing light."
As a direct result of this incursion, that aircraft will potentially be out of action until Monday, in essence now halving the air support they were providing.
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara also spoke about one of most important issues related to recovery, financial recuperation. "My primary concern at this very moment is to ensure that wildfire survivors receive the insurance benefits to which they are entitled to as soon as possible," he said, adding, "I understand that this may be new and the extent of the calamity here in Southern California and compounded by the insurance and financial stresses that these wildfires have caused [sic], however, at the Department of Insurance, we have been confronting wildfires and other natural disasters throughout our entire state for a very long time, making us, unfortunately, response experts."
scott.snowden@smdp.com
