Death Tolls Up to at Least 24 as LA Wildfires Continue

What Happened?

Officials have now updated recent death tolls to at least 24 as wildfires continue to impact the Southern California region.

Online video showed U.S. military personnel dropping more than 16,000 gallons of fire suppressant on the wildfires over the weekend.

The four fires in the area have reportedly consumed an area larger than San Francisco which equivalates more than 62 square miles.

As of Monday afternoon, the Palisades Fire was 14% contained and the Eaton Fire containment reportedly reached 33%.

The Palisades and Eaton blazes accounted for 59 of the 62 square miles, according to the Associated Press.

Why it Matters

A lawsuit reportedly filed Monday against Southern California Edison claims the energy provider's equipment sparked the fire in Eaton.

The lawsuit, on behalf of local homeowners, renters, and business owners, is believed to be the first of thousands of possible legal claims tied to this crisis.

California Governor Gavin Newsom stated Monday that the fire area will remain under a Red Flag Warning until early Wednesday amid strong winds expected to cause impact.

Authorities reportedly have warned severe wind gusts, reaching 65 mph in the mountains, are expected to last through Wednesday which threaten to undo some progress.

Newsom added that 1,000 more California National Guard service members were deployed to Los Angeles and roughly 2,500 service members mobilized will work to help ensure safety for those devastated by the fires.

The number of people under evacuation orders in the Los Angeles area has reportedly dropped to under 100,000.

CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that Oscar nominations will be pushed back until Jan. 23 amid the ongoing wildfires.

The NFL also moved the Wild Card round playoff game Monday between the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium to an alternative location in Glendale, Arizona.

According to reports, the preliminary damages and economic loss from the fires are estimated to be $52 billion to $57 billion.

President Joe Biden approved a federal emergency declaration he pledged to sign after meeting with California Governor Gavin Newsom in Santa Monica.

Despite that many have criticized Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass over reports she cut the city’s fire department budget by $17.6 million previously to prioritize homelessness.

President-elect Donald Trump has criticized Bass and Gov. Newsom on Truth Social in a series of posts that acknowledged the fires' continuous spread.

He has even called for the governor's resignation over claims Newsom refused to sign a water restoration declaration put before him.

How it Affects You

Trump takes office next week and the California crisis will quickly become a top priority on the long road to recovery.

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Capitol Hill Monday that he's open to providing aid to California without any conditions.

But Johnson also made similar references to the alleged mismanagement of water and forest resources in the state.

'It does come down to leadership and it appears to us that state and local leaders were derelict in their duty in many respects,' Johnson told reporters.

This historic event will certainly test how united Capitol Hill may be while division remains between Trump and the political leaders of California.