A week after fires broke out in the Los Angeles area, Californians are grappling with the widespread destruction.They’re also seeking answers from their leaders about why so much has been lost.Mike Baker and Christopher Flavelle, who have been covering the fires, discuss the authorities’ response and whether some of the devastation could have been avoided.Guests: Mike Baker, a national reporter for The New York Times.Christopher Flavelle, a reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Some Pacific Palisades residents said the community had long asked for more detailed fire preparation plans.The L.A. fires show the limits of America’s efforts to cope with climate change.How Los Angeles firefighters ran out of water.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Full Episode
From The New York Times, I'm Natalie Kitroweth, and this is The Daily. As wildfires ravage Southern California for a seventh straight day, residents are seeking answers about why so much has been lost and whether their government could have done more to protect them.
Today, my colleagues Mike Baker and Chris Flavell on the response so far and whether some of the devastation could have been avoided. It's Tuesday, January 14th.
Help! Help! I'm right here. I need a little water.
In the days since the fire started, a bleak picture has emerged of the extent of the damage they caused.
My family and I just lost our home here that we grew up in. It's very, very hard. It's hard not to cry.
As you can see, there's nothing left, and I've been here for about an hour and a half, and I don't want to leave this home.
I'm like, man, how much can one guy take? People tell me to be strong. It's like, how much stronger do I have to be?
These fires are on pace to be the most destructive in California's history. In the Palisades, on the west side of Los Angeles, an out-of-control fire ripped through homes and historic landmarks. Near the eastern edge of the city, entire neighborhoods in Altadena were reduced to ashes. As rescuers combed through the rubble, they found the body of a man named Victor Shaw.
He was laying dead in his front yard, clutching a garden hose.
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