Congresswoman Waters’ Statement on the Los Angeles Wildfires
Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, issued the following statement following the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County.
“My prayers go out to everyone who has been affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles County, especially the families who’ve lost loved ones. The Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, and Soledad Canyon fires have burned approximately 25,000 acres and destroyed over 1,000 structures. Due to mandatory evacuations, over 110,000 residents have been displaced. My team and I spoke with the White House, the Governor’s office, and local officials to assess the impact of the fires and help chart a path for recovery.
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the brave firefighters and first responders working tirelessly to contain the fires, save the lives of tens of thousands of families, and protect communities from further devastation. I urge residents in affected areas to heed orders to evacuate immediately. For the most up-to-date information on the fires and the evolving emergency plans, residents can sign up to the City of Los Angeles’ Emergency Manage Department for emergency text alerts to receive critical updates at https://emergency.lacity.
All Los Angeles Unified schools and offices will be closed again today, January 10, 2025. Available resources include the following:
- Meal Distribution: From 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on January 9th, Los Angeles Unified will open eight sites (two per region) to provide meals for students. District families may stop by and walk into any of these locations to receive two meals per student. This will only be available to Los Angeles Unified students.
- North: Mulholland Middle School and Sepulveda Middle School
- East: Hollenbeck Middle School and South Gate High School
- South: Fremont High School and Harry Bridges Span School
- West: Marina Del Rey Middle School and Sonia Sotomayor Arts and Sciences Magnet School
Additionally, those impacted may be entitled to reimbursement related to evacuation costs. Please contact the Department of Insurance for additional information at 800-927-4357 or insurance.ca.gov.
My team and I continue to receive regular updates and are working with local officials to keep communities safe.”
