West LA Times

Actor and Pacific Palisades resident Dennis Quaid has called for the resignation of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, citing her decision to travel to Ghana amid anticipated Santa Ana winds and wildfire events. Quaid expressed his views during an appearance on the Piers Morgan show on January 14.

“There's people out there that have just lost everything, and the insurance companies—they're all about probability. And the worst-case scenarios happen. And because they can happen, the worst case scenario. There was no evacuation plan,” Quaid said. “That makes me wonder about the next earthquake, the next mudslides that are going to happen.”

A review of California's budget revealed that Governor Gavin Newsom had cut $100 million in fire prevention and management prior to the wildfire disaster. According to the New York Post, these funds were removed from at least seven programs designed to prepare California for wildfires, including $5 million from fuel reduction teams and $28 million from state conservancies intended for wildfire resilience.

According to Newsweek, a recall effort against Newsom is underway and more than 165,000 signatures have been gathered in a petition demanding Mayor Bass's resignation. Criticism over the preparedness of Democratic leaders intensified when fire hydrants ran dry during a firestorm in Pacific Palisades. The Eaton Fire in Alta Dena raised further questions about forest management policies. Additionally, Bass faced backlash for being in Ghana when the fires broke out, despite having said she would not travel internationally as mayor.

“Mayor Bass had five days warning about what could be record Santa Ana winds, and she chose to go to Ghana anyway,” Quaid said.

The Hill reported that instead of addressing imminent natural disasters in Los Angeles, California officials focused on "Trump-proofing" the state by reallocating resources away from critical infrastructure budgets and wildfire management.

Cal Fire reported that as of January 27, the Palisades and Eaton Fires are 95% and 99% contained respectively. The Palisades Fire has burned 23,448 acres, destroyed 6,837 structures, damaged 1,017 others, resulting in 12 fatalities and three injuries. The Eaton Fire has burned 14,021 acres, destroyed 9,418 structures, damaged 1,073 others with 17 fatalities. The fires were exacerbated by Santa Ana winds and drought conditions combined with heavy brush due to previous years' rains. Investigations into their causes are ongoing.

Dennis Quaid is an American actor known for roles in films such as "Breaking Away," "The Parent Trap," and "The Day After Tomorrow." His career spans over four decades with numerous appearances in films and TV series according to IMDB.