A Kick In The Teeth! Podcast E151: On the LA Fires (Patreon)

Sorry for any audio issues, I had to edit around the background noise and things got sketchy at certain points. Not much has changed since I recorded this; both the Eaton fire and Palisades fire continue to burn but are thankfully under control, which is pretty amazing considering how big and destructive they were. Some Republicans are threatening to deny aid to California unless their conditions are met, which includes possibly raising the debt ceiling and potentially forcing Gavin Newsom, a prospective Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, to resign. A few people have been arrested for arson for setting fires after the large scale fire events we witnessed last week, like copycat pyros (similar to how mass shootings trigger other mass shootings). As we have developed and overdeveloped this region for humans to live here, we do need to continue to discuss the ways that climate change will increase the possibility of severe weather events here and across the country and world. 

My Work:

A Kick In The Teeth! Podcast E78: Where Should People Live in the Age of Climate Crisis? https://www.patreon.com/posts/kick-in-teeth-in-87988811

A Kick In The Teeth! Podcast E137: Social Media Has Officially Outlived It's Usefulness: https://www.patreon.com/posts/kick-in-teeth-114004445

A Kick In The Teeth! Podcast E112: Remember When The Internet Was Fun? https://www.patreon.com/posts/kick-in-teeth-102850591

A Kick In The Teeth! Podcast E72: Twitter Goes Private (Social Media Is Still Not Public Infrastructure): https://www.patreon.com/posts/kick-in-teeth-is-85753080

A Kick In The Teeth! Podcast E87: Fake News Is Still A Problem (On Algorithmic War Coverage and The Crumbling of Social Media News Infrastructure): https://www.patreon.com/posts/kick-in-teeth-is-91478256

A Kick In The Teeth! Podcast E10: On Internet as Infrastructure and Tech Access: https://www.patreon.com/posts/kick-in-teeth-on-57131416

[unhurried] {witness}: https://unhurried-witness.aadhum.org

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Did you know I wrote a book? ☺️ 'So, About That... A Year of Contemporary Essays on Race and Pop Culture'

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/About-That-Contemporary-Essays-Culture-ebook/dp/B013V0CHK6

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B013V0CHK6

Digital download (e-book): https://gumroad.com/l/IkUa

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Links:

California Fire Facts: https://gavinnewsom.com/california-fire-facts/

LAPL Emergency Info and Resources: https://lapl.org/be-ready

The dangerous combination fueling the L.A. fires: Exceptional dryness and strong winds: https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/wildfires/what-fueled-la-fires-dry-conditions-wind-rcna186801

The ‘weather whiplash’ fueling the Los Angeles fires is becoming more common: https://grist.org/science/los-angeles-fires-weather-whiplash-research/

The Unusually Strong Force Driving Apocalyptic Los Angeles Wildfires: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/palisades-fire-los-angeles-santa-ana-winds

California overhauled its insurance system. Then Los Angeles caught fire.: https://grist.org/extreme-weather/california-overhauled-its-insurance-system-then-los-angeles-caught-fire/

Incarcerated Firefighters Do Risky, Low-Pay Work. Many Say It’s The Best Job Behind Bars: https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/01/11/los-angeles-palisades-prisoners-firefighters#:~:text=Incarcerated%20Firefighters%20Do%20Risky%2C%20Low,of%20their%20choice%20are%20complicated.

The Case for Letting Malibu Burn: https://longreads.com/2018/12/04/the-case-for-letting-malibu-burn/

What do the LA wildfires mean for home insurance? https://www.context.news/climate-risks/what-do-the-la-wildfires-mean-for-home-insurance

As fires ravage the LA region, so too are conspiracy theories and misinformation: https://laist.com/news/la-region-so-too-are-conspiracy-theories-and-misinformation

Mike Johnson Vows to Hold Aid to California Hostage After Deadly Fires: https://newrepublic.com/post/190179/mike-johnson-aid-california-fires-condition

Republicans sound eager to deny fire aid to Los Angeles: https://www.msnbc.com/the-reidout/reidout-blog/los-angeles-wildfires-trump-charlie-kirk-misinformation-federal-aid-rcna187173

Fact check: LA fires drive falsehoods, including by Trump about water use: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/12/fact-check-la-fires-drive-falsehoods-including-by-trump-about-water-use

Fact-checking misinformation about the Los Angeles wildfires and California water policy: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-misinformation-about-the-los-angeles-wildfires-and-california-water-policy