"Sandra Edwards awoke on the morning of July 8 to the sounds of howling winds and gushing water. As she made her way from the bedroom to the living room, she stepped in a puddle. She turned on her phone’s flashlight and saw a hole in the roof, wooly insulation hanging off the ceiling and water pouring in. Hurricane Beryl had just made landfall in Houston."
"The toxic smoke from the fires, combined with disruption to the economy, health care system, and mental health may lead to thousands of deaths over the coming years."
"A billionaire couple was accused of withholding water that could help stop Los Angeles’ massive wildfires. Democratic leadership was blamed for fire hydrants running dry and for an empty reservoir. Firefighters were criticized for allegedly using “women’s handbags” to fight the fires. Those are just a few of the false or misleading claims that have emerged amid general criticism about California’s water management sparked by the fierce Los Angeles fires."
"Landlords and real estate agencies are jacking up the rent on houses as demand outstrips supply in fire-torn LA."
"Oil executive Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Energy Department, has argued that climate change has not fueled more frequent and severe wildfires — a claim at odds with the scientific consensus."
"The growth of homes in areas primed to burn played a major role in the disaster."
"President-elect Donald Trump will have wide authority over Los Angeles’ recovery from the wildfires that have decimated areas of the city — even though President Joe Biden approved disaster aid in the final days of his term."
"Chemical residues from burned houses, cars, consumer products and fire retardants create toxic hazards for fire survivors."
"Thousands of firefighters are working to contain the blazes of multiple fires across Los Angeles. Months from now when the fires are extinguished and the rain comes, however, a hidden threat could put communities at risk once again."
"Helping drive the wildfires in the US city of Los Angeles are the so-called Santa Ana winds, a weather phenomenon known to dry out "the hills and the nerves to flash point."
