Following The CSArtisan’s inquiry regarding wildfire recovery and environmental hazards like mudslides, Congresswoman Judy Chu has issued a formal response to The CSArtisan, addressing her efforts to support victims of the Eaton Fire and other recent disasters across Los Angeles County.
In her statement, Congresswoman Chu expressed her heartbreak over the devastation caused by the fires and provided multiple resources for federal support including FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) aid, SBA (Small Business Administration) resources, and her own Eaton Fire Recovery Guide, which can be accessed via her official website.
Congresswoman Chu voiced deep concerns about the emergency alert system delays for those west of Lake Avenue during the beginning of the fire. She emphasized the need for improved wildfire forecasting and detection, citing her reintroduction of the FIRE Act and ongoing efforts to permanently increase pay for wildland firefighters.
The fires across the LA area, including the the Palisades fire would ultimately claim 27 lives and the devastation of the Altadena area has led to the loss of over 9,500 structures leaving more than 20,000 people without homes.
“I told President Trump directly to not forget the victims of the Eaton Fire. I am encouraged that he told us he would support California ‘100 percent’ and did not mention conditions on aid,” said Chu in her response, but went on to share that she did have concerns about threats from Trump to place conditions on disaster assistance for the wildfire victims in California.
Notably, Congresswoman Chu’s response focused heavily on wildfire mitigation and federal aid but did not address concerns about post-fire mudslides, which continue to impact communities like Sierra Madre and Altadena following heavy rainfall on burn scars.
To access Congresswoman Judy Chu’s full response as well as the list of questions asked by the CSArtisan, see here.
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