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Firefighters Gain Ground On Deadly L.A. Wildfires; L.A. Fires Trigger Air Quality Warning And Health Concerns; Officials Warn Of Scam Artists Targeting Wildfire Victims; Biden Pledges Federal Aid For CA Wildfire Recovery; Chinese Protesters Clash With Police Following Student's Death; Denmark Residents React To Trump's Remarks On n Greenland; Special Counsel Jack Smith Resigns From DOJ. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired January 12, 2025 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:34]

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello and welcome to our viewers in the U.S. and around the world. I'm Ivan Watson. We are following breaking news this hour as we head into day six of the devastating wildfires in Southern California.

The urgency to contain the flames is now more than ever a top priority. Officials are warning dangerous weather conditions could fuel the fires even more in the hours ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID ACUNA, BATTALLION CHIEF, CAL FIRE: Another red flag warning that is going to push it westward again. There is a very significant concern that it's going to continue to grow with.

DEPUTY CHIEF BRICE BENNETT, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION: The wind conditions predicted. And what were hearing from the National Weather Service, when it can carry an ember miles away due to 40, 50, 60-mile an hour winds, it doesn't really how big. There's no line you can cut that can stop that. So what we need to do is we need to have everyone ready to be able to evacuate if necessary, depending on where the winds blow the fire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Now crews are battling the fires from the ground and air. California's governor is doubling the number of National Guardsmen deployed. Local firefighters will be joined by others from parts of California as well as from seven other U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. There has been promising progress on the largest blaze burning in Los Angeles. That's the Palisades Fire.

One official says there's minimal activity in some parts as they stop the spread of the fire's boundary. It's now threatening communities west of the 405 Freeway, prompting authorities to expand evacuation orders. At least 16 people have been killed.

Students at UCLA will have online classes until next week as they await updates from officials. Other areas are also under threat from the Palisades Fire, including Brentwood. And the mayor of Malibu says that city has already lost one third of its eastern edge to the Palisades Fire.

Fires are also burning dangerously close to landmarks like The Getty Center. CNN's Stephanie Elam is on the ground near Brentwood and shows us what fire crews are doing now to prepare for a new round of strong winds.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I want to draw your attention to this ridgeline up here behind us up there we see a vehicle parked up on top of that sandy colored area. They have been bulldozing, making that broader, making that wider. And the reason why they're doing that is because they want to have a defensible space, a place where they can battle against the flames were the fire to come this direction.

And we have gotten information that the winds will change direction and start to blow this way. Right now, the fire is burning out in this canyon here in Brentwood, California. But we're what they want to make sure is that it stays away from these homes that you see right here. All day Saturday, we've seen firefighters staged there behind these houses that are up against this ridge.

And obviously a lot of people like to live here where they've got this lovely, beautiful nature backdrop behind them. But this is also the downside of that is just how close they are to this fire burning here, the Palisades Fire. You can see as they have been doing all day, they've been fighting this fire from the sky. They've been dropping fire retardant. They've been dropping water to stop that forward movement. But as the winds change, the smoke starts to change.

And so they have to change how they're fighting these blazes. But this is what they're continuing to do here to protect the houses along this ridge here because obviously the first concern is to make sure that they keep people alive. And as I've been told, most of the people here did evacuate. The next thing that they're working on is keeping homes safe.

And so they have extra firefighters coming from all around the country, in fact, from several states and as well as Canada and Mexico here to help battle these blazes as we prepare for these higher winds over the next few days. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: That's CNN's Stephanie Elam there in Los Angeles.

Now to get the latest on the weather conditions, we're joined now from Oxnard, California, by Todd Hall.

[02:05:03] He's a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Thanks for joining at this time of the night. What are the conditions, the weather conditions on the ground now that firefighters are dealing with? Todd?

TODD HALL, METEOROLOGIST, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE: Well, in general, we're seeing wind gusts between 35 and 50 miles per hour across much of our higher terrain in Southern California where these fires are burning. Those numbers will likely increase through the night as we start to experience the next round of Santa Ana winds.

So typically our Santa Ana winds, they strengthen through sunrise and really reach peak intensity just shortly after sunrise. So we're gearing up for another round of critical fire weather conditions on these fires and potentially some more strong winds across these burn areas.

WATSON: Wow. And when I spoke with you this time last night, you said that though these are strong winds, they should not be powerful enough to stop the air assets, the fixed wing planes and the helicopters that we've seen dumping water and flame retardant on the fires. Is that true?

HALL: Well, there will be some times when the fixed wing so the aircraft may not be able to fly. I know the helicopters, they typically can use those, even during times of high winds, they have a little less restrictions. But that's just, of course, that's just me from experience here looking at that. But yes, there are times when the winds could be strong enough where they have to bring those assets down off, out of the air.

WATSON: You know, there was a CAL FIRE battalion chief who said that the newest round of Santa Ana winds, they could actually help with the Palisades Fire, which has been burning eastwards by blowing it back westwards. Are you monitoring any of those conditions on the ground, what the winds could do either in the Palisades Fire or any of the other fires burning in the region? And do you have any other updates or predictions about what this new round of wind could do to the existing fires?

HALL: Yes, what the battalion chief said, that is correct. Sometimes these winds can blow the fire back on itself and really help that. You just hope that these embers don't end up and become airborne what's left over on the fire. Certainly we have to monitor the west end of the Palisades Fire as this could potentially end up and could push it more.

But there is some good news that we did have a fire called the Franklin Fire about several weeks ago that could end up and actually -- it could actually burn into that where it's -- where that area is already burned. So there is some, I'm sorry about this. There is some hope here that we could end up and bring some suppression to this fire.

WATSON: Let us definitely hope. Meteorologist Todd Hall from the National Weather Service, thank you very much for keeping us up to date on the weather conditions on the ground in Southern California right now.

And let's turn now to Los Angeles because joining us is Ross Greenberg, who lost his home in the Palisades Fire. Ross, I'm sorry about this devastating setback. Can I ask you, how is your family right now? Where are you guys staying right now?

ROSS GREENBERG, LOST HOME L.A. FIRES: Thank you so much for having me tonight. My family is OK. We're currently at a hotel. We've been trying to kind of piece our life back together. I have a, you know, a five year old and a seven-year-old who's actually, her birthday is this week. She's turning 8.

So we have to kind of explain to them that they don't have a house anymore and they don't have their things anymore and we have to find a new place to live. And it's been devastating. I think they're holding up well and we're doing our best.

And you know, seeing what the community is going through is really tough. You know, they lost their dance studio that's been there for 30 years and their musical theater studio that's been there that my wife actually went to as a kid. It's just -- it's hard seeing what's going on.

WATSON: Yes, I really can't imagine. And by the way, our viewers right now are looking at footage and images, I believe of the ruins of your home in the aftermath of this fire.

GREENBERG: Yes.

WATSON: And I know you just said you guys are just trying to come to grips with this. Your 7-year-old is about to have a birthday.

[02:10:00]

Can you tell me what kind of calculations are you making kind of for the near and medium future for your family as you kind of try to come to grips with this loss?

GREENBERG: So we live in an area called the Alphabets, and it's grids of houses next to each other. And my entire street was wiped out except for one house. And so the immediate thought is we have to find a place to go. And we have, you know, thousands upon thousands of people in the Palisades that have been evacuated, and they're looking for places to go, and their homes are probably most likely lost.

And then secondly, the rebuild. We're thinking about rebuilding. So I'm calling contractors and architects and thinking, how quickly can we get this done? And I've been doing that all week because, you know, I know my neighbor's going to have to rebuild, and I know my neighbor down the street is going to have to rebuild. And what is that going to look like? And how can that be expedited is kind of really top of my mind. Because we love our home. We, you know, we bought it a couple years ago. It was a fixer. We fixed it up. We finally moved in. We've been there about two years, and then we lost it. So we're just going to go and rebuild it back to what it was. You know, it was very special to us. So we're just hoping that everyone kind of figure out this expedited

process. And, you know, everybody loves their home, and if they can get back into their communities well. So it's just. It's just tough, you know.

WATSON: It's incredible to think that just days later you're already thinking about plans to build a new home. Can I ask, the home that did get burned down, was it insured? Are you moving forward with the process of dealing with the insurance company or reaching out to other real resources to compensate for the loss?

GREENBERG: So, yes, I'm fortunate my policy was not canceled. I was one of the people that still had my insurance carrier. I know that other people have various things like it piecemeal, but I hear, like, the fair plan and wraparound coverage. My carriers is still with me. They've actually been wonderful. I'm not going to lie.

I knew Wednesday morning I lost my house. I was on the phone with them. An hour later, I was in an office with them on Thursday. They've called me every day. They're helping me. They've kind of outlined what it's going to take and, you know, I'm one to just get things done. So, you know, my coping is let's get our house back. Let's get my family out of a hotel and into an apartment or a home nearby so they can -- my kids can have some type of semblance of life and try to get things back to normal kind of plan that we can, you know, hopefully be back in our home in two to three years maybe that would be ideal and hopefully that process can be expedited.

WATSON: You know, and Ross, you know, as we're discussing this and you're kind of trying to map out the future for your family and where you're going to live. The natural disaster is not over. The firefighters are -- as we speak out there on the hilltops fighting these fires. From where you are right now at your hotel, does it feel like the crisis is over? Does it feel like the authorities have a handle on this or does it feel like you're still at some risk?

GREENBERG: There's a lot of risk. So my in laws actually live four minutes away from me and they're at the hotel with us. They're still under the evacuation route and the fire is kind of creeping up on their property right now. So there's a lot of worry in the family. We going to lose two houses this week and where, you know, where are they going to go and what's going to happen to them and about them rebuilding? So no.

And, you know, I have a lot of friends in town that are, you know, the areas of Brentwood and Encino are being threatened where they are. And so there's -- we're kind of day in, day out making sure everyone else is OK. And because of that there's like a frenzy on finding a place to live like for people rentals.

So you -- I walked in on Friday morning, I did five open houses that I checked out and there was 50 people in the few minutes that I was there. So it's -- everyone's worried. I've never seen anything like this.

WATSON: Ross, just kind of wrapping up here. Is there anything that you'd like to share with our viewers about this awful situation that maybe people aren't thinking about? Just another thing that you've observed over the course of this kind of epically disastrous week.

GREENBERG: You know, I know it's tough for everyone that's, you know, lost their home this week. But the people that I've spoken to, my neighbors in the Palisades, everyone's been great. You could see that's a really great tight knit community. I mean, they love their 4th of July parades and, you know, getting together for, you know, like, this Christmas market that happens over at the Caruso Center. And everyone's really there for each other right now, and I think that's really important.

[02:10:06]

And we're not over, obviously, in Los Angeles, you know, there's fires everywhere. But we're lucky to be here. I'm lucky to be with my family. I've got my family here. I'm lucky, you know, that my kids are happy for right now and that we're going to do our best to make them, you know, happy next week and the weeks to come.

WATSON: Even amid these terrible setbacks, it does make you kind of count your blessings. Ross Greenberg, thank you very much for sharing your story with us, and good luck moving forward.

GREENBERG: Thanks so much.

WATSON: All right. Meanwhile, health officials are warning of the effects that wildfire smoke can have, both short term and long term. An expert will join us to explain more about that next.

Plus, California warns of scammers preying on victims of the wildfires and those who want to help. Those details just ahead after the break.

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[02:20:00]

WATSON: Welcome back to our breaking news coverage. Mexican firefighters are now in California to help battle the Los Angeles wildfires. They arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday. California Governor Gavin Newsom greeted them on the tarmac. The Mexican firefighters are joining more than 14,000 people already fighting the Palisades Fire.

The wildfires prompted Los Angeles to extend a smoke advisory through Sunday and to warn of unhealthy air quality. Health officials say they're very worried about the short term and long term risks from exposure toxins in wildfire smoke. They can cause serious problems, especially for children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with preexisting conditions.

We're going to go live now to Dr. Lisa Patel, a clinical associate of a professor, sorry, of pediatrics at Stanford University. Thank you for joining me, Dr. Patel. I understand you run a practice at a pediatric hospital.

What do people need to know right now about the conditions in and around Los Angeles as we speak?

DR. LISA PATEL, CLINICAL ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, STANFORD UNIVERSITY: So I actually work in Northern California, but we are very well versed in this issue because we've faced wildfires in our area as well. And so during periods of wildfires and during periods of extreme smoke, we do see more children that come into our emergency room with issues like bronchitis, wheezing, asthma, pneumonia. And older individuals can suffer, as you mentioned, from exacerbations of their existing conditions.

We also know that it affects pregnant individuals and so there's a higher risk of both preterm birth and low birth weight infants.

WATSON: So, Dr. Patel, what measures can people take right now to protect themselves, to protect their children?

PATEL: So a few things. Obviously, if you're in an area that's under possible evacuation, just be making sure that you're checking those evacuation orders, make sure that you have your go bag ready, have family members that you've contacted so that you can evacuate safely to a place where you can be amongst others that can really care for you. Because this is a traumatic experience for everybody involved.

If you're not in the evacuation zone but you are experiencing the wildfire smoke, it's important if you are one of the, what we call the sensitive population, so that is children, pregnant individuals and the elderly, that you are staying indoors, checking that air quality index and trying to create a safe room for yourself inside. That means that you have an air purifier, you have the windows closed so you have a place where you have good indoor air quality to breathe.

WATSON: And a lot of people are wearing masks right now. Is that a logical kind of precaution to take these days?

PATEL: So yes, both KN95s and N95s offer protection from some of the wildfire pollution. But you shouldn't go outside and just assume just because you have the mask on that it's a normal day. So if you're wearing a mask outdoors, limit your time outside. You don't want to go outside and exercise in an N95, for example.

WATSON: OK. And I understand that you're also executive director for the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, am I correct?

PATEL: That's right.

WATSON: OK. Are you drawing, even though we're still in the midst of this crisis, are you drawing any conclusions right now about or any observations about the impact that climate is now having on public health in the Los Angeles area?

PATEL: Absolutely. Our consortium, we started out with eight medical societies. We are now up to 60 medical societies representing a million physicians in the U.S. because we understand that climate change will be the greatest driver of health for a child born today.

And so whether it's wildfires in California or the superstorms that we're seeing in the Gulf Coast, climate change is affecting both Americans and people all over the world. And we really need to understand that, yes, climate change is always been an environmental issue, but it is profoundly an issue of our health and an issue of our well-being and our safety.

WATSON: And when we're talking about health, specifically in this case, you've been talking about respiratory illness, right? That is an immediate consequence of these wildfires.

PATEL: That's right. But it does have other health implications, so long term. And these are studies that we've done both on firefighters and studies that we're trying to do, starting to do, on populations longer or out from a big wildfire event.

So in children, for example, when we follow them two to four years out, we're seeing things like reduced lung function, we're seeing increased antibiotic use and more healthcare utilization, indicating that these children are getting sick in different ways from that early exposure.

[02:25:10]

We also know that chronic exposure to this type of pollution places you at higher risk for certain types of cancer, for Alzheimer's disease, for cardiovascular disease. And there's emerging evidence that wildfire smoke, just the introduction to it. We see more healthcare utilization for mental health illness as well, things like anxiety and depression. So it affects our bodies in lots of different ways that we are only now beginning to understand.

WATSON: OK. This will be very important to keep in mind in the months and years ahead after what I think can only be described as an historic urban fire. Dr. Lisa Patel, thank you very much for joining us and sharing your expertise.

PATEL: Thank you for having me.

WATSON: All right. Now, scammers are targeting some wildfire victims, if you can believe it. What California officials are urging people to look for to stay clear of them? That is just ahead.

Plus, how the White House is responding to the California fire emergency. Those stories when we return after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENNET: California is the best in the world at this moving resources and preparing for these types of disasters.

[02:30:03]

However, we don't know what Mother Nature is going to bring us and she's in charge. So we'll do everything we can with what we have. But all in all, in the end, it's how strong are the winds, how dry are they, where they come from, and if and when they blow the fire a different direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Firefighters are making progress on the Palisades Fire, but there's still concern that the wildfires, which have killed at least 16 people, will continue to grow. In Los Angeles County, more than 100,000 residents remain under evacuation orders, but some orders have been lifted in certain cities. Amid all the destruction, authorities have been grappling with another problem.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE LORENZ, CAPTAIN, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: Obviously, looting is an issue. The number of arrests are continuously growing. We are catching looters within the zone, but we're securing the area better and better every single day.

Just to bring up some crimes of significance. And you'll be the first ones to hear this because this could hit the media soon. But we've made seven arrests just in the last two days, and we even made arrests of two individuals that were actually posing as firefighters coming in and out of houses.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Meanwhile, crews have been working relentlessly on the ground and from the air. CNN's Leigh Waldman has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Winds are picking up here in Pacific Palisades. It's a race against the clock for first responders who are trying to get a greater level of containment for the fires that are currently burning here in L.A. County. But we heard from the CAL FIRE chief who said there is a significant concern that with those winds picking back up, that the wildfires could grow.

WALDMAN (voice-over): The firestorm in Southern California stretching east Saturday. And now new concern over the wind speeds increasing, posing a further threat. The multiple blazes combined, singeing nearly 40,000 acres in southern California, decimating communities.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's OK.

VANESSA PELLEGRINI, OWNER OF RESTAURANT THAT BRUNED DOWN: It's like your heart's been ripped out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have everything.

PELLEGRINI: We have our life and stopped on and thrown away. And you're just trying to find a piece to put it back together.

WALDMAN (voice-over): The Pellegrini family lost their restaurant of 40 years. Like so many others, they've lost so much.

DAN O'CONNER, MALIBUT RESIDENT: Two doors down, the house is gone. One door up, the house is gone. The house above me is gone. The houses across the street were burning all day.

WALDMAN (voice-over): Dan O'Connor is one of the few residents whose home is still standing in Malibu. But around him is nothing but mangled metal and charred debris. This home, only the staircase, is left standing. The largest of the wildfires, the Palisades Fire devouring the Malibu area.

GINGER BLACK, HOME DESTROYED BY L.A. FIRES: It's devastating, heartbreaking for all, but it's great to see the community come together.

WALDMAN (voice-over): The winds calming down Saturday morning, allowing crews to make progress, fighting the flames by air and reducing the risk for firefighters.

CHIEF JASON KEELING, PECHANGA FIRE DEPARTMENT: You're not having those strong, strong winds that are providing ember casting and starting spot fires in front of the head of fires.

WALDMAN (voice-over): But the dry conditions still leaving much of Southern California under a critical level for fire danger. The Santa Ana winds are expected to pick up Sunday, which could worsen fire risk.

WALDMAN: California Governor Gavin Newsom doubled the amount of National Guardsmen who are here helping to respond to these fires. We also are getting help from Mexico firefighters and also firefighters coming from Texas, all with the same goal in mind, trying to protect the people and communities in the path of these blazes. In Pacific Palisades, I'm Leigh Waldman, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Now, as if things weren't challenging enough in la, California officials are now urging people to be aware of scam artists looking to take advantage of fire victims. They say some scammers are targeting elderly people and immigrants who may not speak English as a first language.

The scammers are also creating fake charities seeking donations to help with the wildfires. On top of looking out for scam artists, California's attorney general is raising the alarm about price gouging, targeting the state's vulnerable fire victims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROB BONTA, CALIFORNAI ATTORNEY GENERAL: We are talking about people who have lost loved ones, whose homes have perished in the fires, who have lost treasured belongings, whose lives have been turned upside down, who are struggling and suffering. They're looking for housing. They're looking for essential goods to keep their lives moving.

The last thing they need is for someone to victimize them again, exploit them and take advantage of them and harm them through price gouging. They need the opposite. They need some people who are giving them care and support and looking after them and valuing them and helping them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:35:00]

WATSON: President Joe Biden says he and the federal government are making every effort to aid California's firefighting and provide support in what will most certainly be a difficult aftermath. CNN's Julia Benbrook reports from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Biden administration says it is in constant communication with California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Those two leaders were a part of a briefing where Biden was updated on the efforts to suppress the fires across L.A. and how federal resources are being used to assist with the response on the ground.

Following that briefing, Biden said that his team would continue to work 24/7 with state and local officials. This promise comes as Biden has just over a week left in office.

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: We're going to make sure California has every possible resource to fight these fires and help survivors. This is not going to be over even when all the fires are out. It's just going to beginning and the change insurance policy in California for these modest homes as well as these very expensive homes and businesses. So we're going to around a long while ago to help the federal government and the mayor as well.

BENBROOK: The president said that his team is briefing the incoming administration on the steps that they're taking. Biden has directed the federal government to cover 100 percent of the state's cost in this initial disaster response for the first 180 days. And FEMA has activated their Critical Needs Assistance Program to jumpstart recovery. That's a one time initial payment of $770 to cover initial needs like food, water and prescriptions.

The administration is also providing air tankers as well as firefighting helicopters to help with the response. Biden was initially scheduled to be in Italy over the weekend, but he canceled that trip so that he can focus on the federal recovery efforts. And again in just over a week, it will be a new administration overseeing this response. At the White House, Julia Benbrook, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Coming up after the break, President-elect Donald Trump is making no bones about his desire for the U.S. to take control of Greenland.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT: We need Greenland for national security purposes. I've been told that for a long time, long before I even ran. I mean, people have been talking about it for a long time. You have approximately 45,000 people there. People really don't even know if Denmark has any legal right to it. But if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security. That's for the free world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Trump even sent his son to the island. Coming up, we'll have the reaction from people who actually live in Greenland to the Trump family. Full court. That's coming up after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:41:58]

WATSON: You are looking at a rare display of open dissent in China. Angry crowds clashing with police in the northwestern Shaanxi region. Protesters had gathered outside a vocational school where a 17-year- old student reportedly died earlier this month. The angry crowds accused Chinese officials of a cover up. Authorities say the student died in an accident after falling from a building, but his family rejects that explanation and told a human rights group that they haven't been able to examine his body or see any surveillance video.

An oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia's Shadow Fleet is being towed to Germany. Officials say the Panamanian flagged tanker lost power in the Baltic Sea on Friday. The ship is carrying nearly 100,000 tons of oil thought to be from Russia. So far, none of it has leaked.

Russia has been using a fleet of aging and sometimes rusting tankers to circumvent international oil sanctions.

In the Ukraine war, Ukraine says it has captured two North Korean soldiers who were fighting alongside Russians. It released this video, which CNN cannot independently authenticate. One soldier reportedly said he thought he would train in Russia and not go into battle.

Ukraine and its allies say some 11,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia's Kursk region, where Kyiv launched an incursion last year.

Moscow and Pyongyang have never acknowledged deploying those North Korean troops.

The prime minister of Greenland is urging everyone to respect the island's wish for independence. His comments come after President- elect Donald Trump said he wants the U.S. to take control of the Danish territory, calling it, quote, an absolute necessity.

He shared a map this week on Truth Social that appears to show Canada and Greenland as part of the United States. Isabel Rosales shows us how Greenlanders are reacting.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDNET (voice-over): Greenland in the spotlight with a population of more than 57,000 people and an economy mainly based on fishing, this remote, mineral rich territory is once again on the top of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's wish list.

So much so, Trump says he would not rule out using military or economic action to acquire it. Its strategic northern location and vast resources make it an attractive deal. But Greenland's prime minister has said it's not for sale, and some residents say they have no interest in changing their status.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We have been together in a union for 300 years. We don't need to talk about that stuff.

ROSALES (voice-over): Greenland is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark that's self-governing, but relies on Denmark for its national defense, foreign policy and annual subsidies, which cover roughly half of its public budget.

It also has the right to declare independence from Denmark through a referendum.

[02:45:00]

An independence movement has gained traction in Greenland in recent years, and in 2023, Greenland's government presented its first draft constitution. It's a desire for change that many residents and the prime minister support. It's just not exactly the change that Trump has touted.

JENS OSTERMANN, GREENLAND RESIDENT (through translator): Denmark doesn't matter a lot to me. It's just a small country. We can't use them any longer because there are so many great powers in the world. So our partner should be a great power because Greenland is very wealthy and we have everything.

ROSALES (voice-over): Denmark's prime minister says the future of the Arctic island lies in the hands of Greenland's people. And Greenland's leader says he's open to talking with Trump about future collaborations with the US.

Whether or not that will be enough for Trump is unclear, his interest with the territory seemingly on display when his son, Donald Trump Jr. made an unofficial visit there on Tuesday. But so far, Greenland is standing firm. Its leader says it won't replace one controlling power for another.

MUTE EGEDE, GREENALND PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We don't want to be Danes. We don't want to be Americans. We want to be Greenlandic. And of course, it is the Greenlandic people who decide their future.

ROSALES: Isabel Rosales, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WATSON: Special Counsel Jack Smith has resigned from the Justice Department. The departure comes amid a legal fight to keep Attorney General Merrick Garland from releasing Smith's report of his investigations into Donald Trump. That probe focused on Mr. Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving office.

Smith's office has been winding down its efforts for weeks. His resignation before President Trump takes office was expected.

This video shows the chaotic aftermath of a tram collision in Strasbourg, France. French officials say dozens of people were hurt, but none of them critically. The injuries range from fractures to scalp wounds. Another 100 people were evacuated rather for shock or stress. People nearby stepped in quickly to help the injured. Emergency officials say more than 100 firefighters and 50 rescue vehicles rushed to the scene.

The collision happened in a tunnel near the city's central train station. There's no word yet on the cause.

Amid the Los Angeles fire disaster, many people continue to help others even as their lives are thrown into turmoil. One woman's story when we come back. Stay with CNN.

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WATSON: Those areas really are unrecognizable after this fire. As we just saw in those pictures, the devastation is something that would be almost unimaginable before it happened. Marissa Hermer's restaurant was destroyed in the fires, but she's now helping to feed other victims of the fires. She tells us what she saw and felt as she realized how much was destroyed.

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MARISSA HERMER, RESTAURANT OWNER: It's hard to grasp the reality of it. It's out of a horror movie, what I just saw. I was driving down on Tuesday evening down to Laguna, and I was wondering, what's for dinner? Like, we all wonder. Everyone around the world wonders what's for dinner. And it's harder to figure out dinner when you don't have a kitchen. And I can't get to my kitchen right now.

But I realized we have kitchens in our restaurants, Olivetta and Chez Mia. And so we can cook dinner and you can text dinner to 707070. And people want to help. So we have drivers who want to help.

So if you go to Chez Mia underscore Melrose and say you're a driver or you can say you're a family who can receive a meal or you can nominate a family because sometimes it's hard to raise your hand up and say hi, I want -- I need dinner. And maybe you can afford it and maybe you can't. And that's not the point. We want to feel like we're a community.

And so on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays, we are cooking food and we have drivers coming and we have families receiving food. And Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday is family dinner for you give, we cook, they eat and Angelina's will be having dinner together. So we have to keep hope and we have community. And it might look a little different.

[02:55:00]

We might be all over the place, but when one stranger delivers food to another stranger because they care, that's community.

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WATSON: Meanwhile, the L.A. Fire Department is working in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood to stem the flow of leaking water. Pipes have burst in many of the destroyed homes, allowing water to pour into the streets for days. Firefighters hope that stopping those leaks will make more water available to battle the wildfires.

And Prince Harry and his wife Meghan made a surprise visit to assist victims of the wildfires. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex popped up at a meal distribution center in Pasadena, California on Friday. The couple spoke with first responders, volunteers and victims.

Pasadena's mayor described the pair as great people who'd really buoyed the spirits. It's understood that Harry and Meghan donated clothing, children's items and other essential supplies to fire victims. The couple live about an hour and a half's drive from LA.

It's also believed that they offered their home to friends and loved ones who have been forced to leave their homes.

And you can also help those impacted by these devastating wildfires. Visit cnn.com/impact for more information.

Thanks for joining me this hour. I'm Ivan Watson. Our coverage of the California wildfires continues after a short break. Stay with CNN.

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