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Apocalyptic Scenes In L.A. Area As Fires Rage Out Of Control; Fire Chief: Palisades Fire Has Destroyed 1,000 Plus Structures; Fire Chief: Palisades Fire Is Zero Percent Contained And Growing; Fire Official: High Winds Have Grounded All Aircraft; Two Fatalities In Eaton Fire, "Significant" Number Of Injuries; Soon: Biden To Receive Wildfire Briefing At Santa Monica Fire Station; Trump Blames California's Dem Governor For Fires. Aired 12-12:30p ET

Aired January 08, 2025 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

DANA BASH, CNN HOST, INSIDE POLITICS: Welcome to Inside Politics. I'm Dana Bash in Washington, where we are following breaking news on what officials describe as apocalyptic conditions. You're looking at live pictures out of Los Angeles County, where life threatening fires are tearing through the most populous county in the United States.

At this hour, four separate wildfires are spreading so rapidly that firefighters can't even begin to start to control them. One fire alone has already engulfed 5000 acres rather, its zero percent contained. Just want to emphasize that, 5000 acres, zero percent contained. None of this fire, all of the fires are out of control.

It's really just the opposite. Tens of thousands of people are under evacuation orders. The area includes Kamala Harris' home in Brentwood, and she's here in Washington, D.C., but President Biden is actually in Los Angeles right now. The dangerous conditions upended some of his plans in the area.

This afternoon, he will be briefed at a Santa Monica firehouse. As countless homes and businesses are now reduced to smoldering shells of what they were. That includes more than a thousand buildings in the Pacific Palisades alone, so many people attempted to save their belongings before realizing, nothing could be done.

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BASH: CNN's Stephanie Elam has been covering these fires for hours. Stephanie, describe the scene where you are right now.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It has been really eerie out here for like, the last hour and a half because we couldn't even tell the sun was coming up. First of all, because it was so dark and smoky behind us. And then waves of darkness would come in again, and then would lighten up again. We get a little patch of fresh air, and then the smoke would come back again.

And you can see one of the major culprits here is this apartment complex here on the other side of the Pacific Coast Highway, Dana, that was taller. We watched overnight. Well, part of it on the upper lefthand side burned down. There was a massive gust of hurricane force winds that came through here, and it lit up so much so that the sky got completely bright and orange and then burned down.

We saw the flames go down lower, and that is when we saw firefighters, law enforcement, get out here and block off Sunset Boulevard. You see more fire trucks are going up that way right now, as they're trying to control the fire.

You can still hear the alarm going off in that complex. We've been hearing pops and crackles of things exploding in some of these buildings, and then off and on, seeing other fires spot up. You look down the Pacific Coast Highway heading south, and you can't even really see, there's a fire truck down there, but it is black and smoky around here.

Now you're listening to -- we just heard from the press conference how dire it is. No one has lost their life at this point here in the Palisades fire, but there are a lot of people who are injured who did stay. That's what they said. Two people in the Eaton fire have lost their lives. That's the fire that's burning on the other side of Los Angeles in the foothills, where we saw a lot of evacuations this morning.

But this -- the winds are kicking up again, Dana. They are strong. They've been blowing us around. I even saw how the winds -- because the Pacific Ocean is right here, the winds, now that the sun is up, blowing the wind in the wrong direction. So that was kind of smacking the waves.

It is something we have never seen, and we've covered a lot of wildfires out here, but the combination of these really strong winds along with this fire and the fact that we are so dry here because of climate change, we've had no water, really any precipitation, this wet season.

In fact, this is the driest wet beginning to a wet season on record in LA County. That's in 80 years of data. So that just shows you how dry we are. So, if you think about how densely packed it is in Pacific Palisades, all of that brush because we haven't had a fire here, just ripe for the kindling and making extremely dangerous.

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That's why you saw those conditions yesterday where people were trying to get out and leaving their cars and running away. People still don't know if their homes are standing or not, and a lot of them got out with what they were able to carry out and that is it, and they may not ever be able to go back to their actual homes. It's just terrifying.

BASH: It's certainly looks that way. And from every account that I've gotten from friends who are there, terrifying and really the impossibility of understanding and appreciating how bad it is, is something I keep hearing.

And Stephanie on that note, you mentioned this, but I just want to underscore. I don't even know the number of times that we have seen you out unfortunately in California covering wildfires. Can you just once again put into context what is happening right now versus what we tend to hear about during fire season?

ELAM: I mean, one of the big things that the takeaway from me, they're talking about the Palisades fire being 5000 acres. Well, we see that often with fires being 5000 acres, but they're not in densely packed areas like where we are right now. That's what makes this so dramatic and so scary for even those of us who come out here.

And I have to tell you, this morning, driving out here was one of the scariest passages I've ever made to a wildfire. And I've done a drive to wildfires several times, but it was like going through -- like you heard the word apocalyptic. It's exactly like that. That's exactly what we saw and it's not something to play with. That's where they want people to stay away. That's why schools are closed because they don't want people negotiating and that's part of the issue here, Dana.

BASH: Yeah. I mean, that's such a key point, just where you are in the Pacific Palisades, it is densely populated with house after house after house, which doesn't seem like a lot of them are still standing, it's just absolutely hard to wrap your mind around. Thank you so much, Stephanie. I appreciate that.

I want to go to Courtney Kay Kirsh, who evacuated from where Stephanie is right now, Pacific Palisades. Courtney, I know you left with your family. First of all, how are you? Is your family safe?

COURTNEY KAY KIRSH, EVACUATED PACIFIC PALISADES WITH FAMILY (voiceover): My family is safe. We're just very devastated. It's very surreal. And yesterday morning, at 10:31 when I had a beautiful walk. I just never thought that I'd turn a corner, see a fire and walked to my kids' school. And by the time I got there at 11 am, the smoke was just already billowing and was very scary. And picked them up from school, walked home.

I really didn't even think to pack anything significant. I thought we would be home today, which now, in retrospect, seems not so smart, but I just never thought it would go this way honestly. It was very, very surreal. We have such a special community in the Palisades. It's very sad.

BASH: I'm sorry. It's so understandable how emotional you are. Do you have any sense yet of the condition of your home and that of your neighbors?

KAY KIRSH (voiceover): I don't think anything has really survived, other than I'm told that recruits so built this beautiful Palisades village five minutes from our house on foot. And I'm told that that is still standing, but nothing else from what I've heard.

BASH: And you have two young children?

KAY KIRSH (voiceover): Yes. They are 10 and an eight-year-old. They go to village school. And we just had such a special community with our -- my daughter wanted to dance right by our house at fancy feet, and my son played every sport imaginable at the rec center. And I grew up in the Palisades. And it's just -- it's always been a very special little enclave in Los Angeles. It's really hard to replicate this little paradise in the middle of the city and it's so shocking to know that it's gone.

BASH: Yeah. And I didn't realize that not only do you live there with your young family now, it is the place where you grew up. It is very much, clearly your home. Just going back to the story that you told, which you know, as a parent, as a human, I can't imagine walking around the corner to your child's school and seeing the smoke from a fire that is clearly not far from that school.

What happened afterwards? Was it obvious that you all needed to evacuate the house at that point? Did you get evacuation orders?

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KAY KIRSH (voiceover): We -- so at that point, it was around 11 am when I picked them up and the smoke -- it looks I think at that point worse than maybe it actually was. It was being smoking relatively far away, but I felt like I was on a movie set that was just like so daunting and black smoke moving toward us. And I walked them home because we live very close to our school. And when we got home, I said, you know, we're going to be safe and pack a bag.

And I really, at that point, just thought I was being -- overly cautious. About six years ago, we had fires and left and went. To my parents, who live five minutes away, and you know, were there for the week, but then ended up coming home. And I just thought that it was going to be that scenario again.

And the way the winds were blowing at that time, it looked like it was blowing more toward Malibu than toward our area. And so, I just -- it really just took two days' worth of clothes for each child, and you know, their birth certificates and those types of things. And I just thought we would be back, you know, like medicine for two days. I just thought we would be back home today, and we went to my parents' house, who was in Rustic Canyon.

And I was feeling pressure to rush out. Yet, at the same time I felt like it was necessary to pack so much. And in retrospect, we would have had -- we'd had a lot of time. It could have packed a lot more than I did. And we went to my parents' house, who aren't far away. And then, you know, it didn't seem safe to say where they are either.

So, we came to West Hollywood, which is on the other side of town in L.A. and, you know, just following the news, it's just been, it's wild that never in my, you know, wildest imagination did I think this could happen.

We'd been traveling up until Sunday night, and we got home, and Monday we, you know, had a relaxing day, took a walk in our gorgeous neighborhood and there's that my husband. I loved our trip, but I just love where we live. I feel so lucky, and I feel really sad for our community, because it's just -- it's such a special community, and to know that it's, you know, been devastated like this is just very, very sad.

BASH: Sad indeed. I'm glad that you and your family are safe, and sounds like your parents evacuated as well that they are safe. I appreciate you coming on and telling the story. And we will definitely stay in touch with you as you learn more about that very special community that you were just describing. Thank you so much.

KAY KIRSH (voiceover): Thank you so much.

BASH: And we have a lot more to report on about these fires, including the fact that President Biden is in Los Angeles, had to change some plans that he had there. He is going to remain there, obviously, for the time being, and as we mentioned, he will be getting a briefing in the next couple of hours on the devastation that is very much ongoing and spreading.

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[12:15:00]

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BASH: We're following the breaking news. Four separate wildfires are ripping through Los Angeles County. The winds spurring flames that are moving so fast, the firefighters say that they are at zero percent containment.

I want to go to Altadena, California now, where the Eaton fire is still burning. That is the fire that's already claimed two lives. CNN national correspondent, Julia Vargas Jones is there. Julia, we see behind you what is going on. What else is happening that we cannot see?

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you can't see, Dana, is the wind and the smoke. I mean, we're wearing masks, and I still -- you can smell the chemicals, the construction materials. These are houses that are burning, and it's quite clear.

You know, right behind me here, this one house, in the past five minutes has gone from having walls up and windows to almost nothing, except for the chimney from their fireplace right next door. This house still OK.

And I'll tell you, you know, this is the way the fires go. Some volunteers we've seen going street after street, trying to douse these houses with the hoses from these own properties, trying to help save them.

One of the residents that we spoke to here said, I have no idea who these people are. I'm just so thankful that they're helping me. She had left last night, and she said the regret, Dana, from not staying and packing up her house. She thought she would come home today, and instead she's just here trying to see what is left of her house.

And I'll tell you another thing is the fire is jumping street. So over here, over here on both sides of the street, just across the street from the other house, this we're watching it in the past three minutes as we were waiting through the break. We just be watching pieces, giant pieces of this home to going down.

The desperation has almost at this point become this kind of resignation from residents here. We just spoke to another gentleman who was coming here to see if his house was a case like, look, it is what it is at this point. You know, we're just lucky to get out of here alive. But all of these belongings, the memories, all of this gone.

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That is, of course, what firefighters are saying that they are focusing the efforts on people and trying to save people as much as possible to avoid any more of those fatalities. We have seen firefighters and paramedics treating folks around here. And like I said, these volunteers trying to help as much as possible. But also at this point, firefighters are saying, turn around, turn around, leave. It's not safe for you to be here anymore.

BASH: Yeah. I mean the desperation, as you said, and you know, certainly there is regret. We heard it from our guests, who we spoke to just before the break that they didn't get more. But you don't ever know, and it, of course, is about your own life. We can hear in your voice, it is obviously very hard to breathe there.

It goes without saying that we hope that you and your crew stay safe as you are literally standing amid the fire there in Altadena. Thank you so much for giving us that important report. Thank you, Julia.

And President Biden is in Los Angeles. As we mentioned, he is going to receive a briefing there soon. I want to talk to Arlette Saenz, who is at the White House reporting on what is going on inside the administration. What are you hearing, Arlette?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Dana, we have seen President Biden go into disaster zone so often to try to offer some comfort. But what's so unique in this situation is that President Biden is in Los Angeles County as these wildfires began unfolding.

We expect him at some point today. The White House said he will be visiting a fire station in Santa Monica, where he will receive a briefing from California fire officials about these wildfires that have spread across the county. President Biden has been in Los Angeles since Monday night and began receiving briefings on these fires after they began just yesterday.

Now he is there for a mix of reasons. In part, he revealed in a USA Today interview that his granddaughter Naomi Biden was scheduled to have a C-section today to have a baby in the California area. But President Biden was also out west to travel to the Coachella Valley to designate two national monuments yesterday.

That trip was actually scrapped due to those high winds. And a source familiar with the matter said that the president stayed at his hotel in Los Angeles after that to try to minimize any impacts on the road that his motorcade might result in. So much of the attention of the administration right now is trying to ensure that the Los Angeles County has the resources they need to try to fight these fires.

The federal government has deployed a number of resources, including U.S. Forest Service large air tankers. There's also about 10 federal firefighting helicopters that are there, working with state and local firefighters to try to combat these flames. All really trying to get a handle of this situation.

Now, reporters who are traveling with the president actually said they could see fire haze from the hotel where he was staying in Culver City. I will also note that Vice President Kamala Harris has a home in Brentwood. We are told that her neighborhood did face an evacuation order yesterday. The vice president has been here in Washington, D.C.

But of course, both Vice President Harris, President Biden are watching this fire with great concern as there will be a long recovery after this as these fires are still unfolding across the county.

BASH: Thank you so much for that reporting. I have to say also, Arlette, the side by side of you with the beautiful white house, obviously, it's very cold here in Washington with the snow behind you and the fire on the other coast that is out of control is very striking. Thanks Arlette.

And coming up, Donald Trump is weighing in on these deadly wildfires engulfing Los Angeles County. He's claiming without evidence, that the Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is to blame. Stay with us.

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BASH: Donald Trump is now weighing in on the horrific fires in Los Angeles County. And he's laying the blame on California's Democratic governor. He said on Truth Social, quote, Governor Gavin Newsom refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water from excess rain and snow melt from the north to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in virtually apocalyptic way, and saying, quote, he is the blame for this.

I want to bring in an exceptional group of reporters here, Tamara Keith of NPR, Leigh Ann Caldwell of The Washington Post, and Nia- Malika Henderson of Bloomberg, and of course, CNN. What a day.

I want to start with you, Tamara, because you cover the White House, the outgoing and the incoming, obviously. And it's not -- there's no surprise here that Donald Trump's response to these fires, which are still very out of control is to blame the Democratic governor.

We saw when he was in office the first time around, there were -- when there were fires. He blamed him for different aspects and or the other governor for different aspects, including not breaking the forest and so forth. Can you just kind of knowing a little bit about this, put into context, nevermind the sort of the politics and the questions

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