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Mel Gibson is an actor, director, and producer known for many notable films. More recently he has found himself in news due to a house fire during the Los Angeles wildfires along with his views and thoughts on related issues.
Gibson was away filming for the Joe Rogan podcast when devastating wildfires broke out in Los Angeles destroying his Malibu home. The fire claimed both his home and also his neighbors properties as well, he noted Ed Harris was also impacted by the blaze. Gibson reported his home was "completely toasted" after 15 years of living there. This event created a new perspective on his home and belongings with that all gone to cinders.
Though upset about the events and loss Gibson also noted that he is grateful his family and friends evacuated successfully before harm could come their way. He stated he has been relieved from his belongings, even though there were valuable pieces he has come to collect over time as material things that can be replaced.
Gibson criticized California governor Gavin Newsom over his handling of the crisis. While speaking on “The Joe Rogan Experience” Gibson claims Newsom “was going to take care of the forest but “didn’t do anything” suggesting corruption within the government that resulted in loss of life. These ideas of conspiracy began with a look into how lack of preparedness was addressed.
Gibson said to Fox News Laura Ingraham his wild theory that the fires were intentionally set with "convenient" circumstances that moved people from valued property. He questioned if fire starters were ‘commissioned' to do their actions or were they acting on their own. Gibson implied that resources that could be on standby to aid would not work on purpose along with implying some officials have their own agendas at heart with actions that benefit their needs. His questions challenge the view on government leadership which also mirrored Trump's recent views in this issue.
The crisis also gave former President Donald Trump another way of going on the offense calling for the governor to resign over his leadership skills. Also mentioned was the lack of restoration of water resources and the areas that were burning. Newsome has been vocal with stating he has used all resources to protect communities. Trump’s claims have been disputed on various media outlets by different news agencies. These differing takes show strong political divides during a massive tragic moment.
Many notable celebrities have also been affected by the wildfires and their property was damaged or lost from the recent events. Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Ricki Lake were some who reported a loss of their property. Many people were affected by the fires who have offered heartfelt messages and many had stated the experience as being something traumatic.
The shared personal stories have also highlighted the severity of the situation. Mandy Moore documented the damage to her home noting it wasn’t livable any longer while stating she felt a massive amount of grief to see. Billy Crystal mentioned he lost his home where he raised his children with memories over time which could not be replaced while actress Ricki Lake shared she had lost her “dream home." This sharing provided a glimpse into what was taking place and the depth of that loss in areas hit by the disaster.
The California wildfires caused more than 10,000 structures to be damaged along with an ongoing evacuation of 180,000. The devastating loss was coupled with reports about dry hydrants leaving residents asking for better accountability within the state.
Newsome also received criticism for having previous budget cuts and a reduction in resources before these devastating blazes. Residents of the affected areas showed strong reactions towards government leaders. Some claim officials “fell asleep” as they were not ready to battle a blaze of this caliber even after the communities called for attention toward fire concerns. This highlights an on going conversation about policy change in order to address similar issues of this magnitude in the future.