President-elect Donald J. Trump offered fresh criticism early Sunday of officials in charge of fighting the Los Angeles wildfires, calling them “incompetent” and questioning why the flames have not been extinguished.
“The fires are still burning in LA,” wrote Mr. Trump on his Truth Social site. “Poles that don't work don't know how to get them out.”
The comments of Mr. Trump has indicated that the fires, and how officials respond to them, will likely occupy a prominent place in his political agenda when he takes office on Jan. 20. He renewed a long-standing feud with the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, which he is. he accused Mr. Trump for putting politics on fire.
California politicians have faced criticism over the fires since they broke out on Tuesday, including questions about how well local and state authorities prepared for them and how they quickly grew into huge blazes.
Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles had to face questions about whether there was enough warning about the possibility of a devastating fire, and why there was a shortage of water and firefighters during the first response. At a press conference on Thursday, he avoided a question about his absence from the city when the fire started – he was in Ghana on a previously scheduled official visit – and said that any investigation of mistakes or failures “of any structure, department, individual.” ” would come later.
Mr. Newsom, a Democrat, also dismissed Mr. Trump, who has accused him of failing to stop the fire, said he blocked the pouring of water in Southern California because of concerns about how it would affect threatened fish species.
The press office of Mr. Newsom responded that the statement did not include the “water restoration declaration” that Mr. Trump had accused her of not signing. “The governor is focused on protecting the people, not playing politics, and making sure that the firefighters have all the resources they need,” the statement said.
Mr. Newsom and Kathryn Barger, chairman of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, invited Mr. Trump to visit the fire damage in the city. He did not publicly respond to those invitations.
At least 16 people have died as a result of the fire since Sunday morning, and at least 12,000 buildings have been destroyed, officials said. Mr. Trump mentioned that breakdown in his career on Sunday.
He wrote: “Thousands of beautiful houses are gone, and many more will soon be lost.” “There is death everywhere. This is one of the worst tragedies in our country's history. They just can't put out fires. What is wrong with them?”
His post did not mention any officials by name.
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