Members of Congress from California visited the ruins on Saturday Altadena and northern Pasadena caused by the still raging Eaton Fire.
Rep. Judy Chu, whose congressional district includes the communities hardest hit by the Eaton fire Los Angeles County, led California congressmen on a tour of devastated neighborhoods and streets.
The Eaton Fire expanded to more than 14,100 acres with 15% containment, Cal Fire reported Saturday evening. About 7,000 structures were scorched.
The burned out shell of the Altadena Community Church in Altadena, California, after being destroyed by wildfires. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“I was so grateful to my colleagues Congress from California who could drop everything and demonstrate to Los Angeles County and the entire nation that we as Californians have our backs on each other,” Chu wrote in a statement released after the tour.
Pasadena Police and the City Pasadena officials spoke to members about the ongoing firefighting and disaster relief efforts.
The burned shell of Altadena Community Church in Altadena, California, after it was destroyed by the Eaton Fire this week. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“Pasadena officials told my colleagues how difficult the rebuilding process will be and the tremendous support they will need from the federal government to be successful,” Chu wrote. “They also highlighted how many Black families, who found refuge from segregation and redlining in Altadena and parts of Pasadena, have lost all the generational wealth they had successfully built. My colleagues then witnessed streets, neighborhoods and community institutions being completely razed to the ground. .”
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Damage estimates and economic loss on Thursday increased to $135 billion, according to AccuWeather, a private company that provides data on weather and its impacts.
Chu said she looks forward to working with her colleagues to secure the disaster relief funding needed for recovery and reconstruction.
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She added that she will push for legislation “to prevent disasters like this from happening again.”
The burned out shell of the Altadena Community Church in Altadena, California, after being destroyed by wildfires. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“At every level of government, partnership is absolutely essential to successfully respond to natural disasters and provide immediate and long-lasting relief to those who have lost loved ones or returned to their homes or businesses to find nothing,” Chu wrote. “The victims of the Southern California fires will rely on Congress – on a bipartisan basis – to pass emergency disaster appropriations to support a long-lasting recovery. … We have a long road ahead of us, but like every other part of America, Californians deserve relief that gives us the opportunity to rebuild.”
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Members of Congress in attendance included: House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-33); House of Representatives Financial Services Ranking Maxine Waters (CA-43); Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA-38); Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35); Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34); Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37); and Rep. Luz Rivas (CA-29).
