‘How Many Need To Die?’ [WATCH]

Celebrity fitness trainer Jillian Michaels appeared on Fox Business on Friday to criticize California state and local officials for their handling of the recent Los Angeles County wildfires.

Speaking on The Evening Edit, Michaels described the leadership during the crisis as “horrendously” mismanaged and questioned how many lives would need to be lost before significant changes are made.

Wildfires swept through Los Angeles County, heavily impacting areas such as Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and Pasadena.

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Residents quickly voiced their frustrations with Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, accusing them of inadequate preparation and poor leadership during the crisis.

Reports emerged of critical failures in emergency response and infrastructure, fueling further criticism.

For example, fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades reportedly ran out of water, hampering firefighting efforts.

According to Fox News, this occurred after Mayor Bass cut the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget by $17.6 million for the fiscal year 2024-2025.

Michaels, who was in California visiting her mother, shared her firsthand account of the fires.

She revealed that she was near the site where the fire began, at the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway.

“The reaction time was not seven minutes. It was actually around 45 minutes,” Michaels stated.

“I happened to be exactly where the fire broke out while working out at the new Equinox gym. I was there for 30 minutes, and no one showed up while the fire was burning.”

Michaels criticized the prolonged response time as indicative of broader systemic issues, saying, “This is the tip of the iceberg when you start to break down how horrendously this has been mismanaged from top to bottom.”

Michaels also highlighted new allegations against Southern California Edison (SCE), the local power utility company.

Some Altadena residents have filed lawsuits, accusing SCE of negligence related to outdated infrastructure, which may have played a role in the fires.

Reflecting on similar incidents, Michaels said, “Let’s go back in time for a moment here to my fire in 2018.

This was caused by a faulty hook on a PG&E electric line. Since then, nothing has changed. Gavin Newsom let them off the hook.

That equipment was over 100 years old. Now, the word on the street is that the Eden fire was caused by Southern California Edison’s outdated infrastructure.”

Adding to the frustration were revelations about the lack of water in fire hydrants and the out-of-commission Santa Ynez Reservoir, which serves the Pacific Palisades area.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the reservoir, which holds 117 million gallons of water, had been out of service since February 2024, leaving firefighters without critical water storage during the crisis.

Michaels questioned the decisions made by state and local leaders, including Governor Newsom’s veto of Assembly Bill 2330, which would have improved forestry management to help prevent wildfires.

“How many people need to die? How many lives need to be destroyed? People need to lose their homes, be financially devastated. It’s disgusting and it’s unnecessary,” she said.

Michaels called on officials to take accountability and implement meaningful reforms to address the recurring issues that exacerbate California’s wildfire crises.

“Why are you cutting the fire budget? Why is the reservoir dry? How come you are vetoing bills that would help manage forestry? The list is so long,” she said.

The Los Angeles County fires have once again highlighted the ongoing challenges California faces in wildfire prevention and response, with residents and public figures like Michaels demanding better preparation and accountability from state and local leaders.

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