Vice President Harris’s neighborhood in Los Angeles was ordered to evacuate Tuesday night as wildfires blazed through the area, her spokesperson said Wednesday.
“Last night, the Vice President’s neighborhood in Los Angeles was put under an evacuation order. No one was in her home at the time,” spokesperson Ernie Apreza said on social platform X.
“She and the Second Gentleman are praying for the safety of their fellow Californians, the heroic first responders, and Secret Service personnel,” Apreza added.
Harris, a lifelong Californian who served as the state’s U.S. senator and attorney general, said in a statement Tuesday that she was briefed about the state of the wildfires and would continue to be updated regularly “about these damaging wildfires and the coordinated efforts to contain them.”
“I am also urging residents in the affected areas to listen to local officials, remain vigilant, and evacuate immediately if told to do so,” Harris continued in her statement Tuesday evening.
Harris said she and President Biden “are committed to ensuring that no community has to respond to this disaster alone” and that they have mobilized federal resources “to help suppress the fires, provide overhead support, and begin assisting those impacted.”
She said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has already approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to reimburse the state for some of the firefighting costs.
“As a proud daughter of California, I know the damage that wildfires have on our neighbors and communities. I also know that the impact is often felt long after the fire is contained. As we respond and as Californians recover, I will ensure that our administration is in constant contact with state and local officials,” Harris added.
Harris’s statement comes as the Pacific Palisades wildfire and three other fires burn through the area surrounding Los Angeles, prompting California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to declare a state of emergency. The fires have also forced some residents to evacuate and caused significant damage to structures in the area.
The Palisades fire, which started as a brush fire at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time Tuesday, has grown to almost 3,000 acres with zero containment, according to Cal Fire.
The second fire, the Eaton fire, also started Tuesday near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in Pasadena. The Hurst fire, the third fire, started burning Tuesday night, spreading rapidly with high winds and burning at least 500 acres. A fourth one, the Tyler fire, began Wednesday morning in Coachella, Riverside County.
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