Rep. Chu leads tour of Eaton Fire destruction: "We as Californians stand together in support."

On Saturday, members of Congress from California visited the ruins in Altadena and northern Pasadena that were destroyed by the ongoing Eaton Fire.

Rep. Judy Chu, whose district encompasses the areas most affected by the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, guided Congress members from California on a visit to the devastated areas.

More than 14,100 acres have been burned by the Eaton Fire with 15% containment, Cal Fire reported Saturday night. Approximately 7,000 structures have been damaged.

Chu expressed gratitude to his colleagues in Congress from California who joined him on a tour of Los Angeles County, showing the nation that Californians support one another.

Officials from the Pasadena Police Department and the City of Pasadena discussed ongoing fire control and relief efforts with the group.

"Officials from Pasadena informed my colleagues about the challenges of the rebuilding process and the significant support required from the federal government to achieve success. Additionally, they emphasized how many Black families, who had sought refuge from segregation and redlining in Altadena and parts of Pasadena, had lost all their generational wealth. My colleagues then observed streets, neighborhoods, and community institutions being completely destroyed."

The private company AccuWeather reported that the estimates of damage and economic loss on Thursday rose to $135 billion.

She is eager to collaborate with her colleagues to obtain the necessary funding for disaster relief, recovery, and rebuilding.

She stated that she will advocate for legislation to prevent future disasters.

"In order to effectively respond to natural disasters and provide relief to those affected, partnership is crucial at every level of government. The victims of the Southern California fires will depend on Congress to pass emergency disaster appropriations on a bipartisan basis in order to support a long recovery. Despite the challenges ahead, Californians deserve disaster relief that will enable them to rebuild, just like any other community in America."

The attendees at Congress included House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar, House Financial Services Ranking Member Rep. Maxine Waters, Rep. Linda Sanchez, Rep. Norma Torres, Rep. Jimmy Gomez, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, and Rep. Luz Rivas, all from California.