Residents of Pacific Palisades, California, were finally given permission by local authorities to return to visit their fire-ravaged lots and homes after President Donald Trump intervened at a town hall on Friday and urged a speedy return.
Trump had prodded Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to allow residents to return and begin clearing the damage so that they can rebuild. After she appeared to say that they could return “within a week,” Trump said that was far too long.
By Saturday, residents — some relying on the president’s promise of a speedy reopening — began flocking to police checkpoints and demanding to return to portions of the town that were officially closed in the name of public safety.
On Sunday, local officials relented and declared that residents would be allowed to return on Monday, weather permitting. At noon on Monday, residents were allowed to return after showing proof of residence to police.
Breitbart News documented the process of registration and receiving a one-week pass to enter the Palisades:
Some residents donned personal protective gear and combed through the rubble of their property, looking for anything that might have survived the intense heat of the Palisades Fire. Others simply grieved.
For those whose homes were still standing, there were other challenges: removing rotten food, planning remediation for smoke damage, and helping neighbors in greater need.
The process of cleaning and rebuilding could take years. But many residents love the community, and are here to stay.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days, available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency, now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
Read the full article here
