OAN Staff Blake Wolf
12:29 PM – Thursday, January 9, 2025
As multiple roaring fires across Los Angeles County destroy thousands of homes, buildings, and other structures, cell service has dropped out across large swaths of the city, prompting Elon Musk to provide free Starlink cell service to residents in need.
At least five individuals have now died, stemming from the fires becoming intensified by the strong Santa Ana winds, and nearly 180,000 individuals have also been placed under evacuation orders.
The two largest fires, the Palisades fire and the Eaton fire, have so far resulted in at least 27,000 acres being consumed in the flames. Cell towers are now being destroyed, effectively killing phone service for individuals in disaster areas, prompting the SpaceX founder to step in.
Los Angeles residents without cell service who are attempting to reach friends and family will reportedly now be able to call whom they wish, thanks to SpaceX owner and Trump-ally Elon Musk.
“SpaceX will provide free Starlink terminals to affected areas in LA tomorrow morning,” Musk announced in an X post.
Musk’s post was in response to a Fox 11 broadcast, which was only capable of providing a live feed due to his Starlink.
“The only reason you’re able to see us right now is because of Starlink. There’s absolutely no cell service at all in this whole area,” the reporter stated as a house burned to ashes behind her.
Musk’s Starlink system is also able to provide internet service, despite the lack of cell towers, by utilizing a “constellation” of thousands of satellites in Low-Earth Orbit.
Musk criticized the Democrat California government for previously refusing to take preventative measures aimed at curbing wildfires, blaming California’s “nonsense regulations.”
“These fires are easily avoidable, but nonsense regulations in California prevent action being taken, so year after year homes burn down and more people die,” Musk wrote in an X post.
“My friend just texted me that his house burned down again. His old house also burned down in an uncontrolled wildfire several years ago. California could easily stop these massive wildfires, but refuses to put in fire breaks for bogus environmental reasons,” he added.
The Palisades fire, which has burned through nearly 27 square miles, is still 0% contained as of Thursday morning, according to Cal Fire.
The Eaton fire, which has claimed all five lives, also remains at 0% containment as of Thursday morning.
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