
As raging fires ravage California, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake, wealthy business magnate Elon Musk announced that SpaceX will supply free Starlink terminals to impacted areas in Los Angeles.
He made the announcement when retweeting footage of a reporter crediting Starlink internet service with connectivity.
The reporter said that Starlink is "the only reason we're able to hear and communicate with you guys right now because there's absolutely no cell service at all in this whole area."
Comment: Musk donated hundreds of Starlink units to areas ravaged by Hurricane Helene.
(the "potential sensitive content is a vie of some of the devastation as reported by Fox News)
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., has asked Musk to utilize his money and social media platform X to assist poor families whose residences and workplaces have been destroyed amid the devastating wildfires.
Comment: Wait, didn't Biden promise funds for 100% restoration?
Swalwell made the comments after Musk shared a video, which he said a friend in Los Angeles had taken, that featured footage of some of the destruction.
"This is so sad. Elon, I believe you want to help as much as I do. I'll use my post on Homeland Security Committee to have an open mind re: concerns over fire cause/response," Swalwell said when responding to the video Musk shared.
"Can you use this platform and your money to help poorer families who lost their homes/workplaces?" the congressman asked.
Musk has claimed that wildfires in the Golden State could have been prevented, but regulations get in the way of taking steps to prevent the infernos.
"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 declared in a post on X.
"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 said in a separate post.
In another post, he asserted that "crazy environmental regulations prevent building fire breaks and clearing brush near houses," which "allows massive fires to get going."
For now...
"A team of Chinese scientists simulated a space operation targeting the Starlink constellation, proving that the massive network is not as invulnerable as originally believed, according to a new report in the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post." [Link]