Remember when fires were just an indication of good ol’ arson or idiocy?
Those days are long gone — now, that blaze threatening to incinerate your community is an indication that Democrats should be put in charge of more funds and that you should wear — brace yourself — the same tuxedo more than once.
Yes — more than once.
But maybe sometimes that red element is something other than a reference to the hot topic of global warming.
The issue arose up in the fall, between President Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
As reported by RedState’s Sara Lee at the time, the two were at odds over flaring flames.
Here’s Sarah:
[T]rump took to Twitter to criticize California’s fealty to environmentalists which, Trump said, made Newsom of adequately staving off the threat of devastating fires in his state. He also noted that the governor tended to come running to the federal government for help instead of figuring out how to handle the spread of deadly fires in his state.
From USA Today:
What changed appears to be a series of tweets earlier Sunday by the president, kicked off with this: “The Governor of California, @GavinNewsom, has done a terrible job of forest management. I told him from the first day we met that he must ‘clean’ his forest floors regardless of what his bosses, the environmentalists, DEMAND of him.”
Back to Sarah:
Newsom took umbrage and “dismissed” Trump from the conversation for not “believing” in climate change.
Around the same time, AOC was kind enough to drop some science, too. The internet told her she…dropped science:
The fires in SoCal have little to do with any climate change issues and a lot to do with infrastructure mismanagement in an area that’s always been bone-dry for at least half the year. Not every single weather-related event is a result of climate change…
— TTVI News – Today’s Top 6 (@ttvi_6) October 28, 2019
Give it up PLEASE!!! pic.twitter.com/nWpcT5uvHf
— FishingNut3791 (@coleman37815) October 28, 2019
Well, now there’s new…news: Reputed experts on climate change are bolstering Trump’s arguments that the West Coast Burning is a result of Bush League land management.
EENews.net has the info; UC Berkeley Professor of Fire Science at Scott Stephens announced as much at a Wednesday conference:
“[Approximately 75% of damage from Cali’s wildfires are due to] the way we manage lands and develop our landscape.”
Scott explained that, in the 1700’s, 4.5 million acres per year were engulfed in flames.
And:
“Fire was almost as important as rain to ecosystems.”
It’s not so wild these days, as per California Forest Management Task Force Director Jennifer Montgomery:
“Wildfire is not really wildfire — it’s not pointy green trees. You get these so-called ‘wildfires’ at intersection of development.”
Here’s more from Trump back in November:
There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 10, 2018
Not everyone received it well:
After we find out if our home is still standing, I'm flying to Washington to set your hair on fire, you compassionless piece of shit
— Mike Scully (@scullymike) November 10, 2018
But it sounds like he was right.
Or was he? Back in 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown was more Team Newsom:
“Managing the forests in every way we can does not stop climate change, and those who deny that are definitely contributing to the tragedies that we’re now witnessing, and will continue to witness in the coming years.”
Either way, it’s a tragedy.
From The Daily Caller:
California wildfires killed 103 people between 2017 and 2019, and burned 4 million acres while causing millions of citizens to lose power as electric companies turned off electricity to prevent potential arching from sparking fires.
That’s a terrible thing. But if those at the top aren’t willing to take responsibility for the most direct route to prevention, how can anyone hope for the situation to improve?
“Responsibility” isn’t a hallmark of government; but in the land of the burning neighborhoods, it needs to be.
-ALEX
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The Hallmark Channel’s Under Fire: It’s Far Too White and Christmasy During the Holiday Season
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