Cause
of recent California fire: Not poor state management
(Story update linked below)
Signal to California and Puerto Rico: Bye, bye Federal aid
A fine article from
The Guardian re: The latest big and now historical fire in California – key
extracted emphasis below. Note: this fire was NOT caused by poor management – this was the cause:
What Trump had to say?
Trump via
Twitter said: “There was 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!”
Is Trump right?
Trump has
echoed, in his idiosyncratic way, a familiar Republican charge: “That
environmental regulations hamper proper management of forests, allowing
flammable vegetation to build up and act as fuel for fires.”
Several
ecologists have pointed out that “management” is typically code for logging by
industry, whereby large stands of trees that would typically survive a wildfire
are removed, leaving behind debris that is often more effective at spreading
flames. Logging, therefore, can make forest fires worse.
Fire is a natural part
of the ecology of California, helping forests clear underbrush, regenerate and
spread seeds for the next generation of trees. Human factors have changed the
equation, however – California’s population is nearing 40 million, adding a
more than 300,000 people a year since 2010, with many moving into and
developing scenic forest areas that often burn. Experts have said this has increased
the risk of deadly encounters with fire.
Trump also
appears to have overlooked the fact that 60% of the state’s forests are under Federal
management. The Camp fire started on or near Federal land before moving on to
private prop
Brian Rice, president of the CA Professional
Firefighters said: “The president’s message attacking California
and threatening to withhold aid to the victims of the cataclysmic fires is
ill-informed, ill-timed, and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as
the men and women on the frontlines. The president’s assertion that
California’s forest management policies are to blame for catastrophic wildfire
is dangerously wrong. Wildfires are sparked and spread not only in
forested areas but in populated areas and open fields fueled by parched
vegetation, high winds, low humidity, and geography.”
My 2 cents: Trump is way off on his total lack
of knowledge or common sense about this tragedy with his constant threats to
cut Federal assistance to Americans in distress like this, and now he wants to
cut aid to Puerto Rico as reported on here
from the Hill, and here
from Vox.com.
Trump is truly a very sick, despicable human being.
Thanks for stopping by.
* Please consider donating to any relief aid source
that you can – any amount will help I am sure.
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