4/14/2024 0 Comments California fire map july 2018![]() “The president’s assertion that California’s forest management policies are to blame for catastrophic wildfire is dangerously wrong. ![]() “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,” said Brian K Rice, president of California Professional Firefighters. Separately, there is no evidence California lacks water to fight fires. The Camp fire started on or near federal land before moving on to private property. Trump also appears to overlooked the fact that 60% of the state’s forests are under federal management. Experts have said this has increased the risk of deadly encounters with fire. 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. Ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the frontlines Brian Rice, firefighters representative, on Trump Logging, therefore, can make forest fires worse.įire is a natural part of the ecology of California, helping forests clear underbrush, regenerate and spread seeds for the next generation of trees. 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. 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. The president raised similar criticisms in August when a wildfire threatened the California city of Redding, blaming “bad environmental laws” that allow rivers to “be diverted into the Pacific ocean” rather than fight fires. Lady Gaga was evacuated.Īn overstretched army of 8,000 firefighters have been battling the flames, their challenge heightened by dry, gusty conditions expected to continue this week. The singer Miley Cyrus reported that she lost her home but escaped with her fiance, actor Liam Hemsworth, and their pets. A total of 250,000 Californians have been forced to flee their homes the Camp fire alone has destroyed nearly 7,000 buildings.Ī broad spectrum of people have been displaced, from vulnerable, low-income families in Paradise to Hollywood celebrities.Īctor Gerard Butler tweeted a picture of himself in front of his charred home, praising the “courage, spirit and sacrifice” of firefighters. ![]() This figure is likely to climb, with more than 200 people missing. ![]() Two people have died in the Woolsey fire, bringing the total death toll to 31. Some were found inside their cars, having been caught while attempting to escape the flames. The remains of 29 people have been found in the wake of the Camp fire, making it the most deadly California fire in 85 years. The smaller Hill fire, burning slightly north of the Woolsey fire, has chewed through 4,500 acres. Pushed coastwards by the Santa Ana winds, which blow from the north-east, the fire has caused the evacuation of wealthy beach locale Malibu. ![]() Further south, the Woolsey fire has menaced the Los Angeles area, burning 83,000 acres. ![]()
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