Withers, R. (2018, November 10). Trump responds to the worst fires in California’s history by threatening to withhold federal aid. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/11/10/18082282/trump-blames-california-wildfires-forest-management-climate-change
President Donald Trump released statements about recent California wildfires blaming poor forest management as the reason. His rationale was that there was “Billions and Billions” given by the Federal Government and it is being allocated poorly within the state. The article states that this is a common pattern of the president placing blame on the state for its fires.
For the comments released by the President, I am somewhat unsure how I should feel. At some level, I think that the fires are due in part to the management strategies of the state. The placement of homes, lack of defensible space, extreme density of forests, and more all played a part in the intensity and how devastating the fires have been. That being said, there are a number of very important factors that played significant parts that are not the fault of the state, such as California’s lack of water, recent El Nino rainfall levels followed by very dry periods, and of course, a hotter than ever climate. Wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem, so the goal is to allow these fires to burn without threatening lives and property.
I am also a bit split on how I feel towards these comments. I think I take the ;largest issue with the way he handled the situation in the way he delivered these comments. It wasn’t with remorse or sympathy, but it was with blame and distance. It felt like he didn’t quite know what he was talking about, and instead was just saying this ignorant things to fit in with his narrative. I think that we could have done more to prevent the intensity of these fires, but at some point, it’s out of our control. I feel like the president could have been more cognizant to that, and instead of slandering the state, he could have provided an alternative to how the money could be spent. Actual tangible suggestions to help improve the situation. That is where I take issue.
I totally agree, thanks for the comment.