So according to what I've read the environmental conditions leading to this fire are sort of a perfect storm. Wetter than normal conditions in early 2024 led to extensive plant growth that was then followed by a nearly 9 month drought that's been one of the driest period on record. The result is a ton of very dry, very flammable fuel. That combined with a Santa Ana wind event, with winds in excess of 60-80+ mph, has led to near perfect conditions for rapid fire growth.
I think there's been some inclination to blame the fire on government preparedness, budget cuts, ect. But at some point there's literally only so much you do. LA country is probably the single most prepared place on the planet in terms of equipment, personnel, training, money ect to fight wildfires. At some point the environmental reality becomes too much to overcome.
Stuff like this is only going to get worse. Partly just becasue as the US population grows we expand into places (hill sides, forests, ect) that expose the population to great fire risks in areas that are harder to fight fires. Also partly because the specific outputs of climate change are likely to make wildfire in particular much worse, more frequent and less predictable.
I am not a fan of the republicans playbook of blaming everything on the liberal democrats and DEI. The mental gymnastics of denying climate change and the funding that can help reduce the risk, then turning around and blaming the other side for the inevitable problems that comes with it works like red meat for their base, but it does nothing to help the situation.
I understand that cutting $17 millions from the firefighter budget is not a good move, but do we really think money that money that wouldn't have even been spent already is what has created all these problems? Especially since a couple of weeks ago we were on the verge of a government shutdown because Trump wasn't happy with it.
I am sure the same politicians that were complaining about money being spent to raze certain areas to prevent these wildfires are the ones blaming the liberals agenda for the fire being out of control. The same ones that comes up with 'thoughts and prayers' when a school shooting happens are not even waiting for the fires to be settling down to blame the other side.
It's pretty despicable but the unfortunate thing is, it works. You see all these people blaming on them because they don't have the long term memory of the people that were trying to come up with preventative measures in the first place.
Meanwhile, there's the argument out there that Biden sends billions of dollars to help in the Ukraine war but where's the help in our own country. Make it make sense lol. Btw in no way I lean to neither parties.
