Blog#80 The Greatest Infermo of Our Time: FACTS
Some feel I am probably falling victim to misinformation about the LA Disaster. I am being too critical, too negative. So, I reflected…
Here are facts that are hard to dispute:
Newsom blew up four dams. Water was diverted to the ocean, even after years of drought. Videos of the blasting documented the events.
Water Dept Chief Quiñones knew a reservoir was drained and that hydrants did not work. No one bothered to tell the Fire Dept. Quinones was a top executive at PG&E when it went bankrupt due to forest fires. She was hired in LA in early 2024. The LA Water Chief, who is paid $750,000 a year, said this: “What attracted me most to the role was social equity. It’s important for me that everything we do is with an equity lens and social justice and writing the wrongs that we’ve done in the past.”
There were budget cuts at multiple levels, and the Mayor reduced and enforced FF headcount.
The Mayor’s response was not effective before or during the disaster in all accounts. Her widely publicized focus was on DEI.
FF’s were fired for not getting COVID-19 shots. Today, the fire department is undermanned.
The LA Fire Chief says she got poor support from Mayor Karen Bass.
Newsom cut the Calfire forest fire prevention budget by over $100 million. Some reports say $150 million was cut.
LA resources were spent on WOKE/DEI training, events, parades, and promotion with many hours instead of fire planning and training. Lots of video shows this. The Fire Chief made DEI hires a top priority.
FF hiring standards were reduced.
Some of LA FF equipment was sent to Ukraine. Can you imagine that 1 out of 6 fire trucks are in a repair yard and are unuseable? Worse, hundreds of FF’s were called to their fire stations but had no vehicles.
Clearly, the government refused to accept that there was serious fire danger. 64 fire vehicles from OR were delayed to get emissions testing in Sacramento, yet the massive fire will emit massive amounts of emissions & toxic smoke, affecting 10 million people.
They did NOT do basic land/forest clearing/management. For the last few years, many have warned of the potential disaster. Interviews on television and podcasts recorded the warnings, and they were ignored. It was also ignored that the FF Dept should routinely pre-position equipment in the Palisades to be ready for any outbreaks - especially after being told the fire danger was very high with the expectation of high Santa Ana winds.
You can see a TV video of hotshots overwhelmed and trying to remove brush from around power trans towers. Something that should not be necessary.
Due to laws signed by Newsom, looting is not a serious crime. Looters and arsonists are a problem. The first arsonist to be arrested is an illegal alien.
While CA has the highest homelessness in the country, and now they will be joined by thousands of more wealthy people who have lost everything.
Santa Ana winds are not unusual. In fact, they occur almost every year for hundreds of years. Warnings were constant, and insurance companies were forced to cancel policies or leave the State. Currently, the Santa Ana winds will return in the next few days.
Power was turned off to prevent sparks for new fires. Pumps could not function.
More of the insane actions will emerge over the coming weeks, but for these facts to be so obvious at this time is more than revealing.
It clearly points to systemic incompetence by the government that did not exercise common sense or basic mgt skills/judgment to ensure safety and security for their residents. There was no interest in creating a Water Management Plan for the State to address emergency needs for fire response, agricultural needs, and drought management to deliver water to communities.
One of the ironic results of this fire is that all the efforts to reduce carbon emissions have been erased by the toxic plume of smoke covering the southwestern U.S. and blowing across the country. Worse, think about the toxic mountain of fire trash that will be created to remove the remains of cities burned down.
Recovery actions will be interesting. How will LA house the tens of thousands displaced by the fire? What will the effect on the economy be with lost jobs, the impact on Hollywood productions, loss of tax revenue, rebuilding capability, medical needs, and the myriad of permits and regulations that restrict progress and long-term welfare support?
California = Liberal Government Systemic Incompetence (LGSI)
Why?
This incredible disaster was preventable.
It was more about inaction and incompetence than climate change.
Even now, per CBS News:
40,000 acres burned to the ground and growing.
12,000+ homes & businesses lost/destroyed to the ground
150,000 more evacuations.
250,000 without power.
25 dead and increasing.
Estimated damage will exceed $50 Billion and counting per JP Morgan Chase. Expectations will exceed $100 Billion.
5 Major Blazes continue as of this writing 01/12/2024.
Between 2020 and 2022, insurance companies declined to renew 2.8 million home policies in California, including 531,000 in LA County.
Am I being too critical? You be the judge.
In all fairness, if you believe Gavin Newsom, go to his newly formed website: www.californiafirefacts.com or California Fire Facts | Governor Gavin Newsom . He will deny many of the points published by the Main News Media, which has a history of fake news.