As the greatest disaster in California's recent history is running its course, it has been revealed that the LA Fire Chief was hired because she was a lesbian and best-suited to run a diversity program in the department, not because she was the best choice for firefighter. The Mayor was elected by the LA voters because she was pro-choice, not because she was the best candidate to run the city. The governor cut water to Southern California to protect a smelt that apparently now it has been determined is doing fine and never needed to be protected. Newsome now has said the "locals" have to work out the fire situation and why there was no water in the hydrants when they were first turned on to fight the current fires. The Mayor of LA refused to comment on why she allowed things to go the way they have. She also recently cut the LA Fire Department budget by (supposedly) 10% to help fund programs for illegals. The Mayor and the Police Supervisor in New Orleans also came from California and , at least in the case of the Police were chosen not because they were best for the job but for other reasons.. Maybe selling California to Canada is not such a bad idea after all, especially if they don't allow the Woke residents back into the rest of the U.S.
I just saw that "surplus" fire equipment from LA has been sent to battle fires in Ukraine. Ambulances, engines, hoses, and nozzles that were not currently in use were sent to Europe. I suspect that equipment like that could be used now if they could get water to the hydrant.
Now the Democrats are worrying about what the fires will do to the tax base in LA. Some of the most expensive homes in the county have burned. How can they tax a burned hulk?
We'll see, but they are now also worried that so many wealthy folks will leave California. A lot of productive people have already left, but if the celebrities who really don't produce anything but have a lot of money also leave, they might have to tax the homeless and the illegals that they have been cultivating.
They are now using the Super Scooper airplanes to scoop up ocean water and dump it at least on the fire closest to the Pacific.
My husband was just saying that even the people whose homes are relatively unscathed will likely move. Those areas will be without basic services for months/years while rebuilding. What a mess. In other news, Biden has committed the USA to paying 100% of the recovery costs for this. Sad that he couldn't find those dollars for the people of North Carolina.
I saw there is now aircraft able to fly, so the winds must be dropping some. Yesterday they were saying they couldn't use aircraft due to high winds.
While I hate to make excuses for Newsom because he deserves a lot of blame for a lot of stuff, the most significant problems here appear local. It's unreasonable to expect the state governor to be responsible for ensuring there's water in the fire hydrant systems or that fire personnel are qualified. Mayors, city councils, fire districts, county officials, and many others are in the mix, and since it's California, they're probably all loons.
Luckily my cousin's house is outside the area of danger this time around, but one of his sons is a firefighter, so I imagine his fire district has been called in to help. I hope for his safety.
I think the governor is responsible for the overall water situation since the locals can't really deal with the flow of water from northern California. Many of the officials are now on camera claiming there was never a shortage of water and the hydrants. I just don't get it; first they were complaining and now, in very Emily Litella fashion, they are saying, "Oh, never mind...." At least the aircraft are now flying, so that should help a lot. It all made me think perversely, that, after the first fire got started, a terrorist or foreign operative could say, "If one is good why not more fires?"