Climate change is real. Just accept it.

[TastySuckToy]

I explained to you that Santa Ana winds occur 15 to 25 times a year, with 80 mph being very common. They are also very dry, creating low humidity.

It rarely rains at all between May and November. Sometimes the region gets decent rainfall in December, and more often the strong rains come later. Even in years where the rainy season exceeds the average, the region is bone dry by late summer. The hills are brown and the underbrush is highly combustible. Those conditions remain until there’s enough rain to saturate the earth and spawn renewed growth of grasses and shrubbery. December was a dry month in the south land as it often is. The wildfire risk was well known not only to public officials, but everyone living in the area.

Despite that reality, fire hydrants were empty or lacking sufficient pressure. 117 million gallons of water storage was unavailable due to maintenance work with no backup supply. The state hasn’t built a reservoir in over 50 years, despite a doubling of population. As I’ve said repeatedly, the lack of preparation didn’t start with the current mayor and governor. The incompetence spans decades.

Makes sense. Very poor governance, preparedness and increasing evidence of multiple human actors intentionally setting fires seems to be the primary culprits for the ongoing disaster.

 

[icanhelp1]

The city, county and state were obviously unprepared even though 80 to 100 mph winds and dry winters are common in SoCal and have been for centuries. So are raging wildfires.

One of the biggest problems facing firefighters is a lack of water where it’s been needed and when it’s been needed. Pumps have been failing. Biden said it’s because the power was shut down as a fire prevention measure. Probably true, but why no diesel powered generators as backup for mission critical firefighting infrastructure? And there have been water pressure problems that even the governor said is “deeply disturbing.” He’s ordered an investigation.

The water infrastructure is antiquated and suffering from decades of deferred maintenance. The state of California hasn’t built a new reservoir since the 70s. The SoCal regional population 50 years ago was around 20 million. Now it’s more than 40 million. The valley floor is paved over and the LA river and other waterways are made of concrete. Rainwater just flows straight into Santa Monica bay. The Santa Inez reservoir is the second largest in the region, and it’s currently offline. That’s 117 million gallons that were unavailable.

Above ground utility lines and inadequate vegetation (fuel) mitigation policies have exacerbated the problem. Reports are coming out Southern California Edison lines might have sparked one of the conflagrations.

Blaming climate change for this nightmare is absurd. The dry weather, the vegetation, the hurricane force winds, and the hilly terrain and deep canyons are natural forces. The rapidly spreading fires in the populous region was entirely predictable.

I’m not among those pointing the finger exclusively at Karen Bass and Gavin Newsom. I’ve said repeatedly that there’s plenty of blame to go around at every level of CA government and the decline in effective governance in the state began long ago. LA is like a third world country.

Fire hydrants aren't for putting out forest fires they're for putting out house fires and protection of property and life. And you're correct there's plenty of blame to go around. I've cited several articles and reports that support everything you've written.

 

[icanhelp1]

Perhaps. Linking any one particular event to climate change is difficult. The naysayers will say the catastrophe was driven by people building in fire-prone locations, not managing forests properly (astounding to think the aboriginal population of the area did a better job of it than the advanced technological civilization of the state of California!), leaving reservoirs unfilled etc. etc. etc.

That's a major reason the environmental movement is having difficulties with backlash. It would make more sense to emphasize that POLLUTION IS BAD. I mean, everyone agrees that, whether or not CO2 and methane emissions are changing the climate (which they are), pumping out smoke from coal-fired power plants or automobile tailpipes is bad for the human population of the earth!

I just read that the next USA Presidential inauguration will be held indoors because of the cold. Wonder if anyone at the ceremonies will announce that this is evidence global warming is a hoax?

Global warming is a fact, climate change has been around since our planet developed an atmosphere. God gave us a brain but it's apparent some people would prefer to complain about climate change than adjust to the changes itself.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

Again, that's not what I asked. I asked if these conditions ever happened before & the best that you could do was MAYBE they happened over 60 years ago we don't know if the Santa Ana winds were as high in 1962 as they were this month. I'm going to take you not answering the question as the Santa Ana winds were not as high in 1962 as they have been now or you could not find records to show that winds were as high as they are now in winter of 1962.

No one is talking about May - November we're talking about an event that is happening in January, And just to clarify in some years there has been significant rain in November, 2 years ago in November 22 the month saw 2 inches of rain.

The trained & prepared firefighters didn't have any water to fight the fires?
Do you think the reservoir should have remained opened and been giving people drinking water that was not up to law?

Yes, the extreme dry conditions, abundant fuel, hurricane strength Santa Ana winds, and raging fires have happened before. It’s very common. Obviously the region needs adequate water storage and delivery capacity to deal with these highly predictable situations, and it obviously doesn’t that have now. This isn’t like NC that experienced an unprecedented inland hurricane that hit sparsely populated mountain rural areas with limited access roads. It’s also obvious you’ve never lived in Southern California.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

Fire hydrants aren't for putting out forest fires they're for putting out house fires and protection of property and life. And you're correct there's plenty of blame to go around. I've cited several articles and reports that support everything you've written.

I understand that fire hydrants are not used for hillside wildfires, but the fires spread to suburban neighborhoods. Tons of houses burned down because the fire hydrants weren’t functioning properly. There are actually some homes where people have installed their own private hydrants and pumps for accessing swimming pool water. Those houses are still standing.

 

[SgtSpiderMan]

Yes, the extreme dry conditions, abundant fuel, hurricane strength Santa Ana winds, and raging fires have happened before. It’s very common. Obviously the region needs adequate water storage and delivery capacity to deal with these highly predictable situations, and it obviously doesn’t that have now. This isn’t like NC that experienced an unprecedented inland hurricane that hit sparsely populated mountain rural areas with limited access roads. It’s also obvious you’ve never lived in Southern California.

And I’m still asking you to provide one time this all happened before, you’re unable to.
NC frequently gets hurricanes, it’s so frequent that’s what they named the hockey team. Why do officials get a pass in NC for something you said is a similar situation to that in So Cal?

 

[icanhelp1]

I understand that fire hydrants are not used for hillside wildfires, but the fires spread to suburban neighborhoods. Tons of houses burned down because the fire hydrants weren’t functioning properly. There are actually some homes where people have installed their own private hydrants and pumps for accessing swimming pool water. Those houses are still standing.

I agree 100%. Some excuses I read were that charged fires hydrants would not have lessened property damage. I'm not sure that's accurate. More of an attempt to deny mismanagement.

 

[LLCox]

I accept climate change is real. I don't care the reason because I am just a visitor on this planet. Fuck you all.

 

[Rightguide]

Governor Gavin Newsom has explained this over and over this week.

The simple reason why nobody should believe

 

[Justplainjeff]

Climate change drove the LA fires. O denying that fact, here. But lets add the fact the LA's fucked up mayor reduced the LAFD budget by $17 million didn't help the situation, either.

Climate change drove the LA fires.

No denying that is a fact, but lets add the truth about Mayor Karen Rice cutting $17 million from her fire department's budget having some efgect, too.

 

[SgtSpiderMan]

No denying that is a fact, but lets add the truth about Mayor Karen Rice cutting $17 million from her fire department's budget having some efgect, too.

So if they had an extra 17 million the fires wouldn’t have started?

 

[Rightguide]

No denying that is a fact, but lets add the truth about Mayor Karen Rice cutting $17 million from her fire department's budget having some efgect, too.

Might as well add this as well:

How a Woke Newsom Appointee Dismantled California’s Volunteer Firefighting Force
Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell | January 16, 2025

FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—A high-ranking military appointee of California Gov. Gavin Newsom diminished the state’s emergency response volunteer firefighting units, according to Maj. Gen. Jay Coggan, retired commanding general of the California State Guard.

California is now struggling to contain destructive wildfires, which have killed 25 people and displaced more than 80,000 in the Los Angeles area.

Newsom appointed Matthew Beevers to serve as adjutant general of the California Military Department in May 2023. Beevers has a history of marching in LGBTQ pride parades and was investigated for alleged antisemitism against a subordinate, the Washington Free Beacon reported. Beevers denied making the antisemitic comment.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1879905613842669876

 

[Rightguide]

And this:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1879936420602900963

 

[TastySuckToy]

And this:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1879936420602900963

Typical leftist/democrat run areas: spend more time worrying about the skin color of people rather than real issues, like proper funding for emergency services and making sure they hire and employ the best suited candidates.

 

[Rightguide]

Typical leftist/democrat run areas: spend more time worrying about the skin color of people rather than real issues, like proper funding for emergency services and making sure they hire and employ the best suited candidates.

They are to blame for what has happened in Los Angeles.

 

[TastySuckToy]

They are to blame for what has happened in Los Angeles.

100%

And even more so, given they scream about the dangers of climate change, but their actions are exactly the opposite of actually taking their own claims seriously.

If they honestly thought climate change was going to result in higher average temperatures and more devestating outcomes like massive wildfires, they should be demanding vastly more funding for things like fire services and throwing concerns like skin color on the back burner, in favour of hiring as many best suited candidates as possible, and shouting fuck things like skin color quotas.

But they simply cannot get past their own racism.

 

[Justplainjeff]

So if they had an extra 17 million the fires wouldn’t have started?

Nope, but they MIGHT have had the proper amount of manpower AND water to help contain them. Just saying.

 

[SgtSpiderMan]

Nope, but they MIGHT have had the proper amount of manpower AND water to help contain them. Just saying.

They had to call in firefighters from Mexico, Oregon, Nevada and Nor Cal. There wasn’t enough people power in all of So Cal.
How much does water cost?

 

[PaxNurgle]

100%

And even more so, given they scream about the dangers of climate change, but their actions are exactly the opposite of actually taking their own claims seriously.

If they honestly thought climate change was going to result in higher average temperatures and more devestating outcomes like massive wildfires, they should be demanding vastly more funding for things like fire services and throwing concerns like skin color on the back burner, in favour of hiring as many best suited candidates as possible, and shouting fuck things like skin color quotas.

But they simply cannot get past their own racism.

But you and Rightguide seem to imply that the tragedy would never have happened if the entire firefighting force was all white, that it was "Those damn coloreds" that hampered the efforts to combat the fires.

This is fucking disgusting, and quite frankly shouldn't even be dignified with a serious response.

 

[Cardinal]

Yes it exists the problem is that the wants to control people actions because they believe that humans can affect the climate of a planet.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

And I’m still asking you to provide one time this all happened before, you’re unable to.
NC frequently gets hurricanes, it’s so frequent that’s what they named the hockey team. Why do officials get a pass in NC for something you said is a similar situation to that in So Cal?

View attachment 2471089

Bridge, Gorman fires in 2024, Lake & Bobcat fires in 2020, Woolsey fire in 2018 are a few of LA County’s big fires in recent years. How far back do you wanna go? lol. LA is a tinder box when rainfall is sparse and the Santa Ana winds blow. You’re obviously not familiar with that part of the country.

Unlike the dry and windy conditions in LA that are frequent, Hurricane Helene in North Carolina was unprecedented in its path and intensity. Maybe Asheville and Boone Counties should have been more prepared. I really don’t know. My comments are focused on the inexcusable failures in the City and County of Los Angeles.

 

[SgtSpiderMan]

Bridge, Gorman fires in 2024, Lake & Bobcat fires in 2020, Woolsey fire in 2018 are a few of LA County’s big fires in recent years. How far back do you wanna go? lol. LA is a tinder box when rainfall is sparse and the Santa Ana winds blow. You’re obviously not familiar with that part of the country.

Unlike the dry and windy conditions in LA that are frequent, Hurricane Helene in North Carolina was unprecedented in its path and intensity. Maybe Asheville and Boone Counties should have been more prepared. I really don’t know. My comments are focused on the inexcusable failures in the City and County of Los Angeles.

You can name another time there was a record amount of shortfall in the winter, 80mph Santa Ana winds, and 4 fires at once? Still waiting for a time this has happened before when officials should have known to expect it.
You haven’t been able to name any failures of officials.
Why do officials in NC get a pass for what you consider doing the same thing?

 

[TastySuckToy]

But you and Rightguide seem to imply that the tragedy would never have happened if the entire firefighting force was all white,

The only way you get that implication is through your own stupidity and racism.

I don't care what the racial makeup of the fire fighting force is. What I care about is the fire fighting forces should be composed of the best funded and most qualified candidates possible.

It's lefties like you who keep making the issue about race and pushing policies intended to meet things like skin color quotas.

Get rid of dumbass policies like DEI goals and race quotas, and I wouldn't give a fuck if the entire force was composed of purple midgets, so long as they are the best suited and most qualified for the job.

 

[Politruk]

Yes it exists the problem is that the wants to control people actions because they believe that humans can affect the climate of a planet.

Humans can affect the climate of a planet.

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

You can name another time there was a record amount of shortfall in the winter, 80mph Santa Ana winds, and 4 fires at once? Still waiting for a time this has happened before when officials should have known to expect it.
You haven’t been able to name any failures of officials.
Why do officials in NC get a pass for what you consider doing the same thing?

The 4 simultaneous fires were unique but certainly well within the range of possibility. Officials absolutely should have been prepared. Non-functioning fire hydrants and lack of sufficient water storage is inexcusable. There are far too many public officials to name. This failure spans at least five decades and multiple mayors, governors, city council members and county BOS members. Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom are catching most of the heat because they are currently at the helm but they are by no means the only ones culpable. It’s a very long list. I don’t know why you keep bringing up Florida and North Carolina. They have nothing to do with the LA fires and the failure of public officials there.