Trump says No More Federal Aid for California Wildfires

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The U.S President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off emergency funding to California as wildfires rage across the state. He informed the governor of California, Gavin Newsom to get his act together. Trump delivered his thoughts in his latest attack on the state he returned to old complaints of forest management. It includes recommending better cleaning of the forest floors, as he first did in 2018. Moreover, the governor of California was quick to highlight the role of the environmental crisis in spreading the wildfires. Newsom tweeted in response to the president and said, “You don’t believe in climate change. You are excused from this conversation”. At least 198,000 acres of land have been destroyed across the region during the current year, with fires forcing people to flee their homes. It is noteworthy that 115 structures are razed to the ground in just the last 10 days. More than 3 people have died since the most recent spell of fires started in October.

 Trump tweeted, “The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom has done a terrible job of forest management. I told him from the first day we met that he must clean his forest floors regardless of what his bosses, the environmentalists, DEMAND of him. Must also do burns and cut fire stoppers. Every year, as the fire’s rage & California burns, it is the same thing and then he comes to the Federal Government for Dollars in help. No more. Get your act together Governor. You don’t see close to the level of burn-in in other states. But our teams are working well together in putting these massive, and many fires out. Great firefighters! “Also, open up the ridiculously closed water lanes coming down from the North. Don’t pour it out into the Pacific Ocean. Should be done immediately. California desperately needs water, and you can have it now!”

It follows on from the last threat made by the U.S President in January. He claimed to have ordered FEMA to send no more money, however it was later announced he had made no such request of Federal Emergency Management Agency. It is still unclear if the president will be taking any action in relation to the tweets. It is important that California is uniquely affected by the hot and dry Santa Ana winds. Scientists have indicated that this situation can fan flames quickly across the state, while climate change has also had a hand in exacerbating conditions. Point to be noted that California is the state of high-profile Democratic senators Kamala Harris and Dianne Feinstein.