Chinese state-run propaganda media Global Times Condemns reasonable criticism of California's unpreparedness to deal with fires, slams Americans for “blame” and lack of “unity” in the face of ongoing Los Angeles wildfires did.
Over the past week, California has been experiencing what could ultimately become the most destructive conflagration in history, with multiple blazes destroying entire residential communities. As of Tuesday, authorities documented The fire killed 24 people and destroyed 60 square miles. The local government evacuated nearly 100,000 people and more than 12,000 buildings were completely destroyed. At the time of reporting, it was unclear when the fire started, but the embers were became An all-consuming inferno broke out on January 7th and continues to spread across multiple neighborhoods in the greater Los Angeles area. fire is burning It got worse Due to hurricane-force Santa Ana winds blowing through the area.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom are facing national criticism over their response to the fires. Among a list of documented concerns: Bass' decision to cut the fire department's budget by nearly $20 million, firefighters reporting that hydrants did not have enough water to contain the blaze, the giant Santa Claus Innes Reservoir has been left empty for an undetermined period of time, and resources have not been pre-emptively deployed in anticipation of high winds and dry weather that could fuel such fires. . Basu himself was in Ghana to attend the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama at the time of the fire, raising questions about the attention he was giving to the city.
of Global Times He criticized Americans who grapple with any of these issues, arguing that identifying problems with disaster response is preventing the country from “moving beyond its divisions.”
“Since 1983, the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center has recorded an average of approximately 70,000 wildfires per year in the country,” Propaganda reported. observed. “These impressive numbers should, in theory, lead to a well-organized and smoothly functioning firefighting system. However, when wildfires occur in the United States, chaos ensues.”
“Americans are suffering because our country has lost the ability to come together in times of crisis and overcome divisions.” times he claimed. “Both sides are pointing fingers.”
“Republicans have labeled California's leaders 'incompetent' and criticized DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts, as well as women and lesbian firefighters of color. “There is,” he claimed. “Meanwhile, Democrats are blaming climate change and pushing back against Republican attempts to 'politicize' the fires.”
“But how do we solve this ongoing crisis, what are the viable solutions, or how can we strengthen the ability of governments to prevent and respond to future natural disasters? “There has been little effective discussion about whether to do so,” the outlet continued. They are fighting each other in the chaos of fire, and they are also fighting in all the difficulties that they face today. ”
“Society, which should have come together in the face of this crisis, is being torn apart by constant blame and blame-shifting, even as the fires continue to rage.” “As a result, some observers have argued that the California wildfires are not simply a natural disaster, but rather a man-made catastrophe.”
Contrary to the conclusion of the newspaper article, experts have not conclusively concluded that the fire was a “natural disaster.” Initial reports indicated that New Year's Eve fireworks may have started the initial blaze, which was allowed to linger for several days, causing the disaster. On Sunday, Los Angeles Times reported that the fire likely had a “human origin”, citing anonymous sources.
of Global Times The newspaper itself reported this the day before the critical article about “unity,” quoting a University of California professor.
John Abatzoglou, a professor of climatology at the University of California, told the Global Times in an email on Monday that the exact cause of this year's wildfires “is still unknown at this time, but they are all human-caused.” ” said the state government. newspaper relayed.
The article went on to blame California state officials' “weak local disaster relief efforts” for the extent of the fire's destruction, a criticism the newspaper itself denounced in another article provided by the American.
of Global TimesThe state's aversion to criticism of politicians is the result of years of attempts to get closer to the state's top Democratic Party, with great success under Newsom. Mr. Newsom has spent his time in office strengthening business and political ties with the Communist Party, most notably during a visit to the country in October 2023. In a meeting with genocidal dictator Xi Jinping, Newsom promised California would serve as a “long-term stronghold” for China. A stable and strong partner. ”
Chinese state media reported at the time that “Mr. Newsom has expressed his intention to encourage California to strengthen ties with China and explore closer cooperation in areas such as climate change and new energy.”
In addition to meeting with political leaders, Newsom toured an electric vehicle (EV) factory in China and test drove a model from slavery-linked company BYD, which he called “another leap forward in technology, the next level.” He praised the project as “a great leap forward” and asserted the following: I want two cars for myself.
Mr. Newsom has come under heavy criticism for appearing unprepared for the fire situation in the southern part of the state, and faced jeers from the public and serious questions from journalists about why firefighters appeared to be running out of water. facing. On January 8, when asked by CNN journalist Anderson Cooper about a fire hydrant found without water, Newsom said, “Local residents are trying to figure it out.” He accused President-elect Donald Trump of trying to “politicize” the United States.
Two days later, Newsom announced an investigation into “the reported loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the unavailability of water supply from the Santa Ynez Reservoir.”
The Santa Ynez Reservoir may have held 117 million gallons of water, but it was empty when the fire started and remains that way today. It is unclear why Los Angeles authorities left the reservoir empty or how long the situation lasted.
Los Angeles firefighters publicly accused politicians of failing to prepare for the firefight as the fires raged. Freddy Escobar, president of the United Fire Brigades of Los Angeles County (UFLAC), told Breitbart News on Monday that the neglect has existed for years.
“I was on the board of directors [of the Los Angeles Fire Department] “LAFD has been ignored by our leaders for 17 years, and in recent years and decades,” he said. “They're not addressing a severely understaffed fire department. We need 62 new stations, 100 more firefighters and medics, more engines, more trucks, more medics. We're badly understaffed. There is a shortage of manpower.”
