Who’s Accountable For The LA Wildfires?

Last week, I said that I would prefer not to talk about the business of fire prevention in California while the fires were still burning. With so many people in such dire straits, it seemed premature to fan the rhetorical flames before the literal flames were extinguished. However, since the fires show no sign of stopping, and since people everywhere are demanding better answers and explanations from their elected officials, I thought it might be a good idea to invite someone onto the podcast who has been completely consistent in his warnings and recommendations for many years. His name is Edward Ring, and he’s the Director of Water and Energy Policy for The California Policy Center.

I spoke to Edward yesterday from my hotel room in New York, shortly after I got out of Los Angeles. Like me, he’s concerned that California has become a tinderbox – not from global warming, and certainly not from “unprecedented” winds or other unforeseen weather conditions. (In fact, if you want a very comprehensive explanation of what just happened last week, check out this documentary from the Fire Service. It’s called Design for Disaster, and it was filmed shortly after the devastating Bel Air Conflagration, way back in 1962. In it, you will see that rom a meteorological standpoint, there is absolutely nothing “unprecedented” about what just happened. More like “inevitable.”)

Not everyone will appreciate this documentary, or what Edward Ring has to say. For what it’s worth, I believe it to be the truth. A short clip is attached. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube. I think it’s worth your time.
PS. In the clip above, I refer to the mandatory safety checks that all fire-fighting equipment in California is subjected to. These are mechanical safety checks that take place in Sacramento, and obviously, they slowed the speed with which additional first responders – in and out of state – were able to get to the fire. To be clear, I was not referring to smog tests or emission tests. There are reports circulating all over social media that engines were sent back to Oregon because they failed a “smog check.” These claims are false.

I would prefer not to talk about the business of fire prevention in California while the fires were still burning. With so many people in such dire straits, it seemed premature to fan the rhetorical flames before the literal flames were extinguished. However, since the fires show no sign of stopping, and since people everywhere are demanding better answers and explanations from their elected officials, I thought it might be a good idea to invite someone onto the podcast who has been completely consistent in his warnings and recommendations for many years. His name is Edward Ring, and he’s the Director of Water and Energy Policy for The California Policy Center.

I spoke to Edward yesterday from my hotel room in New York, shortly after I got out of Los Angeles. Like me, he’s concerned that California has become a tinderbox – not from global warming, and certainly not from “unprecedented” winds or other unforeseen weather conditions. (In fact, if you want a very comprehensive explanation of what just happened last week, check out this documentary from the Fire Service. It’s called Design for Disaster, and it was filmed shortly after the devastating Bel Air Conflagration, way back in 1962. In it, you will see that rom a meteorological standpoint, there is absolutely nothing “unprecedented” about what just happened. More like “inevitable.”)

Not everyone will appreciate this documentary, or what Edward Ring has to say. For what it’s worth, I believe it to be the truth. A short clip is attached. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube.  I think it’s worth your time.
PS. In the clip above, I refer to the mandatory safety checks that all fire-fighting equipment in California is subjected to. These are mechanical safety checks that take place in Sacramento, and obviously, they slowed the speed with which additional first responders – in and out of state – were able to get to the fire. To be clear, I was not referring to smog tests or emission tests. There are reports circulating all over social media that engines were sent back to Oregon because they failed a “smog check.” These claims are false.


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