Policy Summary
A devastating fire has been roaring through California, and the death toll has reached at least 77 people, while 1,000 are still missing. wildfires, California, Camp Fire, climate change, Trump, PG&E The fire, called, the Camp Fire, is the deadliest fire in state history, and has burned hundreds of thousands of acres of land in Northern California. Simultaneously, in Southern California, the Woolsey Fire has already burned nearly a hundred thousand acres of land, and as of last week had burned 400 structures alone. President Trump criticized the Fire Management Department, citing them to blame for the wildfires both on Twitter and on Fox News. Public officials and civilians expressed upset over this.
Analysis
PG&E is currently suspected of foul play in the role of the wildfire, and a woman living in Pulga, California, the site where the fire began, says that the utility giant only got in touch with her the day before the fires started to rage. The Camp fire has not only impacted the community to the point of being unrecognizable, with an entire town of Paradise, California burned to the ground, but has also transformed California temporarily. As of now, California’s air quality has climbed to new heights as the worst in the world, with school cancelled all over the Bay Area due to unsafe air quality, and many being asked to stay home from work. The hazards facing health are manifold, and many suspect that the worst is yet to come for California’s wildfires.
Resistance Resources
- California Community Wildfire Relief Fund: Helps provide resources for immediate and long term wildfire recovery.
- California Fire Foundation: Supplies assistance and aid to victims of wildfires.
This Brief was developed by U.S. RESIST NEWS Analyst Zoe Stricker. Contact: zoe@usresistnews.org
Photo by Joanne Francis