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USA. Wildfires in California. They are looking for those responsible. Donald Trump blames the governor

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The last days in California are not only about fighting fire, but also about political struggle. The American right, including Donald Trump and his supporters, is strongly attacking the state and city authorities of Los Angeles, claiming that the huge scale of the disaster is also the result of their incompetence and terrible priorities.

On January 7, Cheryl Koo was returning to her home in Altadena, California, when she noticed flames near an electrical transmission tower in Eaton Canyon. 34 minutes later, the fire had engulfed most of the area. Cheryl and Jeffrey Koo are not the only witnesses to what they believe was the first outbreak of the Eaton Fire, which is still burning through Los Angeles County.

– I saw a flash on the hillside of Eaton Canyon. As I approached, I noticed that the entire high-voltage tower was surrounded by a ring of fire, said Marcus Errico, an Altadena resident.

More citizens are suing Southern California Edison, the energy company responsible for the industrial tower. The company denies that their equipment caused the fire, and local authorities emphasize that they have still not determined the cause of the fire.

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Dramatic effects of fires in CaliforniaJustyna Kazimierczak/Fakty o Świecie TVN24 BiS

The causes of the fires are being searched for

The search for those responsible for one of the most costly natural disasters in the United States continues and is the source of further political squabbles and a wave of disinformation. – We have to deal with this. We are dealing with disinformation and lies. There are people who want to divide this country, said Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, in a conversation with President Joe Biden and his aides.

Democrats, led by the governor of California, have come under fire from Republicans for improper management of water resources in Southern California, which they are accused of, among others, by President-elect Donald Trump.

“Governor Gavin 'scum' Newsom should immediately go to Northern California, open the water mains and let the water flow into the burning state instead of releasing it into the Pacific Ocean,” Trump commented on social media.

However, hydrologists say that when the fires broke out, water levels in reservoirs in Los Angeles were at record highs, although one of them, in Pacific Palisades, was actually closed for maintenance at the time.

Wildfires in California. Services work in Altadena is ongoingPAP/EPA/CAROLINE BREHMAN

The future president blames the governor of California

Donald Trump also blames the governor of California for the lack of water in some hydrants, which hampered the rescue operation. Gavin Newsom confirmed that such problems occurred and announced an independent investigation into the matter, but many experts emphasize that even fully operational hydrants would not make much difference in a fire of this scale.

“Our water systems are not designed to extinguish forest fires or entire mountainside fires, especially a fire of this size,” said Edith de Guzman of the University of California.

Elon Musk criticized a well-known conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones, who claims that the fires are “part of a global conspiracy to cause economic war and deindustrialization of the United States.” In a series of posts, the world's richest man also attacked Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for cutting the fire department budget. This was reduced by over $17 million last year, which was also pointed out by the head of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

– Budget cuts and employment reductions among, for example, mechanics have seriously affected our work. We now have over 100 fire trucks out of service, notes Kristin Crowley, chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Fire tornado in Los Angeles

Fire tornado in Los AngelesCable News Network Inc. All rights reserved 2024

However, the LA Times calculates that the city council recently approved $53 million in raises for firefighters and $58 million for new equipment, so the fire department's operating budget has technically increased.

However, the head of the Los Angeles Fire Department, who is also criticized by Republicans for mismanagement of the department, admitted that even an additional 100 fire engines would not make a significant difference in stopping the wildfires raging in California.

Facts about the World TVN24 BiS

Main photo source: PAP/EPA/ALLISON DINNER



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