To the editor: President Trump’s assertion, throughout his inaugural handle, that Los Angeles confronted the devastating wildfires “with out even a token of protection” did an excellent disservice to the hundreds of firefighters, first responders, administrative personnel, buddies and neighbors who acted heroically to save lots of lives and property and to deliver these fires nearer to containment.
As with every main pure catastrophe, there have been grave errors of foresight and execution. Probably extra will come to gentle. However the actuality is that even essentially the most meticulous planning couldn’t have prevented these wind-whipped infernos, as soon as alight, from doing the majority of their injury.
And whereas any deaths are tragic, the short actions of first responders prevented a far better lack of life. Their work is the best precedence throughout such a disaster.
Leif Wellington Haase, Kensington, Calif.
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To the editor: Trump’s assertion, “We’re watching fires nonetheless tragically burn from weeks in the past with out even a token of protection,” is unequivocally false.
The fires in and round Los Angeles have been fought by hundreds of firefighters from a number of U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. The California Nationwide Guard, California Freeway Patrol, Los Angeles Police Division, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division, Caltrans and Cal Hearth are additionally responding.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in 2020, “Californians have probably the greatest coordinated hearth suppression efforts within the nation, with the State divided into ‘direct safety areas’ the place one company takes the lead in initially attacking fires, drawing on the sources of the others as crucial.”
The U.S. authorities owns 46% of all land in California and is accountable for upkeep and hearth prevention on federal land. The Eaton hearth, Palisades hearth and Hughes hearth are burning on each native and federal land.
Trump possesses the authority to handle these ongoing disasters. As a substitute, he makes use of disasters to make specious criticisms of elected officers for his private political profit. He’s utilizing California hearth victims as political pawns. This should cease.
Victims of the Palisades, Eaton and Hughes fires are entitled to reality, empathy and monetary support from the president and the federal authorities, not petty retribution.
Gail Reznik, Olympia, Wash.
