By Tiberiu Dianu
Since January 7, 2025, a series of 30 wildfires have affected the Los Angeles metropolitan area, resulting in approximately 30 deaths, 200,000 evacuations, and over 12,000 homes destroyed.
The Pacific Palisades and Altadena fires are considered among the most destructive in California history.
Although high winds and fire danger had been forecast since January 2, the state and local administration (all Democratic) were taken by surprise. Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and Fire Chief Kristin Crowley have been accused of incompetence and politicking.
In addition to the natural causes of the disaster, human factors have also been cited, such as: possible criminal arsonists, budget cuts for emergency response forces, empty water tanks, and political correctness in hiring emergency personnel.
All of these contributed to a disaster that made the Los Angeles metropolitan area look like Berlin or Hiroshima in 1945.
It will come as no surprise that California will become a Republican state in the upcoming elections.
NOTE: This article was published in MEDIUM, at https://tdianu.medium.com/, and the author retains the intellectual property rights over the English versions and the related translations into other languages.
(Washington, DC – January 16, 2025)
Tiberiu Dianu has published several books and a host of articles in law, politics, and post-communist societies. He currently lives and works in Washington, DC, and can be followed on MEDIUM. https://medium.com/@tdianu