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Unveiling the Truth: 5 California Wildfires Myths Debunked

Devastating wildfires in southern California are continuing to spread amid dry and windy conditions. At least 24 people are believed to be dead as of Tuesday morning, thousands of structures have been destroyed or damaged, and tens of thousands of acres have been scorched. As firefighters battle the flames, misinformation about California’s response to the fires is spreading with the same speed as the fires themselves.

President-elect Donald Trump has blamed the state’s water policies for fire hydrants running dry – claims the facts do not support – and has criticized the leadership of Gov. Gavin Newsom and President Joe Biden. Other critics have claimed, without evidence, that the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives rather than on strengthening fire departments’ ability to fight wildfires.

Here are five claims that have arisen surrounding the wildfires, and what the data actually shows:

Claim: Gov. Newsom’s policies to blame for lack of water for hydrants

This claim is false and is missing context. President-elect Donald Trump claimed there is “no water for the hydrants” and blamed Newsom’s policies as the reason some hydrants failed. However, experts say it’s more complicated than that. Jay Lund, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Davis, explained that there are many reasons why fire hydrants run dry. He stated that the hydrants are connected to a water distribution network of pipes that run beneath the cities and are fed by local distribution water reservoirs. The local reservoirs, in turn, are fed by larger regional reservoirs, which are close to full capacity.

Claim: Newsom didn’t sign a ‘water restoration declaration’

This claim is false. Trump claimed that Newsom did not sign a “water restoration declaration” that would have allegedly allowed millions of gallons of water to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas currently burning. Newsom’s press office dismissed this claim as false and stated that the document doesn’t exist. California water policy experts also confirmed that they’ve never heard of such a declaration.

Claim: There’s ‘no money’ in FEMA

Trump claimed that President Biden is leaving office with “no money in FEMA.” However, Congress passed a bill in December providing an additional $100 billion for disaster aid, including $29 billion for FEMA’s disaster relief fund. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell was in Los Angeles to meet with local officials and survey the damage, and FEMA released a guide to assistance for those impacted by the fires.

Claim: DEI and wildfire response

Claims that the LAFD focused on DEI initiatives instead of firefighting have been debunked by racial equity experts. There is no evidence to support the idea that attention to DEI initiatives affected firefighters’ ability to fight the fires. In an interview, LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley explained how budget cuts impacted their ability to provide service in fighting the fires.

Claim: Protecting smelt fish limited available water to fight fires

Claims that protections for the delta smelt fish have impacted firefighting efforts have been refuted by experts. The limits on water pumping to protect the delta smelt have not significantly affected the water supply needed to fight the fires.

In conclusion, while misinformation and myths continue to circulate about the California wildfires, a closer look at the facts reveals a different story. It is essential to rely on accurate information and expert analysis to understand the complexities of firefighting efforts and resource management during these challenging times.