For decades, California’s leadership has chosen environmental ideology over practical forest management. The Golden State’s maze of regulations and restrictions has turned its majestic forests into tinderboxes waiting for a spark.

Year after year, experts warned about the dangers of allowing dead trees to accumulate. They cautioned against restricting proper forest maintenance. Those warnings, especially from practical-minded leaders, fell on deaf ears in Sacramento.

Now, as the smoke rises over Los Angeles County and emergency crews work tirelessly to contain multiple infernos, President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to survey a disaster scene that has claimed at least 26 lives and reduced over 12,000 buildings to ash across 40,000 acres of scorched earth.

The destruction rivals California’s devastating 2018 Camp Fire, which caused $16.5 billion in damages.

From The Post Millennial:
President-elect Donald Trump is planning to hit the ground running as soon as he’s inaugurated on Monday and shortly thereafter he’ll be traveling to California to survey the wildfire damage. At least 26 have been confirmed dead as winds continue to fuel the fires that have burned over 40,000 acres and reduced to ashes over 12,000 buildings.

A Crisis Years in the Making

The devastating fires raging across Southern California have exposed critical failures in the state’s emergency response system. Fire crews arrived at scenes only to find empty hydrants. Meanwhile, environmental regulations continue routing over 3 million gallons of water daily into the Pacific Ocean – all to protect a tiny fish species.

Governor Gavin Newsom, who long defended these environmental policies, made a stunning admission on January 13th. Speaking on Pod Save America, he conceded, “We’ve got to change some of our environmental rules, which we’ve been proactive about. That’s again what Donald Trump was speaking to specifically.”

This admission comes far too late for the thousands of Californians who have lost their homes and loved ones in what’s becoming one of the state’s deadliest fire seasons since records began.

The Prophet of Common Sense

Back in November 2018, following the devastating Camp Fire, then-President Trump directly told Newsom that California needed to manage its forests and water resources better. “You gotta take care of the floors,” Trump insisted, referring to proper forest maintenance.

Just two months ago, during a Joe Rogan interview, Trump specifically warned about the water management crisis. He explained how millions of gallons get diverted from natural flows into the Pacific Ocean, leaving forests “dry as a bone.”

These weren’t just political talking points. They were practical solutions from someone with decades of development and management experience.

A Tale of Two Leaders

The leadership contrast couldn’t be starker. On January 8th, President Biden briefly visited Los Angeles. He quickly departed without making any public appearances when the crisis intensified.

Trump, in characteristic fashion, is planning to hit the ground running immediately after his January 20th inauguration. “They’re going to find many bodies,” Trump grimly predicted in a January 12th interview, highlighting the expertise of cadaver dogs in the grim task ahead. “I believe it’s greater damage than if they got hit by a nuclear weapon.”

Rebuilding From the Ashes

Looking forward, Trump is already putting his developer expertise to work, planning the region’s recovery.

“We’re gonna do things with Los Angeles. I’m already putting my developer cap on,” he stated on January 13th, demonstrating his characteristic action-oriented approach to crisis management.

The incoming president’s hands-on strategy stands in sharp contrast to the bureaucratic tangles that helped create this disaster in the first place.

Key Takeaways:

• Trump plans to visit California soon after inauguration.
• Trump’s warnings about forest management in California went ignored for years.
• Deadly Toll Rising: 26 confirmed dead with more casualties expected as search continues

Sources: The Post Millennial, New York Post