Los Angeles fires fan the flames of Trump’s political opportunism

Come bushfire season in Australia, our politicians know a united front helps balm the nation when tragedy strikes. But in the America of Donald Trump, even as out-of-control wildfires incinerate large parts of Los Angeles, a voice from the other side of the continent shouts blame and division.

Video captured of the Pacific Palisades in LA.Credit: @jonvigliotti

Less than two weeks from taking office, the president-elect has named President Joe Biden and Governor Gavin Newsom as culprits responsible for wildfires which have killed at least five people, destroyed more than 1000 buildings, caused mass evacuations and left hundreds of thousands of people without power.

Trump attacked Newsom on his social media platform, Truth Social, over a presidential memorandum he signed in early 2020 that sought to divert water from northern California to farmland in the centre and south of the state. Then he turned on the President: “NO WATER IN THE FIRE HYDRANTS, NO MONEY IN FEMA. THIS IS WHAT JOE BIDEN IS LEAVING ME. THANKS JOE!”

Newsom’s staff accused Trump of “playing politics” and said his remark about diverting water was “pure fiction”.

Temperatures are high on all sides, such is the rarity of wildfire season in California in winter. But as the Herald’s Caitlin Fitzsimmons and Nick O’Malley explained, in what should have been the city’s rainy season, a lethal combination of drought and powerful Santa Ana winds off the desert and through the mountains has borne down on Los Angeles with 160km/h ferocity. They’ve also fanned the flames of political opportunism.

Even before Trump, there had been broad criticism of authorities. Cancellation of plans for two tunnels to funnel water from the north to the south earlier this year brought renewed anger; Elon Musk admirer Wes Nichol, a Pacific Palisades resident for 26 years, took to X: “I’m mad at what I saw. Our politicians have failed us. Unprepared, unimaginative, understaffed, now overwhelmed. Heads must roll for this disaster.”

Some politicians have hardly helped. Like former prime minister Scott Morrison not holding a hose in Hawaii as bushfire swept the east coast in 2019, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was part of a four-member presidential delegation attending the presidential inauguration of John Dramani Mahama in Ghana as her city started burning. She has since returned.

Trump’s attack plays into a deep vein of Republican dislike for the state of California, the richest economy in the US. The state has a reputation for liberalism and a history of strong support for Democrats, much of which is funded by Hollywood’s biggest players, many of whom campaigned for Kamala Harris’ unsuccessful White House bid.

This human tragedy will become very political as Trump prepares to take office, and is certain to grow even uglier, such is the loathing for California by Trump forces.

Credit: Matt Golding

But despite Trump’s petty blame game, there will be lessons in this on the more serious issue of dealing with the consequence of climate change in locales vulnerable to fire.

Both our nations have a shared experience and Australia’s long history with bushfires can undoubtedly help California deal with their wildfires.

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