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Hawaii Governor Says Climate Change 'Amplified' Devastating Fires in Maui
Red State ^ | 08/21/2023 | Bob Hoge

Posted on 08/21/2023 7:57:52 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Hawaii Democrat Governor Josh Green took to “Face the Nation” Sunday to agree with host Margaret Brennan’s assertion that climate change “amplified” Maui’s horrific wildfires. However, there were multiple failures on many fronts by authorities, including warning sirens that didn’t go off, delays of much-needed water because of “equity concerns,” negligence by a power company, and disaster officials who had no experience in emergency management

Green:

GOVERNOR JOSH GREEN: So it's usually tsunamis and hurricanes [that are a danger to Hawaii]. For perspective, we've had six fire emergencies this August. We had six fire emergencies between 1953 and 2003. That's how -- how fast things are changing. I know that there is debate out there whether we should be talking about climate change or not.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

GOVERNOR JOSH GREEN: Well, let's be real world. Climate change is here. We are in the midst of it with a hotter planet and fiercer storms.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right.

Later in the interview, Brennan asked him, “So just to be clear, when you're talking about global warming, are you saying that climate change amplified the cost of human error?” “Yes, it did,” he answered.

"Are you saying that climate change amplified the cost of human error [with the Maui wildfires response]?"

Hawaii Democrat Gov. Josh Green: "Yes" pic.twitter.com/qpcbbySijr— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 20, 2023

However, as RedState’s Nick Arama reported, it may have been flames from a downed power line that caused the devasting blaze. Our sister site Townhall meanwhile points out that power company Hawaiian Electric failed to take adequate care of their infrastructure despite known problems:

Video recorded from Aug. 8 appears to show a power line in Lahaina emitting sparks, which ignites dry grass, hours before the fire wreaked havoc on the city. That’s put intense focus on Hawaiian Electric, which knew since at least 2019 that more needed to be done to strengthen its equipment to prevent such a disaster. But according to the Wall Street Journal, not much happened in the years afterward, with only $245,000 spent on wildfire prevention projects. Instead, the company was focused on renewable energy.

Author Michael Shellenberger wasn’t buying the climate change argument:

The media say climate change caused Hawaii's devastating fire, but it didn't. The main causes were the under-investment in fire prevention and the refusal by the state to release water to firefighters. And those decisions were driven by unhinged climatism and Wokeism. pic.twitter.com/6S496YWunt— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) August 17, 2023

In another post, he wrote:

What’s more, it’s been human-made changes to the landscape, including the reversion of former sugar cane farms, which had been irrigated, to invasive grasses, which are quick to ignite. “The landscape is just covered with flammable stuff,” one expert told the [New York] Times. “All of the conditions just came together.” Analysts found that drops to power line voltage, which means that the lines were likely spraying sparks onto dry grasses. “It is unambiguous that Hawaiian Electric’s grid experienced immense stress for a prolonged time,” said one analyst. “There were dozens and dozens of major faults on the grid and any one of those could have been the ignition source for a fire.”

Authorities botched the response to this disaster in so many ways – the official who delayed the water has already been reassigned and the head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency abruptly resigned last week—so it’s awfully convenient to blame it on climate change with scant evidence.



TOPICS: Science; Society; Weather
KEYWORDS: climatechange; hawaii; incompetence; magicalthinking; maui; wildfire; wokepolitics
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1 posted on 08/21/2023 7:57:52 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Libtardism amplified the stupidity


2 posted on 08/21/2023 7:59:31 PM PDT by NWFree (Sigma male 🤪)
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To: SeekAndFind

Climate Change amplified the fires?

Wow. Did Climate Change also order the water to be turned off also?

That Climate Change is devious. Yes it is.


3 posted on 08/21/2023 8:01:48 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd (A truth that’s told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent ~ Wm. Blake)
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To: SeekAndFind

No Josh, one party rule, failed Democrat functionaries were responsible for killing hundreds of people. But, as a reward, your Zombie voters will re-elect you!


4 posted on 08/21/2023 8:01:58 PM PDT by alstewartfan ("She looks like she's 19 years old, sitting there like a lady with her legs crossed." Creepy Joe)
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To: SeekAndFind

How about climate change political activists exacerbated the Maui fires.


5 posted on 08/21/2023 8:02:33 PM PDT by where's_the_Outrage? (Drain the Swamp. Build the Wall.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Climate change! A deliberately meaningless term.


6 posted on 08/21/2023 8:02:43 PM PDT by Lou Foxwell (It takes a uniquely Marxist mind to deny Trump's call to patriotism.)
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To: NWFree

Hot wires fell on dry grass that should have been cleared... How is that ‘climate change’?


7 posted on 08/21/2023 8:03:43 PM PDT by GOPJ (Hunter Biden’s pet name for his father on his cellphone. It was “Pedo Peter”. Jim Hoft )
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To: NWFree

Their hack Senator said so too. It feels to me like they are laying the ground irk for Biden’s Climate Emergency declaration and it’s going to be hell.


8 posted on 08/21/2023 8:05:05 PM PDT by gibsonguy ( )
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To: GOPJ

The wealthy next door….Did they. Put up fencing?


9 posted on 08/21/2023 8:10:22 PM PDT by combat_boots
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To: SeekAndFind

Democrats always look to blame anyone but themselves for failure and incompetence. In the middle of the fire burning the downtown area, the mayor was telling people the fire was contained.


10 posted on 08/21/2023 8:10:43 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> --- )
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To: GOPJ

When I look down a line of big power lines in my state everything is cut back so far you could drive a few tanks up the path.


11 posted on 08/21/2023 8:12:23 PM PDT by NWFree (Sigma male 🤪)
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To: SeekAndFind

So predictable.


12 posted on 08/21/2023 8:15:47 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: SeekAndFind

There is no amount of water that could have saved Lahaina. A very high fuel load (uncleared brush), very high winds driving the fire, and a high density historic town with many wooden buildings in excess of a century old. Once the fire started, it was destined to burn to the sea.


13 posted on 08/21/2023 8:18:52 PM PDT by rottndog (What comes after America?)
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To: rottndog

Climate change gave me the crabs.


14 posted on 08/21/2023 8:25:10 PM PDT by crusty old prospector
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To: SeekAndFind

🐂💩


15 posted on 08/21/2023 8:37:13 PM PDT by vpintheak (There is no Trans. There is only mentally ill)
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To: SeekAndFind

No doubt about it, Hawaii needs a new Governor, dump this Libturd fidiot!


16 posted on 08/21/2023 9:14:48 PM PDT by drypowder
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To: SeekAndFind

If you want to call DEWs climate change. 😏


17 posted on 08/21/2023 9:15:26 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: SeekAndFind

The governor is retarded.


18 posted on 08/21/2023 9:24:08 PM PDT by july4thfreedomfoundation (Disband and Defund the putrid FBI. America does not need an out of control Gestapo)
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To: SeekAndFind

Climate change makes democrats stupid.


19 posted on 08/21/2023 10:39:00 PM PDT by George J. Jetso
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To: SeekAndFind

Climate Change is the scapegoat for Leftnick incompetence.


20 posted on 08/21/2023 10:48:20 PM PDT by jonrick46 (Leftniks chase illusions of motherships at the end of the pier.)
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