L.A. Fires Show Limits of America’s Efforts to Cope With Climate Change

The New York Times ^ | Jan. 10, 2025Updated 3:44 p.m. ET | Christopher Flavelle

[E. Pluribus Unum]

California has focused on fortifying communities against wildfires. But with growing threats, that may not be enough.

This week’s fires around Los Angeles present a puzzle: Why is California, the state best equipped to deal with wildfires, seemingly unable to prevent blazes from consuming entire chunks of the country’s second-largest city?

California’s building code for wildfires is among the most protective in the nation. Its local fire departments are backed up by CalFire, the state fire agency, which has a $4 billion budget and some of the best trained firefighters in the world. The state’s huge tax base generates effectively unlimited resources for wildfire protection. And California has mandatory statewide requirements that homeowners in risky areas create “defensible space” around their property — rules that other Western states would like to apply but can’t because it would anger conservative voters.

Yet the events of this week demonstrate the limits of those efforts, raising uncomfortable questions about whether any part of the United States — even the wealthiest, best prepared and most experienced — can truly adapt to wildfires made worse by a hotter climate.

“Climate change, and climate events, are causing us to butt up against that limit,” said Joshua Saks, the adaptation program director for Georgetown Climate Center at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington. “The risk will always grow, and at some point outpace what you’ve done.”

Part of the extensive damage from the fires in Los Angeles may reflect errors in planning or execution. Fire hydrants designed to fight house fires ran dry, as water reserves faced greater demand than officials anticipated. It’s not clear that residents had sufficient warning or that evacuation routes were well planned. The second-guessing and questions about accountability have already begun even as the fires...

[blackdog]

Santa Anna Winds, over-development, Thirsty Smelt, Empty Reservoirs, and Venezuelan thugs with gas cans, is not climate change.

[Wuli]

Correct title: “L.A. Fires Show Limits of America’s Efforts to Cope With Leftist Woke Governments”.

The winds - the Santa Annas - occur every year. The land conditions - wet winter, enabling growth of vegetation, followed by very dry spring and summer was known. The missing elements were under the control of governments, which failed by squandering resources - for water and public safety were undervalued in deferencer to woke policies given greater priority. Climate change caused none of the known failures of California’s governments. Their Leftist woke policies did.

[PGalt]

Great, truthful comments in response to Christopher Flavelle (idiot and/or propagandist).

[Billthedrill]

God I hate the New York Times.

[faucetman]

NYT, Just STFU already! WE DON’T BELIEVE YOU! (about ANYTHING)

[Trump Girl Kit Cat]

NEVER, EVER give up the con these winds are a very regular occurrence in southern CA. for DECADES I have had days here that the winds were so bad it was hard to open my car door to get out of the car!! Climate change BS!!!

[aquila48]

More like America reliance on stupid.

[TigerClaws]

This is why when people say, “Leftists will learn from this and wake up...”

NO.

They’re stuck on stupid. It’s a religion for them. They won’t walk away and the NPC followers will still vote Democrat regardless of what hell they live in. Look at Detroit, Chicago, etc. etc.

[rktman]

😂😂😂😂😂. Oh, okay nyt. Fookin’ idjits.

[packagingguy]

I see your hair is burning
Hills are filled with fire
If they say I never loved you
You know they are a liar

The Doors, LA Woman, 1971

Now they want us to believe that they couldn’t possibly have known this could happen.

[hoagy62]

Oh! The ONLY way to stop ‘climate change’ is by (first) giving us ALL your money, then (second), if you’re a white American male, kill yourself. ‘Climate change’ will automatically be solved!
/ward

[RedElement]

All this nonsense about fortifying communities and fireproofing homes. Look at the results.

The most basic prevention - firelanes and clearing out combustible brush (planned burns, clearing) have been off limits for generations. End of the day, they really weren’t serious about prevention. Graft, payola, now that is another story.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

End of the day, they really weren’t serious about prevention were serious about burning the city to the ground.

[dp0622]

I’m freaking FREEZING in NYC...where algore said we would never see snow again...I think he said that like 20 years ago now..or more.

[Organic Panic]

And just like that all democrats and bureaucrats are absolved of any responsibility. It is all the evil orangeman and oil companies. Prepare for massive lawsuits against oil companies.

[Bobbyvotes]

This is the reason North American continent was occupied last by civilizations. Too many natural calamities. Hurricanes, earth quakes, sudden appearance of funnel twisters, forest fires, we have it all.

[Gene Eric]

Because in LA, it’s hotter in the dead of winter than it is during the peak of summer.

[Savage Beast]

Shows what happens when you waste your resources fighting delusions instead of dealing with reality.

[Henchster]

"And California has mandatory statewide requirements that homeowners in risky areas create “defensible space” around their property — rules that other Western states would like to apply >b>but can’t because it would anger conservative voters."

Chris, you ignorant slut. It is the LGBTQWERTY LIBERALS that stopped the brush clearing that made this fire so bad. President Trump warned Newscum about it - FOUR YEARS AGO!

[LizzieD]

“L.A. Fires Show Limits of America’s Efforts to Cope With DEI and incompetent Democrats”