Firefighters fired back at President Donald Trump after the leader blamed poor forest management for the wildfires raging across California that have so far killed 31 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
Trump tweeted Saturday that “there is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly fires in California.”
The president went on to write “billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!” It was unclear what specific federal payments the president was referring to.
But, his comments did not come without criticism, even from firefighters.
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In a statement, the International Association of Fire Fighters said his comments are “irresponsible, reckless and insulting.”
“The early moments of fires such as these are a critical time, when lives are lost, entire communities are wiped off the map and our members are injured or killed trying to stop these monstrous wildfires,” said Harold Schaitberger, general president of the International Association of Fire Fighters. “To minimize the crucial, life-saving work being done and to make crass suggestions such as cutting off funding during a time of crisis shows a troubling lack of real comprehension about the disaster at hand and the dangerous job our fire fighters do.
“His comments are reckless and insulting to the fire fighters and people being affected.”
Brian Rice, the president of the California Professional Firefighters, also responded to the “attack” at the Golden State, calling Trump’s comments “ill-informed.”
“At a time when our every effort should be focused on vanquishing the destructive fires and helping the victims, the president has chosen instead to issue an uninformed political threat aimed squarely at the innocent victims of these cataclysmic fires,” Rice said in a statement.
Rice further pointed out that “California’s forest management policies are to blame for catastrophic wildfire is dangerously wrong. Wildfires are sparked and spread not only in forested areas but in populated areas and open fields fueled by parched vegetation, high winds, low humidity and geography. Moreover, nearly 60 percent of California forests are under federal management, and another one-third under private control.”
Trump’s comments come as two deadly wildfires, among other blazes, swept on both ends of California, forcing the evacuation of more than 200,000 residents. Fire officials said they expect dangerous conditions for several more days as warm, dry and windy weather continue.
Photo: President Donald Trump answers questions after giving remarks a day after the midterm elections on November 7, 2018 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
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