They thought they were prepared. Thousands of firefighters and their fire equipment were at the ready.
But when, on January 7, the hot dry Santa Ana winds came barrelling down the slopes of the San Gabriel mountains with gusts up to 70 to 90 mph, the wind fanned the embers of a past fire they thought they’d put out on Jan. 1, and carried the embers so quickly to the houses down below in Pacific Palisades that nothing they could have done could have stopped it.
That combination of intense hot dry wind carrying flying embers, causing wooden houses with flammable roofs to ignite and in turn produce thousands more embers, a self-reinforcing process that created an explosive firestorm, totally overwhelming the fire crews and the civic water supply.
Added to this, two other large fires going on at the same time in Los Angeles, and it is apparent why up to 10,000 structures went up in smoke and 100,000 people were displaced in a matter of days.
This was the most expensive disaster in U.S. history, and it happened just over a week ago from the time I wrote this.
And the fallout has already begun. Not the toxic ash and pollution from the fire, but the human fallout.
While it was heartening to see the people of LA come together and donate food, supplies and shelter to all the displaced Angelinos, there was a much darker response on the internet echoing from then President-elect Donald Trump and his many followers, basically second-guessing the California government, the LA fire departments, and the mayor of LA., saying California was a “failed state.”
“The Governor and Mayor should be recalled.”
“Gavin and the city officials have a lot to atone for.”
“California, you reap what you sow.”
"Idiots ruined that state.”
"Everything woke goes up in smoke.”
I’ll spare you the many conspiracy theories that circulated, starting with Trump’s own deranged example.
In Canada, we have had our recent fire disasters such as Lytton and Fort McMurray, but we were largely spared the internet rage and blame fest that goes for normal discourse in the “United” States.
Instead, here in the north, the critiques and second-guessing were far outweighed by expressions of support and empathy for the survivors.
Even before Trump became President the second time it has become obvious that he is intent on ramping up the political polarization that already taken a foothold south of the border.
Apparently, some people just like to watch the world burn.
Like the Santa Ana winds, Trump and his nihilist MAGA movement are fanning the glowing embers of hatred and discord. Tragically, this time around, Trump may just burn the "American Experiment" down to the ground.
