Hell of Los Angeles; Who is responsible for the billions of deaths and damages caused by the uncontrollable fire?
Mehr News Agency, International Group, Hassan Shokohi Nesab: City Less Angeles in the state of California has been burning in an uncontrollable fire for several days in the middle of the cold and at the same time as the beginning of the winter season, and it has left thousands of people homeless and many damages. While announcing the death of at least 11 people during this terrible fire, the American media are reporting the possibility of an increase in the death toll.
So far, efforts to contain five fires from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena have been unsuccessful. It is even expected that this fire, which is claimed to be caused by the connection of electric wires in strong winds, will continue in the coming days. At the same time, “ABC News” announced the government’s order to more than 180,000 residents of the region to leave their homes and added: 400 firefighters are present to put out the fire in the sensitive areas of the region.
Extent of fires and increasing damages
In relation to the amount of damages and cost estimates, it is also necessary to remember that the current fires cover more than 200 thousand hectares of forests, residential areas, and urban infrastructure. they took The destruction of hundreds of houses and the homeless of thousands of people are only part of the damages of this disaster.
According to the initial forecasts of Equiweather company, the damages caused by these fires are between 135 and 150 billion Dollars are estimated. These fires have involved areas where some of the most expensive properties in America are located.
Insurance industry has also faced a heavy blow. Analysts from companies such as Morningstar and JPMorgan predict that insured property losses from these fires will exceed It will be from 8 billion dollars. So far, more than 5,300 structures have been destroyed in the Palisades fire and more than 5,000 structures in the Eaton fire. .
Jonathan Porter, Chief Meteorologist This inferno, fueled by wind and spreading rapidly, has created one of the costliest fire disasters in modern American history, said Ecoweather.
According to the report of the insurance company AON, the 2018 fire in Northern California near the city Paradise occurred, with insured losses estimated at $12.5 billion, it remains the costliest fire incident in American history. That fire, which is known as “Camp Fire“, led to the death of 85 people and the displacement of more than 50,000 people.
In addition, some experts have pointed to indirect costs, such as a decrease in property values, psychological and social effects on residents, and increased insurance costs. The critical media consider these figures as a sign of the depth of the crisis and the inefficiency of the government in preventing and managing fires, and have called for more attention to climate change and rebuilding the infrastructure to deal with the crisis.
A natural disaster or managerial inefficiency? / Investigating the causes of the incident
The current fires in Los Angeles, which is one of the most severe natural disasters in recent years in the state of California, have caused irreparable damages. These fires, which spread at an unprecedented speed, not only destroy natural resources, but also reveal serious weaknesses in crisis management and environmental policies of the American government.
Mismanagement of natural resources and escalation of crisis
One of the main factors in the spread of fires is mismanagement of natural resources and forests. The US government has reduced the budget for forest management in recent years. This budget reduction has led to the accumulation of flammable materials such as dry branches and leaves in the forests.
Furthermore, the lack of use of modern technologies and the lack of expert staff to monitor the state of forests made this crisis not recognized and controlled in the early stages. Such weaknesses, along with climate change, have led to an increase in the intensity and extent of fires.
Inefficient infrastructure and delayed government response
Another major problem in this disaster is the inefficient infrastructure to deal with the crisis. The lack of fire fighting equipment, lack of access to sufficient water resources and limited manpower were among the factors that make it difficult to control the fire.
Furthermore, the delay in the state and federal government’s response to the crisis caused the scope of damages to increase. While early warnings were given about the fires, the government was slow to send aid and essential equipment. This delay not only increased the financial costs, but also endangered the lives of thousands of people.
Climate changes; The neglected factor in policies
Climatic changes as one of the main factors increasing the intensity and number of fires in California are still ignored in the policies of the American government. Rising temperatures, decreasing rainfall, and frequent droughts have created ideal conditions for wildfires to occur.
Despite this scientific evidence, instead of adopting sustainable policies to reduce the effects of climate change, the US government continues to support polluting industries and reduce environmental budgets. This approach not only exacerbates natural crises, but also creates a more dangerous future for people and the environment.
The impact of the current crisis on the Trump administration on the eve of inauguration
President-elect Donald Trump, who will re-enter the White House in a few days (January 20 / 1 Bahman) after the inauguration ceremony, after the occurrence of this crisis , “Gavin Newsom” blamed the governor of California for the forest fires across his state.
Trump in a post on the social network “Truth” about the refusal of the governor of California to sign ” He criticized the declaration of water restoration; A proclamation that allowed millions of gallons of water to flow into parts of California every day. Trump emphasized that this effort has been useful for areas currently affected by “almost apocalyptic” fires.
Regarding the impact of the crisis on Trump and his administration, it is necessary to remember that the widespread fires in Los Angeles and its ineffective management will have negative effects on the Trump administration. The crisis once again highlighted the weaknesses of his government’s environmental policies, especially the denial of climate change and the reduction of funds related to natural resource management.
During his presidency, Trump had repeatedly downplayed climate change and prioritized supporting polluting industries; In the international arena, he withdrew America from the Paris Climate Agreement. His approach at that time was accompanied by widespread criticism from experts, media and even some local officials in California. During the previous fires, Trump had created a wave of discontent with statements such as blaming forest management instead of providing practical solutions.
This crisis, in addition to negatively affecting the government’s popularity, increased political pressure to reform climate policies and review crisis management budgets. Critics accused his government of neglecting infrastructure to deal with the crisis and prioritizing short-term economic benefits.
To sum up, the content of civil strife in America and the factors discussed in this article as the root of the current fires, clearly show that the terrible fire in Los Angeles is only one The crisis is not natural, but it is the result of structural and managerial weaknesses that, without their correction, the occurrence of similar disasters in the future will be inevitable.
