So far, throughout 2019, in California alone there has been 6,402 fires. There are three active fires, as of Nov. 3, with two in Southern California and one in Northern California. The northern fire is the Ranch fire, burning through an estimated 2,534 acres of land in the Tehama County, causing four civilian injuries and zero deaths. The bigger of the two Southern fires is the Taboose fire in Inyo County, started by a lightning strike on Sept. 4 and clearing an estimated 16 square miles, approximately 6 and a half football fields. The smallest of the three active fires is the Hillside fire, which charred only 200 acres, but managed to destroy six homes and render 18 inhospitable.
The 2019 fire season is expected to worsen as the year comes to a close because of the Diablo winds. The Diablo winds come from the west and effect the Bay Area, being especially traumatic during the fall season, when vegetation and plant life are at their driest point. All of the 2019 fire damage adds up to 250,349 acres, and even though this is not as bad as the 2018 fire season, with 1,893,913 acres burned in total, fire is in most cases a problem.
Amidst this fiasco, President Trump has proclaimed in a series of tweets that it is the fault of Governor Gavin Newsom.
“The Governor of California, @GavinNewsom, has done a terrible job of forest management…” Tweeted Trump. “Every year, as the fire’s rage & California burns, it is the same thing-and then he comes to the Federal Government for $$$ help. No more. Get your act together Governor.”
This has caused many to believe that Trump plans to cut funding to California in its time of need, however this should be taken with a grain of salt because Trump made the exact same remarks last Nov. and did absolutely nothing.
The estimated damage cost for the current fire damage is $163 million and rising, but there’s plenty of institutions willing to help out that are actively seeking donations. The United Way of the Wine Country set up a fire relief program and Sonoma’s Community foundation resilience fund help pay for a wide array of assistance. Airbnb is offering temporary, free housing for Kincade fire evacuees through November 7 as part of their Open Homes program that assists victims of disasters.
