“Left politics” are blamed for the fires in California

Months without rain and strong winds have created perfect conditions for the deadly fires in California. But a different narrative is spreading in social media: that “left-wing politics” is behind the scale of the disaster.
– In this situation, one would demand a leader who helps, supports and feels empathy for the hundreds of thousands of people who are in need, says Rolf Porseryd, TV4 Nyhetern’s foreign commentator.

Donald Trump is criticizing California Governor Gavin Newsom, accusing him of prioritizing the protection of an endangered fish species over the needs of people. Elon Musk, for his part, criticizes Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley for prioritizing diversity and equality work over rescue efforts.

Rolf Porseryd sees this as yet another example of the increasing polarization in the US.

– Elon Musk accuses the fire chief of ignoring the fires in favor of gender equality work. It is against his political stance, but to do so in an emergency situation like this is presumptuous, he says.

Trump has also used the situation to once again criticize California politics.

– We know that Trump loves to hate California, and much of what the government there stands for goes completely against his political agenda, notes Porseryd.

The role of climate change

Despite the criticism, Porseryd does not believe that it will have a greater impact.

– People primarily see this as a tragedy caused by drought and fires, something that the state struggles with every year, he says.

He points out that the reasonable thing now is to focus on managing the disaster and saving lives before delving into political discussions.

– It’s apocalyptic in Los Angeles right now. Once the fires are under control, you can review what went right or wrong, but right now the focus should be on putting out the fire and helping those affected.

Scientists are linking the intensity and spread of wildfires in the western United States to climate change – a link often denied in the polarized discussions on social media.