The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power aggressively touts sustainability, solar, EVs, hydrogen, and its pursuit of “100% clean power.” Did it ignore wildfire risk?
"Los Angeles, the state of California, and its top leaders are now engulfed in a crisis that should — repeat, should — result in a major political reckoning. As one lifelong Californian told me on Friday afternoon, the fires have exposed the rank incompetence of the state’s leadership, the corruption of its institutions, and the foolishness of its energy and climate policies.” I’m afraid the good people of CA are just too stupid to learn. Dollars to donuts the next elections will see Liberals come out on top again.
The $17.5 million cut to the budget sounds like a big number but it’s only 2% of the $850 million. I would hope a proper root cause analysis is conducted, with concrete actionable recommendations…that may be too much to ask for.
I don’t want to see one penny of federal money go to help them. As long as we keep bailing them out, they will continue with stupid. It must cost them or nothing will change.
These fires are only the latest tragic example of what happens when people put naive, childish, elementary school like inanities ahead of actually doing the job they’re paid to do. All of these people, from the Governor, Mayor, and heads of the Fire and Water Departments should be impeached/fired and then prosecuted. What a terrible pathetic joke they all are.
The world would be a much better place if there were more people like you Robert who spoke truth to power. Thank you for getting this out so quickly after this horrible event.
Long ago Californians determined the rights of snail darters and dead trees were of paramount importance. They need to Make the Canyons Green Again with a year-round irrigation program. Solar powered drip systems could work or battery (fuel cell?) powered water helicopters also should be considered. The Union of Concerned Scientists will make short work of the cost benefit study. Move now to Avoid the Worst Effects of Climate Change.
Were these canyons ever green? We are at the tail end of a glacial cold spell. It’s only going to get warmer and it has nothing to do with hydrocarbons. The climate is going to change and there is nothing we can do about it. The old saying “You can’t fool Mother Nature” is appropriate. Stop building in a chaparral desert.
Ever consider it is part of a plan? No water, reservoir drained in high risk time, mayor long association with Marxist organization with annual trips to Cuba over 30 years, wildly incompetent management with DEI bonafides, huge budget cuts at state and local levels, fire fighters crippled and reduced by vax mandate, no vegetation cutting by state or PG&E, PG&E found it cheaper to pay fines than cut, the water commissioner left PG&E and got double the salary of her predecessor, state refused to allow insurance rates increase despite higher risk so policies cancelled, valuable land, desire for 15 minute cities, multiple sources of arson at almost simultaneous intervals all just bad management or at some level does one look more.
By the way, an AI company called Deep Seek was conducting an analysis of fire prone areas and risks in California. Deep Seek is Chinese owned and controlled by the CCP according to other AI developers.
Most utilities are required to develop and maintain a plan to deal with catastrophic events, such as wildfires and Santa Ana conditions. It is not clear whether LADWP has such a plan. I haven’t seen it mentioned in the voluminous comments on the current catastrophe.
"Los Angeles, the state of California, and its top leaders are now engulfed in a crisis that should — repeat, should — result in a major political reckoning. As one lifelong Californian told me on Friday afternoon, the fires have exposed the rank incompetence of the state’s leadership, the corruption of its institutions, and the foolishness of its energy and climate policies.” I’m afraid the good people of CA are just too stupid to learn. Dollars to donuts the next elections will see Liberals come out on top again.
The $17.5 million cut to the budget sounds like a big number but it’s only 2% of the $850 million. I would hope a proper root cause analysis is conducted, with concrete actionable recommendations…that may be too much to ask for.
I don’t want to see one penny of federal money go to help them. As long as we keep bailing them out, they will continue with stupid. It must cost them or nothing will change.
These fires are only the latest tragic example of what happens when people put naive, childish, elementary school like inanities ahead of actually doing the job they’re paid to do. All of these people, from the Governor, Mayor, and heads of the Fire and Water Departments should be impeached/fired and then prosecuted. What a terrible pathetic joke they all are.
If Lee Kuan Yew were still alive, I’d suggest he take conservatorship of that entire state’s “leadership”
The world would be a much better place if there were more people like you Robert who spoke truth to power. Thank you for getting this out so quickly after this horrible event.
Thanks.
Thank you Robert: "Powered by hubris" might have been more accurate.
Agree. But they really like the idea of "Powered by equity..."
That was one of the most banal sops to Regressive ideology I’ve ever seen.
Long ago Californians determined the rights of snail darters and dead trees were of paramount importance. They need to Make the Canyons Green Again with a year-round irrigation program. Solar powered drip systems could work or battery (fuel cell?) powered water helicopters also should be considered. The Union of Concerned Scientists will make short work of the cost benefit study. Move now to Avoid the Worst Effects of Climate Change.
Were these canyons ever green? We are at the tail end of a glacial cold spell. It’s only going to get warmer and it has nothing to do with hydrocarbons. The climate is going to change and there is nothing we can do about it. The old saying “You can’t fool Mother Nature” is appropriate. Stop building in a chaparral desert.
Ever consider it is part of a plan? No water, reservoir drained in high risk time, mayor long association with Marxist organization with annual trips to Cuba over 30 years, wildly incompetent management with DEI bonafides, huge budget cuts at state and local levels, fire fighters crippled and reduced by vax mandate, no vegetation cutting by state or PG&E, PG&E found it cheaper to pay fines than cut, the water commissioner left PG&E and got double the salary of her predecessor, state refused to allow insurance rates increase despite higher risk so policies cancelled, valuable land, desire for 15 minute cities, multiple sources of arson at almost simultaneous intervals all just bad management or at some level does one look more.
By the way, an AI company called Deep Seek was conducting an analysis of fire prone areas and risks in California. Deep Seek is Chinese owned and controlled by the CCP according to other AI developers.
Newsome’s California! A “political reckoning”is solely needed
Most utilities are required to develop and maintain a plan to deal with catastrophic events, such as wildfires and Santa Ana conditions. It is not clear whether LADWP has such a plan. I haven’t seen it mentioned in the voluminous comments on the current catastrophe.
That's a good question. I don't know if LADWP has one.