A resident of Florida’s Gulf Coast, studying that there isn’t any saving the house his household has occupied for 5 generations after Helene despatched a five-foot storm surge that knocked out his entrance door and all his home windows. Residents of Pacific Palisades abandoning their automobiles as they flee wildfires that destroyed properties, companies and different landmarks this week in Malibu and past. A school scholar close to UCF, sorting by his sodden belongings to see if any footage or heirlooms could be salvaged. A girl crumbling in despair after listening to that her father and brother had been unable to evacuate their Altadena house earlier than it burned.
Their circumstances could also be completely different, however the searing grief and sense of helplessness is shared.
As they watch the devastation of wildfires ripping throughout California, many Floridians really feel a way of fellowship. We all know — as do our fellow People on the west coast — what it’s prefer to face an unthinking, implacable risk that might wipe away properties, companies and even lives at a second’s discover.
And though Florida is a solidly pink state, we will’t assist however be chilled to listen to the bullying and threats that nationwide GOP leaders are muttering as they think about federal support for communities devastated by fires which have despatched tens of hundreds of Californians fleeing, destroyed whole neighborhoods and claimed no less than 24 lives. President-elect Donald Trump and Home Speaker Mike Johnson have been too desperate to unfold misinformation that places blame for the fires on native and state insurance policies, together with water administration, forestry insurance policies and even so-called “range, fairness and inclusion” guidelines.
As wildfires rage in Los Angeles, Trump doesn’t supply a lot sympathy. He’s casting blame.
“There is no such thing as a relationship between federal and state water administration and the depth of those fires or the power of individuals to combat these fires,” Jeffrey Mount, a senior fellow on the Public Coverage Institute of California, informed the Washington Put up. As an alternative, he stated, lack of rain and extreme winds created the proper circumstances for a raging maelstrom of fireplace — all too usually abetted by arsonists.
No time for blame
Has California made errors that in locations exacerbated the fires’ affect? After all. Most of the communities which are burning now had been designed and constructed many years in the past, earlier than wildfire developed into the potent risk it’s as we speak. However the identical could be stated of the devastation that hurricanes Milton and Helene — and all their predecessors — wrought in Florida and different southern states, particularly in coastal areas which have been devastated and rebuilt in areas identified to be weak to storm surge and erosion. But no threats had been made to withhold catastrophe aid from us after 2024’s devastating storm season. Actually, the federal authorities prolonged the deadline for particular person aid grants and loans (although there’s a case to be made for re-opening that window, which expired in early January).
Sadly, because the Virginian-Pilot famous in a latest editorial, Trump has a historical past of politicizing catastrophe aid:
Puerto Rico was probably the most egregious instance. Hurricane Maria hit the island in 2017, killing an estimated 3,000 folks and inflicting widespread devastation, however Trump sparred with Puerto Rico’s elected management and a few $20 billion in support from struggling People.
He did the identical when wildfires tore by Washington State in 2020 by refusing for months to behave on the state’s $37 million aid request submitted by Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat and Trump critic. The petition was solely accredited by President Joe Biden after taking workplace in 2021.
Biden has already assured vital support to California. Wednesday’s disaster-relief declaration included whole backing of the state’s response price, together with particles elimination, extra firefighting prices and evacuation bills, for no less than 180 days. However restoration will probably be a long-haul course of and federal support will probably be wanted for months if not years. Trump and Congress could be unsuitable to place strings on this badly wanted help.
That is what People do when part of our nation is threatened: Rally collectively, and ship as a lot assist as attainable. California could also be managed by a Democratic governor and legislature, however the residents of fire-devastated areas deserve the identical quick and caring response that Floridians noticed this previous yr. We’re all People, and which means now we have every others’ backs in instances of bother.
The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Govt Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at perception@orlandosentinel.com
