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California fires: Trump attacked on climate change

2020-09-13T22:07:55.064Z


The US president is due to travel to California on Monday, September 14, where large fires are ravaging forests.


Officials from the states of the American west coast, ravaged by record and deadly fires, accused Donald Trump on Sunday, September 13 of denying the role of climate change, as he prepares to go there on Monday.

Read also: Apocalypse sky in California: the images of an incredible day

For local authorities, as for many experts, the scale of these fires is undoubtedly linked to climate change, which aggravates chronic drought and causes extreme weather conditions.

They have already killed at least 33 people since the start of the summer, including 25 this week alone in the three states of Washington, Oregon and California.

But dozens of people were still missing on Sunday.

Donald Trump, who will travel to California on Monday, where he will meet with emergency service officials, for his part blamed the management of forests in these states controlled by his Democratic opponents.

More than 16,000 firefighters fought no less than 29 serious fires on Sunday.

PATRICK T. FALLON / REUTERS

"

The question is forest management

," he said at a campaign rally in Nevada on Saturday night, without ever mentioning climate change.

Remember those words, forest management

”.

But on the ground rings a whole different story.

This government is putting its head in the sand

” on the environmental issue, the mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, accused Sunday morning on CNN.

It's not about forest management or sweeping.

Everyone who lives in California feels insulted by this statement.

"

"

It is annoying (...) to have a president who denies that it is not only a question of forest fires, but of climatic fires

", abounded on ABC Jay Inslee, the governor of the State from Washington, where one death was mourned.

The situation there was still "

apocalyptic

" Sunday, he explained, while fires are still raging and thousands of people have lost their homes.

On Saturday, Joe Biden, Donald Trump's Democratic opponent for the November presidential election, was also stepped up.

"

President Trump may seek to deny the reality, but the facts are undeniable,

" he said in a statement.

"Shocked"

In Oregon, ten deaths were recorded this week, but the authorities were preparing for the worst once relief was able to return to areas still inaccessible.

Read also: United States: more than 8,000 km2 burned in California, a record since 1987

Near the Beachie Creek fire, east of the state capital, Salem, police had erected numerous roadblocks on Sunday, in front of which stretched long lines of cars waiting in thick pea mash.

Many of those trying to return home were farmers wanting to feed their livestock.

We returned to Mill City this morning, but the police had advised us not to do so because it is dangerous,

” Elaina Early, a resident of this small town crossed by flames, told AFP.

The house is standing, but we are leaving now because the conditions are really not good.

»«

My son is 6 years old and he is in shock, it is very hard for him.

He keeps asking me, '' do we live in a hotel now? ''

"Says the 30-something.

More than 400,000 acres have gone to ash in Oregon, double what normally burns there each year, Oregon Governor Kate Brown said on CBS Sunday.

About 500,000 inhabitants are subject to a more or less high level of evacuation order, and 40,000 people have effectively left their homes.

This must make us all aware that we must do everything in our power to fight climate change,

” she said.

The fires have already charred 1.2 million hectares in California this year, a record.

PATRICK T. FALLON / REUTERS

Two million hectares

In California, the toll of the week rose to 14 victims of the flames, including 12 in Butte County alone, still traumatized by the memory of the fires of November 2018 that had reduced the town of Paradise to ashes.

Eight people had already died in the fires in August.

More than 16,000 firefighters fought no less than 29 serious fires Sunday in the "Sunshine state", where the fires have already charred 1.2 million hectares this year, a record.

Adding to the burnt vegetation in Oregon and Washington State, forest fires have consumed more than two million hectares, while the fire season does not theoretically end until November.

And the fumes given off affect huge areas.

The cities of Portland, Seattle and San Francisco were among those with the highest pollution rates in the world on Sunday, according to the IQAir ranking.

In Los Angeles, the mayor announced the establishment, in public places of the city, of centers aiming to "

relieve poor air quality

".

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-09-13

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