Environmentalists Cause More Problems

John Berlau at the American Thinker posts a great article explaining how environmentalists have made the wildfires in California a whole lot worse.

Similar to how environmentalists have screwed up U.S. energy policies through their idiocy, their actions in protecting every conceivable part of nature (except humanity) has caused major problems for Americans. The Lefties are saying the fires are the result of global warming, but that is completely false. For one thing, the temperatures when the fires started were well inside the averages, and the Santa Ana winds which drove the fires rapidly across the state have been blowing for decades, if not longer.

The real problem is that humans are not allowed to clear old, dead brush away in an organized manner, leaving lots and lots of dry, crispy fuel for wildfires to feed on as they spread. Berlau cites a portion of the City of San Diego web site as just one example:

The confusing instructions state that vegetation within 100 feet of homes in canyon areas "must be thinned and pruned regularly." But then, the same sentence goes on to state that this must be achieved "without harming native plants, soil or habitats."

Then, in the fine print:

"Brush management is not allowed in coastal sage scrub during the California gnatcatcher nesting season, from March 1st through August 15th. This small bird only lives in coastal sage scrub and is listed as a threatened species by the federal government. Any harm to this bird could result in fines and penalties."

If you can't clear brush for six months of the year due to birds mating, and you can't clear brush for the rest of the year due to 'harming' natural plants or habitats, how much brush is going to be cleared away? None. So, when you have a fire ignite, it's going to go on a super-fueled tear, just like it did last week.

Berlau also points out the irony that squarely in the path of the wildfires was San Diego Wild Animal Park, in which condors, a cheetah, and many other animals were threatened. He concludes that the objective of many of these environmentalists was never to protect animal life, but rather to control human life.

Taking care of the environment and being responsible human beings is a very good thing. As the highest and most blessed creature on the face of the earth, that is the responsibility of humanity. But, I think that we need to draw a line at some point, valuing human life above animal life, and this is a clear example of what can happen when we draw that line in the wrong place. By seeking to blindly protect certain animals and plants, we've now allowed the needless destruction of thousands of homes, and uprooted literally over a million people. When are people going to realize that enough is enough?

People come first.

There's my two cents.