Category: California
In a move that has absolutely nothing to do with prior preparation, California Governor Gavin Newsom has unveiled detailed, fully realized plans to rebuild Los Angeles following the devastating fires that, by sheer coincidence, wiped out the exact neighborhoods marked for redevelopment by the WEF.
“These fires were an unforeseen tragedy,” Newsom said during a press conference held on the ashes of a once-thriving community. “But in the spirit of California resilience, we have immediately mobilized a plan for a greener, shinier Los Angeles.”
The 3,000-page blueprint, complete with architectural renderings, zoning adjustments, and the signature of a mysterious consultant named “I.M. Fireproof,” envisions a utopia of luxury high-rises, eco-friendly tech hubs, and artisanal oat milk cafes. “We certainly didn’t expect to have this ready so soon,” Newsom said, flipping through the bound and laminated plans.
Critics have questioned the timing of the fires, which exclusively targeted older homes and small businesses while sparing nearby high-value properties. However, Newsom dismissed these concerns. “We can’t let conspiracy theories distract us from progress. California is about moving forward, even if we have to use controlled burns—I mean, nature’s burns—to get there.”
The new redevelopment zone, which had been stalled for years by “pesky renters” and “sentimental landmarks,” now offers a clean slate. Newsom assured residents that the original homeowners would be “welcome back anytime,” provided they can afford the $3.5 million penthouses or secure one of the five subsidized micro-units that will be raffled off annually.
When asked why the development plans were dated two months prior to the fires, Newsom laughed nervously. “That’s a typo. Don’t worry about it. Focus on the renderings—they’ve got rooftop gardens!”
The governor concluded the event by planting a symbolic sapling and announcing a new task force to study fire prevention strategies—tentatively titled the “Let’s Not Question the Coincidences Committee.”
This is another one of those stories from It starts with an X post from Briana Cap:
Literally crying in the Target parking lot right now. 🧵
I was struggling with unloading my toddler, my bags and wrangling an unruly cart (seriously — why do some lack power-steering?) A fire truck from Redondo Beach (E61) had just parked nearby and four firefighters got out.
The firefighters offered to help. She refused, saying the firefighters in the L.A. area had already been doing so much. They wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Normally I would have refused help, but this week? This week firefighters get a pass.
You want to help me with my bags? Absolutely, my car’s over there.
Want lunch? It’s on me.
Need a Gatorade? What flavor?
They like kids too. They made a point of paying attention to the toddler.
[T]his kind stranger offered my toddler a fist bump, which she happily accepted. The contrast of her cherubic, dimpled, unblemished little hand against his scratched, dirty and well-worn fist was striking. …
Those hands have boldly and unflinchingly walked into literal fire this week. But today, in the Target parking lot, when they could have easily just gone about their business, those hands were a beautiful display of how selfless, kind and generous these firefighters are.
Yeah. Thanks for that ray of light, Briana and Charlie. And thanks very much to the people who try their best to put out these disastrous fires! Much appreciated.
I heard squat about thos last election about her Honor. I wonder who told old GB about this little tidbit?
Frankly I just don’t care who you f*ck (Children & Animals excepted) as long as you can get the job done. Grumpy
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Karl Denninger observes:
At the end of the day life is about balancing risks, rewards and costs.
. . .
The same is true out in Southern California. Fires aren’t new there and the Santa Ana winds are an annual phenomena that have occurred long before the California Gold Rush brought a large influx of humans.
No, humans are not making it worse but we are putting more and more “stuff” of ever-increasing value in the way that can be destroyed. Couple high wind with dry conditions, given that part of the country is borderline desert, and you’ve got a high-risk environment with vegetation which reflects that and in some cases actually requires fire to propagate!
Add to that state government policies that do not clear brush (on purpose!) and in other areas do not conduct control burns during the part of the year when high winds do not occur and you’ve got the natural environment and its oscillations — including much larger fires simply because there’s more fuel available and you refused to reduce said fuel load despite having the opportunity to do so in advance.
Now add deliberate refusal to build out fire-suppression infrastructure (in this case California residents approved a bond issue many years ago to do exactly that but it wasn’t done!) and you have all the ingredients for what is now occurring.
If you want to know why insurance companies left they asked for rates that reflected this deliberate neglect and foolish set of decisions by said government agencies and, when you get down to it, the people who live there and kept voting those government agents into office. (Not me! Grumpy)
The firms had already taken large fire losses as a result and thus they had no evidence any of that would change. The rate adjustments were refused and thus their only sane option was to withdraw offering coverage and leave.
. . .
The remaining question is whether those impacted will force those who had responsibility for said mitigations, in many cases explicitly funded with tax dollars yet they did not act in accordance with their responsibilities and either did nothing or spent the funds elsewhere, to be held personally responsible for any and all of their malfeasance.
There appears to be plenty of that to go around.
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