Despite claims from the loony left, there is no evidence to suggest that the horrific Hawaiian wildfires were caused by climate change. There, someone finally said it. Yet those responsible for the events leading up to a tragedy that devastated Lahaina and its 13,000 residents could at least have lessened the result.
Notably, large tracts of land which once grew sugar cane on a massive scale were replaced by a tinderbox of assorted dry grasses and weeds. Experts warned for years that this state of environmental mismanagement could lead to disastrous wildfires; much like that seen across California, other western states, and recently in Canada.
Meanwhile, it appears that the utility company Hawaiian Electric’s power line played a huge role in the wildfires, as it was focused on promoting green energy development while ignoring its own assessment on increasing the safety of its existing infrastructure.
According to The Wall Street Journal, after Hawaii’s 2019 wildfire season, the utility company determined that serious action was necessary to ensure that its equipment did not emit dangerous sparks.
Although in the end, this effort was compromised in the name of green energy, as up to 20 live power poles toppled by 80 mph winds likely triggered the flames that killed well over 100 people and have left nearly 400 still missing.
Specifically, the WSJ reported that Hawaiian Electric spent less than $245,000 on wildfire projects and safety preparedness. Ultimately, it chose instead to launch a huge campaign concentrated on green energy goals.
It must also be mentioned that the Democrat Party has been dominant in Hawaii since the territory won statehood. It is responsible for the calamitous state land management policies implemented there, as well as the systems which failed during the wildfires, including the 911 system and fire hydrants. Thrown in was the inexplicable decision not to activate emergency sirens. And the best Joe Biden could offer the victims was a “no comment” on the situation, a delusional comparison to a house fire which damaged his kitchen some 15 years ago, and $700 per household in disaster assistance. In addition, these responses were all conceived by a president in the midst of yet more vacations in Delaware and Nevada.
Local police also contributed to the human carnage by constructing barricades which prevented rescue efforts and victims’ attempts to escape the flames. This included numerous people who ultimately perished in their vehicles. And grotesque reports are now surfacing that FEMA personnel sent to assist with the disaster were put up in luxury hotels for $1,000 a night on the taxpayer dime.
Not surprising is the fact that Hawaiian Electric is one of the most powerful industries in Hawaii, and closely connected with the Democrat Party. These entities, in coordination with one another, must share the predominant blame for the worst-ever wildfires on record in Hawaii. The last time such a deadly event occurred was in 1918 when 453 people died at Minnesota and Wisconsin’s Cloquet and Moose Lake fires.
Woke corporations like Hawaiian Electric and their Democrat accomplices are increasingly working hand in hand to bring us more and more ineptly-conceived hogwash in the name of environmentalism. While they claim they’re just trying to save the planet, their efforts are displacing jobs and destroying the quality of life for millions of people in the United States and around the world. But they’re not finished there.
Now some Democrat legislators are calling on Biden to declare a “national climate emergency” to achieve even more wacky environmental goals that can’t be achieved through legislative means. These geniuses, who claim to be nobly fighting for the masses, never cease with their efforts at control and favor the very policies that are leading to human deaths. The only question is whether it’s intentional or just a result of sheer ineptness and ignorance.
Mark Figley is a political activist and guest columnist from Elida. His column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Lima News editorial board or AIM Media, owner of The Lima News.
