LA fires are not an “unnatural disaster” as a recent columnist asserts. Juan Cabrillo a Portuguese maritime explorer in service to Spain is credited as the first European to explore the west coast of North America. In the fall of 1542 he visited Los Angeles's San Pedro Bay and named it the Bay of Smokes. Wildfires are a long recognized annual natural phenomenon in Southern California. Climate change as the author casually declares was not the direct cause though it has intensified the risk. The failure by LA and California state officials to properly prioritize and fund fire abatement measures are responsible for the degree of this disaster.
John Schmitz
Marana
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
Follow these steps to easily submit a letter to the editor or guest opinion to the Arizona Daily Star.
