Climate change is real, and it's almost certainly making the West Coast's wildfires worse. But even when faced with that reality in California on Monday, President Trump turned to his old favorite advice of forest management and then seemed to flat-out doubt climate change altogether.
Hundreds of thousands of acres of land are still on fire throughout California, Oregon, and Washington. In California alone, 3.2 million acres have burned so far this year, and 24 people have died in the biggest wildfires the state has ever seen. But just like he did during California's then-record wildfire season two years ago, Trump got off Air Force One in California on Monday and immediately suggested forest management — raking forest floors and performing controlled burns, for example — could solve all of California's problems.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
California's Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot again pleaded for Trump's understanding on the need to fight climate change, listing how a "warming trend" has sent temperatures soaring to record-breaking levels in both the summer and winter. "It'll start getting cooler. You just watch," Trump responded. "I wish science agreed with you," Crowfoot fired back. "Well, I don't think science knows actually," Trump continued.
Human-caused climate change is one thing science is very, very clear about.
-
Massive earthquake sends tsunami across PacificSpeed Read Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan and Hawaii were told to evacuate to higher ground
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resignsSpeed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodgeSpeed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floodsSpeed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star programspeed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
-
US proposes eroding species protectionsSpeed Read The Trump administration wants to change the definition of 'harm' in the Environmental Protection Act to allow habitat damage
-
Severe storms kill dozens across central USSpeed Read At least 40 people were killed over the weekend by tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms
-
Rain helps Los Angeles wildfires, risks mudslidesSpeed Read The weather provided relief for crews working to contain wildfires, though rain over a burn area ups the chances of flooding and mudslides
