I grew up and lived in and around the Pasadena CA area until I was in my mid 30s. I went to South Pasadena High School. I worked in Altadena after the Navy and before I went to college. I’ve been in touch with a lot of my friends I grew up with who are still in the area, and they tell the damage and destruction is the most devastating thing they’ve ever seen. Quite a few have lost their homes. Many others were forced to evacuate. It’s heartbreaking to know such a beautiful area and so many homes have been largely wiped out. Golf courses my dad took me to when I was a little kid, and I still played when I visit the area as I do twice a year, no longer exist. Even JPL is threatened.

I’ve also spent a lot of time in the Pacific Palisades area, a place with gorgeous homes and mansions that has by reports been completely wiped out.

And of course during all this the Orange Shitstain has to lie and place political blame for it on Gov. Newsome. Let’s be clear, this is a natural disaster. The winds causing the widespread fires are not in the usualy straight line pattern that is typical for the Santa Ana winds, and thus the fires have been spreading much wider than the usual annual fires.

Also, there is plenty of water in the L.A. basin. The problem has nothing to do with Central Cali water policy. The water is not too low, it’s too slow. Water pressure has dropped because all the water in the million gallon storage towers in Pacific Palisades has been used up fight the fires, and now the refill water has been tapped further reducing water pressure. This is actually a common problem when fighting large scale fires. Also, normally emergency teams would rely more on air support like firefighting helicopters, which would lessen the strain on water tanks by using more water from other sources like above-ground reservoirs. However, high winds and a lack of air visibility from smoke have meant those firefighting operations have been grounded, LADWP has a number of billion gallon water reserves in the L.A area but not near the stricken areas. They are available and on standby once aerial firefighting support can safely proceed.

Fuck Trump for once again being the liar and the divider. If his lips are moving he is lying. He’s not even in power again yet and he’s already causing damage every time he speaks.