Commentary by Samuel Strait – September 1, 2023

For just over two weeks we have had the ongoing saga of a wildfire at
our very doorstep which our illustrious governor has finally
acknowledged just might be a burden to the local community.  What a
guy!  In contrast, near to his highness, in the North Sacramento Valley,
where there is yet to be a wildfire, El Supremo has declared a future
emergency might be possible and has begun marshaling resources and
equipment should the current “red flag” warning issued by the National
Weather Service bear fruit, or rather a fire.

Compare and contrast the reaction by Governor “Hair Gel” when the action
is near and dear to his own person and what was his response to those of
us that inhabit the Northern third of the State.  Weather forecasts 48
hours prior to our lovely little now 85,000 acre blaze, a dry
lightening storm is to pass through our area with the distinct
possibility of numerous fire starts in the extremely dry and fuel loaded
National and State forest lands surrounding many of the North’s
communities.  No “Red Flag” warning to be had.  Nor response out of
Sacramento for wildfire prepositioning of fire assets or fire personnel
of any kind.  No air assets of which he trumpeted about two months
previously are deployed to combat what has become a serious fire in the
Northern part of the State.  No equipment or firefighting personnel of
any kind is prepositioned and for the most part doesn’t arrive for days
and continues to trickle in two weeks after the blaze cutting a major
highway and the only transmission line into the County.  A five day
power outage causes major economic issues to the area and the loss of a
major transportation artery causes major problems for businesses to restock.

No problem for his Hairness after all, the Northern part of the State
isn’t even on the governor’s radar.  A now 85,000 acre fire that is 8%
contained doesn’t even keep him awake at night.  He has had power and
can send his staff out for take-out because none of the restaurants
around him are closed for lack of.  He doesn’t have a problem being
driven to the Bay Area because that road is not closed for wildfire
activity.  His livelihood has not taken a hit because he cannot get to
work, or buy groceries, or even take a shower.  What a guy.   Even after
two weeks of inconveniences for the folks in this area and the less than
prompt behavior out of our local leadership when they do plead for an
emergency declaration, good old “Hair Gel” can’t even be bothered to be
prepared to render assistance for a couple more days.

The bottom line is that Sacramento only cares about what is politically
important for them and Northern Sacramento Valley is close enough to
home to reach that threshold.  These wildfires that are currently
ravaging the County would have only become important if they were moving
South to threaten the Sacramento government.  In the meantime, a “red
flag” warning that forecasts impending fire weather conditions, not an
actual wild fire, is enough for Newsom to mobilize the State’s
firefighting resources and equipment, just in case.  The AI and
technology resources are being brought to bear even before there is
anything to be found. This will enable firefighting to bring resources
faster and smarter, saving countless lives and communities from
destruction. As long as it is important to our “concerned” governor. 
Oh, well, looks like his concern is on vacation for us, because the fall
out from our local fires has just begun.

This is what comes from electing people to positions of power that
either are incapable or have an agenda that does not include the
population that they are meant to serve.  Our local Board of
Supervisors, cast in the mold of our governor is a glaring example of
government failure to protect those in this County from preventable
loss, if only the Local governments and the State had taken the trouble
to “PREPOSITION EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL AHEAD OF OUR CURRENT LIGHTENING
STORM.”  SEEMS LIKE US WALMART SHOPPERS DON’T EVEN COUNT AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL, LET ALONE IN GOVERNOR ‘HAIR GEL’S’ WORLD!!!!!