Los Angeles Mega-Fire the Tragic Consequence of Protecting Shrubs Before People

LI #018 shrub

Legal Insurrection readers will recall my post in which I estimate the millions of metric ton equivalents of carbon dioxide released as well note the destruction of wildlife habitat in the Greater Los Angeles area….which had many spectacular natural areas and parks before wind-swept fires began blazing through the region.

Fires that can be attributed to destructive policy choices based on pseudoscience and environmental virtue signaling.

However, when I wrote this post, I had no idea that eco-activist bureaucrats opted to nix fire safety procedures in the area in which the Palisades Fire stated in favor of a shrub.

In 2019, the LA Department of Water and Power (LADWP) began replacing nearly 100-year-old power line poles cutting through Topanga State Park, when the project was halted within days by conservationists outraged that federally endangered Braunton’s milkvetch plants had been trampled during the process….But, after an amateur botanist hiking through the park during the work saw the harm done to some of the park’s Braunton’s milkvetch — a flowering shrub with only a few thousand specimens remaining in the wild — and complained, the project was completely halted, Courthouse News Service reported.Instead of fire-hardening the park, the city — which the state said had undertaken the work without proper permitting — ended up paying $2 million in fines and was ordered by the California Coastal Commission to reverse the whole project and replant the rare herb.That work saved about 200 Braunton’s milkvetch plants — almost all of which have now likely been torched in the wildfires that consumed Topanga Canyon, along with nearly 24,000 acres (37 square miles) of some of LA’s most sought-after real estate.

The LAWDP had crews and equipment there, and yet the whining of a virtue-signalling “expert” stopped fire prevention.

I am beyond angry now, and there are no words that can adequately express my rage.

My coverage of the Great Los Angeles Fire is driven by my experience with the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego. It was a devastating wildfire that began in late October as part of the traditional Santa Ana season.

The Cedar Fire was the largest wildfire in California’s history at the time, burning 273,246 acres of land and began when a lost hunter lit a small fire in the Cleveland National Forest to signal for help. Fueled by dry brush and winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour, the fire quickly spread out of control.

It took over a week to contain the blaze. When it was over 15 people were killed, including one firefighter, and devastated communities known for their natural beauty: Ramona, Lakeside, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Alpine, and Julian.

Over 2,300 homes were destroyed…and one of them was almost mine.

I had traveled to Richmond to celebrate my son’s first Halloween of trick-or-treating with my best friend who lives there. On October 26th, I poured my morning coffee and opened up the Drudge Report (when it was worthwhile reading).

The featured image on the page was the I-15 sign adjacent to our condo complex.  I instantly knew that was not good news.

I immediately called my husband, who informed me that they were under mandatory evacuation orders. I asked him to save my antique Egyptology books. Ben, being both more romantic and practical, grabbed the wedding album and the important identity and fiscal documentation.

Fortunately, my young son and I were safe in Richmond and had our essentials with us.

However, my husband was among the last to leave, and it took him hours to get to his mom’s home (which is normally a 20 minute trip). In the end, a back patio of our condo unit burned. The remainder of our unit was saved because one of our neighbors was crazy enough to stay behind with a garden hose and the winds subsided shortly after hitting our area.

However. several adjacent units were destroyed.

You would think the Cedar Fire would have inspired California officials to take fire prevention activities more seriously. This includes clearing brush, no matter the species.

However, because one “expert” needed to virtue signal, one of the most beautiful communities in southern California lies in smoldering ruins.

Meanwhile, firefighters are clearing plants ahead of more winds in a move to prevent even more damage.

And, in one of the greatest ironies ever, it turns out Braunton’s milkvetch is fire-adapted and requires disturbance for propagation. The plant’s seeds persist in the soil bank for years, germinating after fires. The shrub acts as a pioneer species in recently disturbed areas.

Therefore, it is the least endangered species in the Los Angeles region at the present time. I hope that botanist feels good now.

Blog space is limited, and many other bad choices led to this disaster.

My heart goes out to my niece, whose family (which includes an infant) was forced to evacuate. My heart breaks for those who died or who now have family and friends among the dead. I am concerned about the retirees and those relying on the equity they had built up, which has now gone up in smoke.

Our family stayed in San Diego after the Cedar Fire because we hoped that important lessons would be learned and this type of fire would never threaten us again.

Now I am on edge. Santa Ana winds are blowing here. Several small brush fires occurred today (though they appear contained). And I no longer trust our state agencies, our leaders, or our press.

I was wrong to hope. So now my husband and I are evaluating where we will relocate as soon as possible. I have to believe that thousands of others in California are watching this inferno and the response who have reached the same conclusion.

This mega-disaster was brought to California by insane choices based on pseudoscience and virtue-signalling.

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Tags: California, Environment, Los Angeles

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