President Donald Trump and California officials locked horns Monday over the immediacy of climate change and its impact on the state's wildfires.
The president visited the state to be briefed on a string of devastating wildfires, landing at McClellan Airport near Sacramento. Addressing reporters, Trump once again repeated his assertion that major wildfires could be prevented with more robust forest management.
While California officials have committed to ramping up forest management, it is an extremely labor intensive process and the majority of forest land in the state falls under federal and private ownership. Many agree that clearing brush reduces fuel loads and can slow the spread of fires, however, it does not address the severe dry and windy conditions that often spark fires.
Gov. Gavin Newsom joined the president in a surprise public appearance, making the case for climate change.
"When we're having heat domes the likes of which we've never seen in our history, the hottest August ever in the history of this state, the ferocity of these fires throughout five-plus years, losing 163 million trees to that drought, something's happened to the plumbing of the world," Gov. Newsom said, appealing to the president directly.
"We come from a perspective, humbly, where we submit the science and observed evidence is self-evident that climate change is real and that is exacerbating this," the governor added.
While Gov. Newsom said he agrees that forest management is an important tool in fire prevention, he asked the president, "Please respect - and I know you do - the difference of opinion out here as it relates to the fundamental issue on the issue of climate change."
Trump responded "absolutely," but it did not take long for some tension to surface.
"We've had temperatures explode this summer... If we ignore the science and put our heads in the sand, we're not going to succeed."Trump: "It'll start getting cooler, you just watch."I wish science agreed with you."Trump: "I don't think science knows, actually." pic.twitter.com/l0xUJrbm6j
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) September 14, 2020
Crowfoot countered, "I wish science agreed with you."
The president added without hesitation: "I don't think science knows, actually."
It actually won't get cooler Mr. President. #ClimateChangeIsReal pic.twitter.com/gYWtitBdcN
— Wade Crowfoot (@WadeCrowfoot) September 14, 2020
Dozens of people have died this fire season as major blazes have swept across the western U.S.
LISTEN NOW on the RADIO.COM App Follow RADIO.COMFacebook | Twitter | Instagram
