“Climate change is 100% responsible” for the wildfires Kyla Bennett, director of science policy at the activist group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, told Salon. “No question. I am very scared about our future — meaning all of us, not just Americans.”
Bennett drew attention to false claims from conservatives that the wildfires occurred because of pro-diversity DEI programs, and from Trump specifically that firefighters lacked water to put out blazes because it was diverted to protect the Delta smelt, an endangered fish. Gov. Gavin Newsom has demanded an investigation as to why the hydrants ran dry, which officials say occurred as water supplies were overtaxed. Some online conservatives incorrectly claim the fire departments lack money because of funds given to support Ukraine against Russia, while top Trump adviser and Tesla CEO Elon Musk expressed agreement with a post from conspiracy theorist Alex Jones attributing the wildfires to a “larger globalist plot to wage economic warfare and deindustrialize” the United States before “triggering total collapse.”
