The Fresno County Democratic Central Committee has not endorsed any candidate in this race.
It has been painful to see the destruction that the fires in both Northern California and Southern California have caused. More than forty people have died and thousands of lives have been terribly disrupted.
And while these fires have been tragic, it is now time for us to demonstrate the courage to acknowledge the reason why these natural disasters have been so deadly.
Here’s the truth: Climate change and global warming, while not solely responsible for any one fire, are clearly affecting the overall frequency and intensity of these fires.
As with hurricanes in other parts of the country, climate change has exacerbated the severity and the effect of wildfires. We can’t afford to look the other way — 8.5 million acres of U.S. land has been devastated by fires in this year alone.
We must address the fundamental reason that is making these fires and their devastation much worse. We must also work to protect people who are vulnerable to one of these disasters.
Thank you.
And please be safe,
Alex Padilla
California Secretary of State