Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., blamed officials in California for the current wildfires ravaging the area around Los Angeles, telling Newsmax on Wednesday that they have not been managing the forests correctly for a long time.
Appearing on "Wake Up America," the Montana Republican said that "wildfires are indicative of not managing for years. These wildfires now are large scale, taking up a lot of property, ruining people's lives, and they're dangerous. But we have to go back to management of the forest," adding "what a catastrophe in California. Yet another disaster."
Zinke was very critical of California officials for what he determined was their lack of forest management that could help possibly control these fires during his tenure as secretary of the interior in President Donald Trump's first term.
The congressman explained that, as far as wildfires go, it doesn't matter what one's position is on "climate change, yes or no, whether you are a believer, an advocate, or a zealot. The bottom line is it doesn't matter if you don't manage your forest. Because if the climate is changing, you have to redouble your efforts to make sure you manage the forests. That means diversity of species, removing the dead and dying firewood."
Zinke also pointed out that it was necessary to "look at the urban sprawl. Houses are in places where they haven't been in the last few years," and that has to be taken into consideration when trying to prevent these wildfires.
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