wildfire

And Californians Did Their Part

Ironies abound as a massive forest fire, nicknamed “the Beast,” recently brought tar sands production to a halt in the Canadian province of Alberta. It’s been more than two weeks since the Beast roared through Fort McMurray and its surroundings with 200-foot high flames destroying everything in their hellish path.

As a wildlife biologist, it’s only natural that I write volumes on how a massive and rapidly growing human population in California and elsewhere is imperiling wildlife populations and the habitats they need to survive.

Droughts and dry seasons play their part in wildfires. With climate change, we can expect more of all three.

The U. S. Government Accountability Office released its study this week that has linked 30 fires that started during a five-year period to illegal aliens. Read the complete report here.

The GAO findings vindicated Senator John McCain who earlier this year said that Arizona fires are often caused by illegal border crossers. The Hispanic lobby immediately charged McCain with scapegoating.

Today, however, McCain could---and did---gloat. After his office released the report, McCain said: