Trump needlessly whipsaws Fresno County’s Creek Fire victims over emergency aid

President Trump’s initial decision to deny federal aid for damages caused by the Creek Fire sent a clear signal: He won’t have our back.

Fortunately, he relented and agreed to make the right call, that of an emergency declaration. Why it took him a day and a half to figure it out is galling.

The Creek Fire happens to be the state’s largest single fire of all time. It began the Friday night of Labor Day weekend near Big Creek, just north of Shaver, and has not stopped burning since.

In the process, the Creek Fire has scorched 344,042 acres and destroyed 856 structures, ranging from the beloved Cressman’s store at the top of the Highway 168 four-lane section to decades-old family cabins at Huntington Lake.

Livelihoods and cherished family mementos, gone in a flash of flame.

And, at first, any thought of federal assistance.

Trump officials told the state late Wednesday there would be no emergency declaration, and thus no emergency funding. More than a day passed before the administration thought the better of it, and by early Friday afternoon Gov. Gavin Newsom said he had confirmation the presidential declaration would be made.

Why the drama?

Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, told The Sacramento Bee that the state learned late Wednesday that it had been turned down for the presidential disaster declaration in connection with the Creek Fire and five others.

The reason was not given, so one was left to speculate. What is on the record is how, over the past few years, Trump has repeatedly complained that California has not maintained its forests. He said, accurately, there was too much underbrush, making the fire danger worse. He even suggested that more raking needed to be done — despite the fact that forests cover millions of acres.

It’s also despite the fact that the federal government — attention: that means President Trump — controls 57 percent of forested lands in California. He is either ignorant of that fact, which has been repeatedly pointed out to him, or does not care to mess with a good sound bite.

Changing forest management practices is going to have to happen at the U.S. Forest Service, a part of Trump’s Agriculture Department. In other words, Trump can, and should, make that happen.

The Creek Fire has been blazing its giant path through the Sierra National Forest. As of Friday it was only 60 percent contained, and fire commanders said that it will take winter rain and snow to finally put it out, despite the best efforts of the nearly 1,000 firefighters still on the blaze.

In his letter to President Donald Trump seeking the disaster declaration, Newsom estimated potential federal assistance at $346 million — including $200 million from the Creek Fire alone.

Render aid to whom it is due

Prior to Trump’s confirmation with Newsom, state officials told The Sacramento Bee they would try to use other federal sources for assistance than the presidential emergency declaration.

Meanwhile, state legislators like Assemblyman Jim Patterson worry about the coming rains and resulting mudslides. “We must act now to prevent harmful hazardous waste and bulk asbestos from threatening public health and the environment,” the Fresno Republican noted in a letter to the state Office of Emergency Services. State officials agreed and said they would pay for initial cleanup.

It is worth pointing out that Californians pay federal taxes, just like other Americans. It is only right to expect help when it is needed most.

But President Trump wrongly played games that, for a time, meant no aid was en route.

He did not have our back. How else to interpret it?

This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 12:37 PM.