The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) called President Donald Trump's comments about massive wildfires burning throughout California "irresponsible, reckless and insulting."
In a Saturday morning tweet, Trump said "There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly fires in California except that forest management is so poor.” He added, "Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!"
The IAFF released a statement in response, in which IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger, said, "The early moments of fires such as these are a critical time, when lives are lost, entire communities are wiped off the map and our members are injured or killed trying to stop these monstrous wildfires. To minimize the crucial, life-saving work being done and to make crass suggestions such as cutting off funding during a time of crisis shows a troubling lack of real comprehension about the disaster at hand and the dangerous job our fire fighters do. His comments are reckless and insulting to the fire fighters and people being affected."
In a story on nbclosangeles.com, Brian Rice, president of the California Professional Firefighters Association, called President Trump's statements about forest management "dangerously wrong."
"The president’s assertion that California’s forest management policies are to blame for catastrophic wildfire is dangerously wrong," Rice, head of the 30,000-member organization, said. "Wildfires are sparked and spread not only in forested areas but in populated areas and open fields fueled by parched vegetation, high winds, low humidity and geography. Moreover, nearly 60 percent of California forests are under federal management, and another two-thirds under private control. It is the federal government that has chosen to divert resources away from forest management, not California."
California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom responded to the president's tweet saying that right now is not a time for partisanship.
"Lives have been lost. Entire towns have been burned to the ground. Cars abandoned on the side of the road. People are being forced to flee their homes," Newsom tweeted. "This is a time for coordinating relief and response and lifting those in need up."