Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

Law enforcement veteran Michael Letts believes critics may be on to something when it comes to the failure of the state’s firefighting services.

I’m not sure which fires are worse right now – the ones that are raging their way through California, or the legal ones that may stoke from the mismanagement of its firefighting services.

As you may know, the fires are still ongoing, with an estimated 24 dead and thousands left homeless as they were forced to evacuate. My heart is certainly with these people, and I hope they have the opportunity to rebuild soon.

But what really bothers me here is the mismanagement of firefighting services within the state. And clearly, incoming President Donald Trump has a pretty good idea of what’s happening.

Over on Truth Social, Trump blasted Newsom (calling him “Newscum”), believing that his refusal to sign the water restoration declaration that “would have allowed millions of gallons of water” to flow into the state may have doomed it.

“I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA!” he noted. “He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!”

Many have called these claims baseless, with Newsom stating that his comments are “incomprehensible to anyone that understands water policy in the state.”

But several Republicans – and myself – believe Trump is onto something. Why would Newsom be so quick to brush this under the rug instead of providing a viable solution to what’s happening with firefighters?

Even JD Vance, the incoming vice president, also sounded off on this matter. “We need to do a better job,” he noted. “We need competent, good governance.” He also made it clear that “I think it’s part of the reason these fires have gotten so bad.”

But then we have the matter surrounding LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, who apparently used Diversity, Equity, and Integrity (DEI) hiring practices for firefighters, instead of capably hiring those that were skilled enough to do the job.

Not to mention the budget cuts that local officials made, which may explain why some fires haven’t been properly fought as well as they could have been.

Honestly, the whole thing is just a gigantic mess. The state is seeing horrific conditions that are likely to get worse as high winds begin to set in. And, once again, thousands of people – including long-time residents and even celebrities – have lost their homes in the process.

And yet here we are, with a governor that refuses to accept blame and a fire department that can’t even get on the same page. Due to politics, of course.

Honestly, it just goes to show what happens when higher-up officials don’t know how to manage their resources. And if you need a key example of what could’ve led up to this, you merely need to look at the whole “defund the police” campaign.

Several officials, at the time, simply set out to slash budgets to appease an angry mob of hateful rioters, instead of listening to the needs of the officers who risk so much to save lives. And, years later, that has done no good, with many states seeing an all-time high in crime, and some – like New York – not having the proper resources to fight back.

Honestly, if Newsom isn’t careful, his resources could slip right through his fingers and send California into even more turmoil. Especially if they can’t get this fire under control.

There is some sliver of hope, however. Donald Trump is set to retake Presidential office in a matter of days. And with that, I have a feeling he’s going to take a closer look at the bungling by these inept officials and set some new standards. Standards that will bring this country back to the prosperity it deserves.

In the meantime, I give my heartfelt thanks to all those firefighters who are out there giving their all to help these people in their time of need, as well as the police officers lending them a hand. They’re the ones we should be paying attention to, instead of the governors that can’t even accept responsibility for their mistakes.

Some fires you just can’t put out, I suppose.

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Michael Letts

Michael A. Letts, Founder, President, and CEO of In-Vest USA, a national grassroots non-profit organization that is helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bullet-proof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs.

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