Across California, 14,000 firefighters are battling 16 major wildfires, including the Mendocino Complex Fire, the largest one in the state's recorded history. It takes courage and herculean efforts to prevail over Mother Nature, and sometimes they lose their lives protecting us.
No matter your politics, Californians should agree with Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, who paid tribute Tuesday: "We are all immensely grateful to the tens of thousands of firefighters and first responders from California, other states and other countries currently risking their lives and safety to battle wildfires throughout our state," she said in a statement. "Our firefighters are our nobility, and their courage on the frontlines of these blazes is an act of profound heroism."
A special joint legislative committee met Tuesday, and is to meet again Thursday, to talk about how to better prepare for wildfires. The panel also is trying to referee a big-money lobbying fight between utilities led by PG&E and insurance companies over who should pay for damages.
But people who lose their homes and businesses aren't the only victims of wildfires. Committee members must also pay attention to firefighters. So should we.
A popular video made the rounds last week of a little girl handing out burritos to tired and hungry firefighters near Redding. That's a good example for the rest of us.
Editorial on 08/10/2018