By Adeyemi Adekunle
As wildfires continue to rage across greater Los Angeles, finger-pointing has dominated public discourse. While experts emphasize the role of climate change, prolonged drought, and the notorious Santa Ana winds, a vocal faction has found a different scapegoat: U.S. foreign aid to Ukraine.
This narrative gained momentum on social media when Charlie Kirk, CEO of
We sent $250 billion to Ukraine.
And yet we can’t get water to fight fires in California.
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) January 8, 2025
Turning Point USA, posted on his X-platform (formerly Twitter)“We sent $250 billion to Ukraine, and yet we can’t get water to fight fires in California.” The statement, garnering over 10 million views and 100,00likes, was reverberated by another x-account holder
We sent over $250 billion dollars to Ukraine. But we can't get enough water to fight fires in California.
I pray for everyone’s well being during this time of difficulty.
— Waka Flocka Flame 🔥 (@WakaFlocka) January 9, 2025
framing President Joe Biden’s latest aid package as evidence of misplaced priorities.
Another claim that also raised dust was from the eldest son of United States President-elect Donald Trump, dragged Ukraine into his intrigue which he wrote on X.
This occurs less than an hour after his father President-Elect Donald J. Trump lambasted the governor of California, Gavin Christopher Newsom on truthsocial.com
However, these claims were dismissed as misleading. Fire Chief Anthony Marrone attributed the crisis to natural and logistical challenges, noting, “Outdated donated equipment doesn’t hinder us; the scale of the fires does.” The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that equipment sent to Ukraine was surplus—already replaced or obsolete—playing no role in current shortages.
Experts caution that misinformation like this distracts from the real issue: California’s escalating climate challenges. A decades-old drought, compounded by inadequate urban planning and resource coordination, leaves the state vulnerable to increasingly severe fires.
Blaming foreign aid, analysts warn, not only distorts the debate but shifts focus from the urgent need for better disaster preparedness and robust environmental policies.
Quick Pick:
The claim that sending aid to Ukraine left the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) unprepared is false and misleading. Here’s why:
Nature of the Aid: The equipment donated by the LAFD to Ukraine was surplus, outdated, or no longer in use. These items did not include critical firefighting machinery or resources essential for dealing with wildfires.
Fire Preparedness Factors: Challenges faced by the LAFD during recent wildfires stem from systemic issues such as personnel shortages, natural conditions (e.g., droughts, Santa Ana winds), and resource allocation within the state.
Budget Context: U.S. federal aid to Ukraine is a separate allocation that does not detract from state-level funding for emergency preparedness. California has independent resources to address firefighting needs.
Blaming aid to Ukraine for the LAFD’s struggles misrepresents the situation and distracts from addressing core problems like state budgeting and disaster planning which lens-check the fact checking desk of lens AfricaTV dismissed as MISLEADING.
