Fact Check: Trump fixed the wildfires by opening the dam.

Fact Check: "Trump fixed the wildfires by opening the dam"

What We Know

The claim that former President Donald Trump "fixed the wildfires by opening the dam" is rooted in his directive to release significant amounts of water from two dams in California's Central Valley. Trump suggested that this action would have prevented the Los Angeles fires. However, experts and water managers have consistently stated that there was already sufficient water available in Southern California to combat the wildfires. According to the Association of California Water Agencies, "water supply has not hindered firefighting efforts," and reservoirs in the region are at or above average storage levels for this time of year. Deven Upadhyay from the Metropolitan Water District confirmed that they have enough water in storage to meet roughly three years of demand.

Furthermore, experts like Jay Lund, a water scientist at UC Davis, indicated that the infrastructure in place was not designed to handle the sudden demand for water during wildfires, stating, "If you took the surface area of the wildfires, you could cover them in 20, 25 feet of water with all the water that's already in reservoirs in that region" (NPR). This suggests that the issue was not a lack of water but rather the ability to deliver it effectively to the areas in need.

Analysis

The assertion that Trump's actions directly "fixed" the wildfires is misleading. While he ordered the release of water, experts have pointed out that this action did not address the underlying issues related to wildfire management and infrastructure. For instance, Peter Gleick, a hydro-climatologist, criticized Trump's claims as "bluster, ignorance, and disinformation," emphasizing that there are no "enormous amounts of water" that can be redirected legally or environmentally to aid firefighting efforts (source-1).

Additionally, the timing of the water release was problematic. Local farmers expressed concern that the water released could negatively impact their agricultural needs later in the season (NPR). This indicates that the release was not only ineffective for firefighting but also potentially harmful to other critical water needs in the region.

The credibility of the sources contradicting Trump's claims is strong. Numerous experts and officials, including state water managers and scientists, have consistently provided evidence that refutes the notion that water availability was a limiting factor in firefighting efforts. Reports from reputable outlets like CNN and CalMatters further corroborate these findings, highlighting that the infrastructure and management of water resources are the real issues at play.

Conclusion

The claim that Trump "fixed the wildfires by opening the dam" is False. The evidence shows that there was no shortage of water available for firefighting in Southern California, and the release of water from Central Valley dams did not address the real challenges faced during the wildfires. Experts have repeatedly stated that the infrastructure for delivering water was inadequate for the demands of firefighting, and Trump's actions did not resolve these systemic issues.

Fact Check: Trump fixed the wildfires by opening the dam.