Experts: California drought, fire crisis man-made

The California water-shortage crisis, largely man-made, according to experts, is getting so bad in some areas that people are facing what is being described as “Third World” conditions.

 

With the severe drought now stretching into its fourth year, reservoirs are running dry and wildfires are burning thousands of homes. And the human and economic toll is growing fast.

 

Fox News reported on Monday a Monterey County fire had claimed another life and another 162 homes, pushing the total of loss of homes in recent weeks to more than 1,400.

 

Reports said more than 5,000 fires had burned six million acres already, and there have been several fatalities.

 

More fires were breaking out, and more evacuations were being ordered at the time.

 

Tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars have already evaporated. And with no end in sight, there may still be years of suffering — and painful decisions — waiting ahead.

 

Indeed, some experts say this could be just the beginning, with some worst-case scenarios foreseeing mass migrations out of the state if relief doesn’t come soon.

 

But it did not have to be this way. And sensible policies could help protect the state going forward, a number of experts tell WND.

 

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