Ryan Zinke Says 'Environmental Radicals' Are To Blame For Devastating California Fires
- 5 years ago
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Sunday blamed “radical environmentalists” for the devastating fires in California.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Sunday blamed "radical environmentalists" for the devastating fires in California. He said in an interview with Breitbart: "I will lay this on the foot of those environmental radicals that have prevented us from managing the forests for years. And you know what? This is on them." "The president is absolutely right. This is as much about mismanagement over time," Zinke further noted. His comments were condemned by the Sierra Club, which is the largest environmental group in the country. The Hill reports that Athan Manuel, the group's public lands director, said in a statement: "Perhaps it's the numerous investigations, the potential criminal charges eating at him, or the fact that he still doesn't even know what department the Forest Service is under, but Ryan Zinke would best be served by focusing on the people rather than making disgusting and dangerous accusations." Zinke's assessment of the fires' causes echoes those given by President Trump, who specifically cited failures to clean the forest floor adequately. A number of experts have suggested that climate change and enduring dry conditions in California are likely among the main drivers, notes the Washington Post.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Sunday blamed "radical environmentalists" for the devastating fires in California. He said in an interview with Breitbart: "I will lay this on the foot of those environmental radicals that have prevented us from managing the forests for years. And you know what? This is on them." "The president is absolutely right. This is as much about mismanagement over time," Zinke further noted. His comments were condemned by the Sierra Club, which is the largest environmental group in the country. The Hill reports that Athan Manuel, the group's public lands director, said in a statement: "Perhaps it's the numerous investigations, the potential criminal charges eating at him, or the fact that he still doesn't even know what department the Forest Service is under, but Ryan Zinke would best be served by focusing on the people rather than making disgusting and dangerous accusations." Zinke's assessment of the fires' causes echoes those given by President Trump, who specifically cited failures to clean the forest floor adequately. A number of experts have suggested that climate change and enduring dry conditions in California are likely among the main drivers, notes the Washington Post.