The California wildfires that have ripped through the Palisades and other parts of the Los Angeles area have been unbelievably devastating. Many have lost their homes, including famous celebrities. But was this tragedy avoidable? While Glenn doesn’t want to make this about politics, he says we must note that “California has been playing with fire, literally, for a long time.” The state has neglected its forests for decades thanks to bureaucracy, politics, and “eggheads” from the cities. Glenn also explains how the region’s water infrastructure has also been neglected, which has led to fire hydrants running dry. Finally, Glenn addresses what is likely the biggest lesson for California: “How you vote matters.”

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: All righty. So -- so let's talk about what's happening in California. And my heart is truly heavy for those people, who have families in California. The people in California, that have lost their homes or are still faring that they might lose their home.

You know, this is a -- if you've never seen a forest fire, you can't really describe it.

It's almost like a tornado.

Unless you've been in a tornado, or seen the damage after his, you really don't know what you're talking about with the tornado.

It's unlike anything I've ever seen.

Same thing with a forest fire.

We had a small forest fire here, up in the -- up in the mountains, of Idaho last summer.

It was just about, oh, I don't know, 2 miles down the street for me.

Luckily, the winds weren't there.

But if the winds had kicked up, it probably would have burned my house down. I mean, it is -- you cannot describe a forest fire. It is -- when it's out of control, you have no chance. Just get out of there.

And my heartbreaks for people, who are going through this, right now. And breaks for the people of California.

I -- let me address that person right now, if you happen to be in California. Know that you're not alone.

You may feel like the flames have stolen everything from you.

But -- and, boy, I was thinking about this, well, this summer, when I came back from that forest fire. And thought, all of this could be gone.

The things that you have in your house, they are just things. But there are certain things. Memories, pictures. Things that you have collected over the years, with your family. That can't be replaced.

And I know what that must feel like.

But two things: One, you're alive. You have your family.

And help is on the way. My charity, Mercury One is along with the Red Cross and everybody else.

Is working tirelessly to bring relief and comfort and assistance to those who are affected right now.

We are -- we are doing what our government is asking us to do. We don't want to get in the way of forest. Or firefighters.

They have enough trouble.

But I -- I -- I want to talk to you first, with compassion. About why this keeps happening.

And what California needs to do about it.

This is not my state. This is their state. But if you're asking for our help, you know -- one of the hardest things I've ever had to do is -- I had a friend I went to church with.

And he called me. One time. And he said, Glenn, I really need -- I don't remember what it was. Say a thousand dollars.

Because I have to get home. Some family stuff.

And I -- I was about to say, yes.

But in my -- in my faith, we -- it's the largest welfare program, I think in the world.

And we take care of, you know, not just our own. But anybody who lives in the district of that particular church.

The bishop is responsible for them.

And we have to take care of our neighbors.

And so with that, it's very orderly.

You know, when you have a problem with or if there is a problem with is the neighbor or something. You go to the church. Hey, my neighbor. Who is not a member of the church. Is really in trouble.

Can you help? And they usually will. But with that, there are certain things you have to do.

You just don't get free money. You know, you have to change can't life.

You'll take classes on how to, you know, manage money. Or whatever the thing is. So I said, to this person, I was just about to say yes. And I said, hey, have you talked to the bishop yet?

And he said, no. No. I haven't.

Now, that's unusual, in my faith, if you have a big problem. Especially with money, you normally would go to the bishop.

And I said with be okay. Let me call you back. And I called the bishop.

And I said, hey. So-and-so just called me. And I can do this.

Is there anything I'm missing here.

And he said, Glenn, I'm so glad you called me.

He said, yes. This particular individual is struggling, and we've been helping for a while.

But he won't connect with the problem. And correct the problems.

And he said, he's doing this from time to time. He'll call people. And they'll just give him money. And that hurts it.

So I ask you to do the thing. This is probably the hardest thing you've ever done. I know you have the money to help. Please don't. Because it will help set him back, and not help him feel the full ramifications. So I had to call my friend back and say, I can't right now. And I felt awful. I felt absolutely awful about it.

But if we don't talk and face the problem, you're never going to solve it. Now, this, again is not my problem.

California, you're not my problem.

Okay? I mean, I want to help. And as a citizen of America, you're another citizen.

You're my neighbor. I want to help. I want to help people all over the world. But first, you have to help yourself.

You know, natural disasters, most times are out of our control.

The extent of the destruction, in California, you know, could be mitigated. If we made smarter choices about how, you know, Californians manage their land. And their resources.

Examine their votes. California has been playing with fire, literally for a long time.

Their forests are full of underbrush. Dead trees. Dry vegetation. Which is kindling for those flames.

The material builds up on the forest floor. It's a perfect condition. For fire -- if you're going to start a fire, go to California. Because that's a perfect condition.

I'm not saying that literally, by the way. But it doesn't have to be this way.

You know, you go to places like Sweden or Finland or Austria. Countries that have large, vulnerable forests.

They understand the importance of forest management.

Can they prioritize the clearing out of underbrush. And the clearing out of trees.

And because they're a little socialist in nature, they do it in a sustainable way. They partner with local industries, that will take that material, from the forest floor.

And they use it as bio mass energy for other products.

So it doesn't just reduce the fire risk.

It creates jobs. And a healthier ecosystem.

Here in America, some states do it right.

I mean, Florida has fires. But not like California.

Why?

Because they do controlled burns.

Forest thinning.

Routine practicing. You know what, honestly, God does this.

Lightning.

Before we would put forest fires out, or could.

Lightning would strike.

That would burn the forest down. And it replenishes the soil and everything else.

We don't want to do that. Because our houses are surrounded by trees and forest and everything else. So we either have to do a controlled burn, or we have to go in and take all of that stuff, that lightning would have taken out, to replenish everything.

But California's won't do that.

Why? The answer lies in bureaucracy. And priorities.

And -- and really, honestly, egghead.

You know, these people from the cities, that want to manage our forests have no idea, it's common sense.

The environmental regulations. The lawsuits that block or delay, any kind of forest management.

Ideology has gotten in the way of the practical. The lifesaving solutions.

And this has to change, California. It has to.

You see devastation every year. And, you know, honestly, I -- I really don't like insurance companies.

But insurance companies, what they do, it's -- honestly, it's legal gambling.

They are gambling, that you are going to pay them more money, than they have to pay out. As a collective.

Somebody's house might burn down. You might have something catastrophic. Cancer or something that costs a buttload of money. But they're betting, that all of the people in their community, they're sharing the risk.

And not everybody is going to get cancer at the same time.

That way, they can make money. It's legalized gambling.

Honestly, it is. Well, that's the way insurance works. And I don't like insurance companies.

Because many times, they're scamming people, or hurting people. However, let's not blame the insurance companies for getting out. If I'm a company and I have to make a bet, I'm pulling out of California. It's landslides. It's fires. It's floods. It's every year, whole swaths of the state are -- are -- are burning down to the ground!

What kind of bet is that? How do you keep a country -- now, what they'll say is they'll do what they did, when you couldn't get flood insurance, on the coastlines.

We used to say, well, then don't live there. Or if you live there, accept the risk yourself.

Okay.

Instead, we didn't think that was fair. So we came up with government funding.

If you couldn't get flood insurance. No longer was it, don't live in a flood zone!

Build your house somewhere else.

I don't know if you've seen the country, but there's lots of open space.

Don't build in a flood zone.

Instead, we wanted to help everybody, live their dreams. On now, we pay as a federal government, for insurance, for the coastlines.

Why? Okay.

The other issue is water. And let me tell you what the problem is in California.

Now, we know what the immediate problem is: They don't -- firefighters don't have water coming through the fire hydrants. Why is that?

GLENN: We all know that -- I mean, when we look for life on another planet. We look for water.

Because water is essential to life. At least the life we understand.

And that is a major issue, in California, and has been for -- forever.

However, California, take responsibility for the fires to some degree.

You haven't built a new major reservoir, since 1979.

That was four decades ago.

Now, I don't know if you know this. But 40 years ago, the population of your state. Was not the population that it was now.

So the reservoirs, that you had, 40 years ago, is way out of step, with your population, and your needs today!

Your water storage capacity is exactly the same as it was, almost half a century ago!

And on top of that, and this is something Trump has addressed recently. Billions with a B. Billions of gallons of rainwater, flow straight to the ocean every year. Because you haven't built the infrastructure, to capture and store the rainwater.

Now, imagine what could be different, if you had reservoir and aqueducts and desalination plants, to store and provide water for all of the dry seasons!

Water is life. California has spent decades neglecting its water infrastructure, while prioritizing projects that make no meaningful impact on people's lives. This is not a failure just of government. It is a failure of vision.

When the -- when the -- the -- when a leader is not around. When the people lack leadership, there is no vision. And without vision, people perish.

That's what's happening.

Now, on leadership, I'm sorry to make this about politics. But you have to learn the lesson. It has to be said.

How you vote matters. Look at Los Angeles. The progressive mayor cut the fire department's budget. To fund other programs, to give money and housing, they say for the homeless. But it's also a legal program since she gave it to NGOs.

Now, these NGOs, they're not fighting fires in the -- in comparison of the cost of lives, homes, and communities that have been lost in these fires. Those NGOs. There's no comparison, dollar for that are. You have to have leadership that prioritizes the safety and the well-being of the citizens, over their political jeopardize.

And that's not happening in Los Angeles. Okay?

It wasn't happening in Lahaina either. Same goes for the environmental policies. Progressive leaders block sensible forest management practices. Because they're more concerned about pleasing activists, than protecting lives. They're more concerned about the dead trees in the forest, than they are about the live animals who live in that forest!

It's not compassionate. It's dangerous.

Now, Mercury One, we help everybody. I don't care where you come from. I don't care who you voted for.

We are there to you. But we're also in North Carolina, and other areas, reeling from the hurricanes.

We're also still in Lahaina. And no one is talking about those guys. And they will be out of a home for years!

They're not the celebrity influencers who can afford to stay in a luxury hotel.

God and the universe for those in California, require us to do everything we can to help our neighbor.

But help ourselves, before we expect others.