Commentary by Samuel Strait – September 1, 2023 For just over two weeks we have had the ongoing saga of a wildfire at our very doorstep which our illustrious governor has finally acknowledged just might be a burden to the local community. What a guy! In contrast, near to his highness, in the North Sacramento Valley, where there is yet to be a wildfire, El Supremo has declared a future emergency might be possible and has begun marshaling resources and equipment should the current "red flag" warning issued by the National Weather Service bear fruit, or rather a fire. Compare and contrast the reaction by Governor "Hair Gel" when the action is near and dear to his own person and what was his response to those of us that inhabit the Northern third of the State. Weather forecasts 48 hours prior to our lovely little now 85,000 acre blaze, a dry lightening storm is to pass through our area with the distinct possibility of numerous fire starts in the extremely dry and fuel loaded National and State forest lands surrounding many of the North's communities. No "Red Flag" warning to be had. Nor response out of Sacramento for wildfire prepositioning of fire assets or fire personnel of any kind. No air assets of which he trumpeted about two months previously are deployed to combat what has become a serious fire in the Northern part of the State. No equipment or firefighting personnel of any kind is prepositioned and for the most part doesn't arrive for days and continues to trickle in two weeks after the blaze cutting a major highway and the only transmission line into the County. A five day power outage causes major economic issues to the area and the loss of a major transportation artery causes major problems for businesses to restock. No problem for his Hairness after all, the Northern part of the State isn't even on the governor's radar. A now 85,000 acre fire that is 8% contained doesn't even keep him awake at night. He has had power and can send his staff out for take-out because none of the restaurants around him are closed for lack of. He doesn't have a problem being driven to the Bay Area because that road is not closed for wildfire activity. His livelihood has not taken a hit because he cannot get to work, or buy groceries, or even take a shower. What a guy. Even after two weeks of inconveniences for the folks in this area and the less than prompt behavior out of our local leadership when they do plead for an emergency declaration, good old "Hair Gel" can't even be bothered to be prepared to render assistance for a couple more days. The bottom line is that Sacramento only cares about what is politically important for them and Northern Sacramento Valley is close enough to home to reach that threshold. These wildfires that are currently ravaging the County would have only become important if they were moving South to threaten the Sacramento government. In the meantime, a "red flag" warning that forecasts impending fire weather conditions, not an actual wild fire, is enough for Newsom to mobilize the State's firefighting resources and equipment, just in case. The AI and technology resources are being brought to bear even before there is anything to be found. This will enable firefighting to bring resources faster and smarter, saving countless lives and communities from destruction. As long as it is important to our "concerned" governor. Oh, well, looks like his concern is on vacation for us, because the fall out from our local fires has just begun. This is what comes from electing people to positions of power that either are incapable or have an agenda that does not include the population that they are meant to serve. Our local Board of Supervisors, cast in the mold of our governor is a glaring example of government failure to protect those in this County from preventable loss, if only the Local governments and the State had taken the trouble to "PREPOSITION EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL AHEAD OF OUR CURRENT LIGHTENING STORM." SEEMS LIKE US WALMART SHOPPERS DON'T EVEN COUNT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, LET ALONE IN GOVERNOR 'HAIR GEL'S' WORLD!!!!!