MOSCOW (Jan 13): US billionaire Elon Musk, against the backdrop of the devastating wildfires in California, doubted that they were caused by climate change, comparing what is happening with the situation in Texas, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti. 

"If the climate change explanation were true, Texas, which has twice the forest area of California, would have roughly twice the wildfires that destroy homes. Climate change is happening, but slowly. The issue with Los Angeles was failure to create fire breaks and clear brush, combined with failure to ensure sufficient water supply and terrible mismanagement at the state, county and city levels," Musk said on X, commenting on the publication of one of the users, who said that climate change had already caused 101 fires in the state this year alone.

Wildfires began to spread in the Los Angeles county on Jan 7. According to meteorologists, the rapid spread of the fire was caused by dry and very windy weather. The fire destroyed more than 10,000 buildings in the region. According to NBC News, the death toll in the Los Angeles fires has risen to 16 people.

According to the Daily Mail, the mayor of Los Angeles, less than a week before the start of the powerful wildfires, demanded that the fire department budget be cut by an additional US$49 million (RM220.93 million), which meant closing 16 fire stations.

Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee