California’s politicians didn’t start the fires. They made them worse

Seeing homes in Malibu and the Pacific Palisades burn to the ground while fire hydrants ran dry is bad enough, but knowing the water shortage resulted from bad bureaucratic decisions makes the horrifying sights even worse.  

Water is everywhere in California. The Golden State borders the Pacific Ocean, which contains countless gallons that could be desalinated to fill reservoirs and feed fire hydrants. 

But California’s bureaucracy discourages desalination plants that would guarantee additional water...