The kids at Angry Films Production did a parody of the health care debate. They argued fire departments need to be privatized. The fucked up thing is the Randal O'Toole argued forest fires give the Forest Service "a blank check" to put out fires. The fiscally reckless conservative Cato argues $14 million is too much to spend on putting out fires. O'toole makes the irresponsible argument that people should stay in their homes during fires.
Most civilian deaths from wildfire take place during evacuations, not from the fire itself. Homes that are designed to withstand wildfires are known as “shelter-in-place” homes because the residents will be safer in the homes than trying to evacuate.
O'Toole goes on the argue it would be economically wiser to let fires burn. O'Toole seems more worried about the $14 million used by the Forest Service than the potential billions in property damage.
Simple: money. The Forest Service gets a blank check for putting out fires but almost no money for helping people fireproof their properties. So it continues to spend billions on fire suppression, mainly to protect people’s homes, when a lower-cost strategy is readily available.
There is no house that is 100 percent fire proof. Is there a person whom would stay in their home during a major forest fire? O'Toole is arguing against human survival instincts. There are many things that taxpayers find wasteful. Putting out forest fires doesn't top the list. The Cato Institute represents the madness of libertarian ideas.
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