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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Hebe Campbell

Debunked: Did sending aid to Ukraine leave LA Fire Department unprepared?

As the worst wildfires in LA’s history continue to ravage the city, Donald Trump Jr. and Elon Musk suggested that the fires have been worsened by the LA Fire Department’s aid to Ukraine during Russia’s invasion, depleting local resources.

This theory, gaining millions of views, claims surplus equipment sent to Ukraine left LA unprepared.

Ivan O’Neill, co-founder of Wuuii and wildfire mitigation specialist, told The Independent that ‘this equipment had nothing to do with the outcome in Los Angeles.’

He added, ‘as soon as you have more than 10 houses burning on a block, your fire hydrants are going to run dry, no matter how much water you have.’

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