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Charlie Kirk is the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, the largest and fastest growing conservative youth activist organization in the country with over 250,000 student members, over 150 full-time staff, and a presence on over 2,000 high school and college campuses nationwide. Charlie is also the Chairman of Students for Trump, which aims to activate one million new college voters on campuses in battleground states in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election. His social media reaches over 100 million people per month and according to Axios, he is one of the "top 10 most engaged" Twitter handles in the world. He is also the host of “The Charlie Kirk Show,” which regularly ranks among the top news shows on Apple podcast charts.
San Bernardino County Fire Chief Dan Munsey Reveals Why Fire Hydrants Run Dry During Major Wildfires
San Bernardino County Fire Chief Dan Munsey explains the harsh realities of fighting massive wildfires as Los Angeles burns. With nearly three decades of firefighting experience, Munsey breaks down why water systems fail during catastrophic fires, how human negligence causes over half of wildfires, and why the infrastructure needed to prevent such failures would cost billions. He shares stories of firefighters going 36 hours without sleep and warns that almost 80% of Californians live in wildland-urban interface zones. This conversation offers a frontline perspective on what's becoming an increasingly common reality in California.
Understanding Water System Failures During Wildfires
Dan Munsey, San Bernardino County Fire Chief with 29 years of experience, provided critical insight into why fire hydrants run dry during massive wildfires. Using a simple analogy, he compared municipal water systems to a home hot water heater: when demand exceeds supply, the system fails. During catastrophic fires, hundreds of thousands of gallons per minute are needed, but more water flows out of the system than flows in, depleting reservoirs rapidly.
Munsey explained that urban water systems aren't gravity-fed but rely on electric pumps. When fires destroy power lines, these pumps fail, causing pressure drops throughout the system. Additionally, as homes burn down, water continues flowing from broken pipes and fixtures until meters are shut off, wasting massive amounts of water. The fire chief emphasized that water systems were never designed for fires of this magnitude, and upgrading infrastructure to handle such events would require billions of dollars in investment.
Despite the state of California sending water tenders—trucks carrying 2,500 gallons or more—into the fire zones, the logistics remain challenging. These vehicles must locate functioning hydrants, fill up, drive back to supply fire trucks, and repeat the process continuously. Sometimes they draw from static water sources like pools or lakes, but this proves extremely time-consuming during rapidly spreading fires.
San Bernardino County's Current Situation
While Los Angeles County faced catastrophic destruction, San Bernardino County firefighters managed to keep fires relatively small. Munsey credited this success to several factors: wind speeds in San Bernardino were about half those experienced in Los Angeles, and recent snowfall on upper elevations provided natural fire breaks. Despite their own manageable situation, San Bernardino County sent numerous resources to assist LA County and LA City firefighters.
Munsey expressed deep sympathy for fellow firefighters facing unprecedented devastation. He noted that acts of bravery witnessed and stories shared by fire chiefs in affected areas demonstrated full commitment from firefighters who saved millions in property and countless lives. One strike team leader in the Palisades hadn't slept in 36 hours, with crews still actively fighting fires when they spoke.
The Changing Nature of California Fire Seasons
The fire chief emphasized a disturbing trend: fire frequency and magnitude have doubled over the past 20 years. What once constituted a defined "fire season" no longer exists. These January fires represent a new reality that California must face. Munsey called the increasing commonality of such catastrophic events shameful, though not due to lack of firefighter effort.
He stressed that while the destruction appears overwhelming, firefighters prevented far worse outcomes. The true measure of success, he argued, will come from examining what can be done differently in the future while recognizing the extraordinary efforts of men and women who put their lives on the line.
Human Causes Behind Most Wildfires
When asked about arson and homeless-related fires, Munsey provided detailed statistics. Over half of wildfires his jurisdiction responds to are human-caused through negligence. Approximately 25% can be attributed to homeless-related activity, though firefighters generally keep these fires small. Homeless individuals typically start warming fires or cooking fires, and contrary to some assumptions, they usually don't want fires spreading because they prefer to be left alone.
Other common human causes include citizens welding outdoors on high fire danger days, theft-related fires where people strip copper wire coverings, and various negligent activities. The fire service, Munsey noted, stays in business largely because people do careless things. Despite industry efforts—including putting out signage, making radio announcements, and even flying helicopters over homeless areas to warn of dangerous conditions—human negligence remains a primary fire cause.
Water Supply and Infrastructure Challenges
Addressing whether capturing more rainfall could help, Munsey acknowledged that billions of gallons of water currently flow into the ocean through storm drainage. While having more available water for firefighting would certainly be beneficial, he emphasized that scale matters more than supply in catastrophic fires. There are only so many firefighters and only so much water that can be physically applied to fires of this magnitude.
An uninterrupted water supply wouldn't stop fires like those in Los Angeles, though it would save more structures and lives. These represent absolute natural disasters involving high wind speeds and ember cast—burning embers traveling up to two miles, igniting vegetation and getting under house eaves to start spot fires. In such conditions, firefighters chase fires rather than making defensive stands with control breaks.
What Citizens Can Do Now and Moving Forward
Munsey provided specific recommendations for how people can help during this tragedy. Immediate donations to organizations like the Red Cross provide crucial support. While many people want to volunteer, fire agencies remain fully engaged and somewhat inundated with offers. He emphasized that engagement will continue for quite some time and donations remain the most effective immediate help.
Looking beyond the current crisis, the fire chief urged citizens to recognize their role in keeping fires small. He revealed that almost 80% of Californians live in wildland-urban interface zones—areas where development meets wildland vegetation. This staggering percentage means most Californians face wildfire risk and must take personal responsibility.
Specific actions citizens should take include:
Visiting local fire authority websites to understand fire safety in their particular area
Working with contractors to ensure homes are constructed to prevent wildfire spread
Following guidelines about removing fuels from around properties
Examining and removing trees, shrubs, and grasses that pose fire risks
Creating fire breaks around properties to prevent fire spread to structures
Munsey concluded by expressing his heartfelt sympathy for LA City and LA County firefighters working tirelessly and citizens who lost their homes, thanking Charlie Kirk for highlighting these critical issues.
