Dear John,

In times of crisis, the truth is more than ever. And unfortunately, social media makes it possible for lies to spread quicker than the speed of light.

Here are some fact-checks to set the record straight. And you can always get up-to-date information from CaliforniaFireFacts.com:

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CLAIM: California has cut the fire budget and personnel in recent years.

FACT: The number of CalFIRE staff and the CalFIRE budget have nearly doubled since Gov. Newsom took office.

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CLAIM: These wildfires are caused by California’s mismanagement of forest lands.

FACT: The budget for forest management is TEN TIMES larger than it was in 2018, and we have more than doubled the number of acres treated for wildfire resilience. Also, not all of the current fires even started in forested areas.

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CLAIM: California’s reservoirs are empty because all the water is "emptied out into the ocean.”

FACT: Water reservoirs in Southern California are at record levels. There is no shortage of water in Southern California. PolitiFact independently found, "regional water reservoirs in Southern California are at historic highs."

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It is disheartening that so much disinformation is spreading during this crisis. The focus should be on fighting these fires and taking care of our first responders and victims.

The California Democratic Party stands ready to support those affected and to continue advocating for the necessary climate action to mitigate the underlying cause of these escalating climate disasters.

Our thoughts are with everyone in harm’s way.

— The whole team at CADEM HQ