To not want to hear any more about the Californian fires

Now I'm hugely sympathetic to Gaza when it comes to the Israel-Gaza conflict, but I don't see how we can compare the situations or write off the entire population affected by the fires as "rich." In fact, the news I've seen has only briefly mentioned the celebrities and affluent communities affected, and has focused far more on the regular, working and lower middle residents whose entire communities have been destroyed in a matter of days. It is a natural disaster the same as any, and it's ongoing; the news is still covering it because forest fires are not just a few minutes, hours or even just one day of continuing destruction.

Today we have been able to see the aftermath in some neighbourhoods, but for others the destruction is only just beginning. These are not all mega-rich actors, musicians, businessmen. This is a city- multiple connected cities, honestly- full of manual labourers, cleaning staff, bin men, farmers, shop workers, and anyone else you'd see in any other town. That's the majority of the population. There are children losing their homes, the elderly. There are those who didn't have homes to begin with, now losing shelter and supplies. Perhaps you've never thought beyond the stereotypes of Los Angeles as a city for the rich and famous, but it's not hard to find some empathy for those affected.

Plenty of us fortunate to have been blessed with with more than one brain cell care very much.
Go and crawl back under your rock and don't let the door hit you on your way out darling.

Farmers have a whole prime time show mostly dedicated to them. Country File.

Fair enough. Regarding the OP, it probably shouldn't be given so much prominence if news reporting was just based on what's most important, but it never has been and never will be. Lots of people will click on stories about celebs having their houses burned down.

But it is an important story anyway, because wildfires like this don't normally happen in January. Climate change is going to affect pretty much every human on the planet, rich or poor, and this particular story is an example of how being enormously wealthy and privileged won't necessarily protect you.

thats cold, part of the news is to keep people updated, otherwise we only would need local areas news

To be fair if the criteria for news was 'can we do something about it?' then it would be a small pool to choose from

What a weird beef

I'm not in the UK and yet every time there is a flood, or a bit of snow, or some other minor event we see it on the news here (and I can guarantee you don't see the same news from here on your screens). So is it okay for me to say I don't give a F about events in the UK?

In your grey, damp, land you have no idea what fires on this scale are like, have some empathy.

You must be a very boring person if you are only interested in the state of Britain and to hell with the rest of the world.

Some fires are natural disasters, some are arson, some are caused by accidents. They have a suspect for one of the fires in custody - does it make it easier for you to be sympathetic to people like me, packing up essentials just in case, if it’s now “inflicted by fellow human beings”?

Regardless of the cause, please try and have a little empathy for all who are suffering in the world right now, not just the ones you deem worthy.

Something can and should be done about climate change too.

If you’re bored of it go and do something else! I had no idea it’s on ‘all the time’ because I’m not obsessively glued to the news. Also, what’s ’not being able to do anything about it’ got to do with anything?

Sorry, do you want to me list off all the bad things in the world I wish to see more of in the media? Because the OP specifically mentioned Gaza, so that is what I also mentioned. As per my post, bad things aren’t mutually exclusive. I have no idea what blue sky is and I don’t have Instagram for what it’s worth.

I agree.

I hate to state the obvious but there are plenty of poor communities and homeless communities caught up in the fires too. (If you aren’t able to just see people in need as people in need and only believe in sympathising with people based on their class, nationality etc)

Pretty sure being burned to death is one of the worst ways you can go regardless of if you are in Gaza or L.A.

People have died, and it’s likely to be vulnerable and elderly etc so maybe have some decorum.

‘You’re’ sick of hearing about it because it’s all about you, you, you.

Yet we haven’t heard much at all about Gaza this week for example. And sadly this is a war that is going to impact our country

Trump could have a big impact on our economy….

Surely even more of a travesty that atrocities across the world are being ignored because, well, bluesky and Insta aren't telling me I'm supposed to care, and if the right people don't know I care about the right stuff, what's the point, yeah?

I'm sure many of us have parents living in nice parts of the UK- how would we feel if they lost their home and possessions under these circumstances-

quite

I agree with this.

I think the wider issue is we are served up US news constantly on the BBC. Yes the fires are appalling and the issue of climate change is of interest. But the coverage is vast dominating most of the news programme. While just this week we’ve had Elon Musk influencing British politics.

Yet we haven’t heard much at all about Gaza this week for example. And sadly this is a war that is going to impact our country. I think OP is saying they’d like to hear about global news on the BBC more. Sudan is rarely reported on. Many people in the UK couldn’t even tell you where it is. Does Sudan influence the global stage and our politics? No, sadly not. We can still care but not if we don’t hear about these events in the first instance.

I hope your home stays safe.

What a tone deaf thread to start though.

If you don't want to hear about the fires, @Viviennemary you can switch off or scroll on by!

The fires in California and the situation in Gaza are both bad. Obviously.

Not talking about the impacts of global warming doesn’t help to reverse it though. Although it’s likely too late now anyway.

I don't think it's all rich people's housing - we've been to the area quite a few times and away from the beachside mansions there was a lot of pretty small houses and apartment blocks- many people had these houses years and years and I'm sure plenty were not absolutely minted- even if they were we are still allowed to have sympathy - I'm sure many of us have parents living in nice parts of the UK- how would we feel if they lost their home and possessions under these circumstances-

The fires are really big news. The tone of the reporting has been shallow as fuck. Oooh, look at at the stars and celebs! Normal, everyday folk live in Hollywood and their lives are ruined. There is an enormous homeless population (several documentaries have been made about this). God knows what has happened to them. So yes, endless "X celeb's home burns" is tedious although it must be traumatic, whoever you are. No coverage of any other human cost is infuriating.

Hmm disagree OP.

While I think it’s a travesty the suffering in Gaza seems to have largely dropped out of the mainstream media, the two aren’t mutually exclusive. I think devastating fires in the richest nation on earth that has just voted for a climate change skeptic is massive news.

Actually, do you even know what's happening in Sudan? And have you been interested enough to google, or do you just not really care if it doesn't win you internet points?