Your article on fires (“After Fires, Thoughts Turn to Rebuilding,” Oct. 29) points out opportunities for Southern California’s moribund construction industry but does not mention ways to prevent such fires.
Irvine officials have fiddled away air support to fight fires, and Irvine will always be last in line to receive help from the state and federal governments. But there is a solution.
The city of Irvine can buy its own fire-fighting airplanes and helicopters and keep them at the closed El Toro Marine air base with fuel-saving cross runways, also once known as the planned El Toro International Airport and now as the Great Park. Then Irvine won’t have to worry about the state sending its equipment elsewhere based on priority, rationing and Democrat politics.
Donald Nyre
Newport Beach
