California's deadly wildfires reveal US's lopsided priorities

In recent days, California’s devastating wildfires have reignited public concern over the escalating climate crisis. Simultaneously, the ongoing war in Gaza has laid bare the human and environmental costs of militarisation and occupation. While these events may seem worlds apart, they are deeply inter-connected through systems of global inequality and misaligned budgetary priorities.

California’s fire season grows longer and more destructive each year, exacerbated by climate change, decades of mismanagement, and underfunded firefighting infrastructure. Budget cuts to fire departments, alongside insufficient investment in proactive fire prevention measures, leave communities vulnerable to catastrophic loss. At the same time, the US continues to funnel billions of dollars into military aid, including the $3.8 billion annual package to Israel, and recent frequent donations to fund the war on Gaza. Indeed, a few days prior to the beginning of the fire, outgoing President Joe Biden proposed a final arms deal from his administration worth $8 billion. This funding and these arms support the bombardment of Gaza, a densely populated area where repeated military campaigns have caused widespread destruction and loss of life.

The juxtaposition of these priorities raises critical questions about the allocation of resources. In 2023, California faced a $22 billion budget deficit, leading to cuts in crucial programmes, including climate resilience initiatives. This however did not lead to a cut in funding for police militarisation; in fact the opposite was the case. Meanwhile, US financial support for Israel’s military operations has remained unwavering, even as these operations devastate Gaza’s infrastructure and environment. This disparity reflects a broader systemic issue: A global economy prioritising militarisation and profit over environmental and human well-being.

The concept of ecofascism—where environmental crises are used to justify authoritarianism, exclusion, and violence—offers a lens to understand how these issues intersect. In Gaza, the destruction of infrastructure, including water and power systems, creates a humanitarian crisis with profound ecological consequences. Repeated bombings have contaminated soil, water, and air, leaving Palestinians to endure environmental degradation alongside occupation.

Simultaneously, the climate crisis disproportionately affects marginalised communities worldwide, including those in California.

The environmental consequences of war are immense. Military operations contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, and habitat destruction. In Gaza, the environmental toll of conflict compounds the climate challenges already facing the region, such as water scarcity and rising temperatures. Similarly, the U.S. military is one of the world’s largest polluters, its global operations exacerbating the very climate conditions fueling California’s wildfires.

This cycle of destruction reveals the inter-connectedness of struggles for environmental justice and peace. The fires in California and the devastation in Gaza are not isolated crises but symptoms of a global system that prioritises profit and power over people and the planet. Recognising these connections underscores the importance of internationalism and solidarity. Climate justice, peace, and human rights are inseparable struggles, requiring collective action across borders. Communities fighting for justice in California can draw inspiration and strength from the resilience of Palestinians in Gaza, and vice versa.

For true change to be witnessed, and perhaps even for climate degradation to be stopped, the people must push for a reprioritisation of the earth and its inhabitants over the greed that is the root behind conflict and primitive accumulation of property. Reimagining these priorities requires confronting the power structures that sustain inequality, from corporate interests to state violence. It also demands a broader cultural shift—one that values collective care over individual profit and international cooperation over militarised competition.

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As climate change accelerates and global inequality deepens, the need for international solidarity has never been more urgent. By uniting our struggles, we can challenge the forces of ecofascism and militarisation, reclaim resources for people and the planet, and create a future where no community—whether in California or Gaza—must endure the devastating consequences of systemic neglect and violence.

Ms Gitahi is an international lawyer