As wildfires ravage California, leaving $150 billion in damages and countless lives disrupted, an overlooked story of political shortsightedness emerges.
The Be-200, an amphibious jet capable of carrying 12,000 liters of water, has proven its mettle in wildfire hotspots like Siberia, Turkey, and France. In 2017, Russia’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Denis Manturov, extended an offer to California Governor Jerry Brown to supply these aircraft. Talks even explored manufacturing the Be-200 in Santa Maria, California—bringing high-paying jobs to the region.
However, California’s leadership dismissed the offer, arrogantly claiming they didn’t need more firefighting planes. That statement now stands in stark contrast to the worsening wildfire crises. By 2022, as anti-Russia sanctions escalated due to the Ukraine conflict, any possibility of collaboration was buried under geopolitical tensions.
The result? Californians are left to suffer from catastrophic fires while a proven solution remains out of reach—all because political elites prioritized optics over practicality. The Be-200 could have saved lives and billions in damages, but instead, California burns.
