Uncertainty and Disputes

Sources of Uncertainty:

When environmental disasters take place normally there is a dispute over who caused it or who is to blame. The San Diego wildfire disaster is different because there is not a dispute about who is to blame for the fires. The San Diego fires can be classified into two different sorts of disputes. First, it is a Conservancy dispute. Conservancy disputes are described by disagreements over defining and protecting natural areas. This applies to the San Diego Wildfires because since the fires have occurred, disputes have dealt with how to protect the land in the future. One problem that has occurred is with fire hydrants and with water shortages.

The San Diego wildfires can also be considered an exposure dispute. An exposure dispute is a fight against a disaster that has already occurred. This applies to the San Diego Wildfires because the dispute is not a about how the fire started. The community is disputing with each other and the government about how deal with the fires since they have started. Also, since the fires have started the community has come across a number of problems. Some disputes that repeatedly occur deal with insurance and debris removal.

One of the causes of wildfires is global warming. The San Diego Declaration explains that global warming makes wildfires much harder to control and manage. There is a lot of evidence that proves that global warming has a direct link to wildfires.

There is not a lot of controversy about whether the wildfires will strike again in California. Most agree that if efforts to stop global warming are not made, the wildfires will continue to spread in the future. As time goes on without changes being made, the danger in the future increases.

The fires are measured in a few ways. One way is the number of acres that are burnt. When discussing wildfires the percentage of fire that was contained and what percentage was not is also measured. The damage of the fire is also measured in the number of causalities and injuries.

The Vertical Axis of Knowledge Disputes

Local residents are not questioning what experts say about the wildfires. The experts blame a lot of the fires on global warming. The majority of people do not deny that global warming is occurring. San Diego residents heard about global warming’s effects on other parts of the country and are now personally suffering the painful effects.

The San Diego wildfires caused some vertical wildfires. A vertical conflict is a conflict that takes place between the community and the government. Often the disputes are over the validity and reliability of tests and measurements. The reason there is not a vertical conflict is because the people of San Diego realize that the facts are correct. They can not argue the number of fires that started or the damage it caused.

Some disputes between the government did take place however. For example, the disaster area has received some financial assistance. FEMA requires the people of San Diego to register and apply for assistance. Also FEMA completed inspections where the fires damaged property. These inspections were likely to create disputes because many people were unhappy with the how FEMA reported the damage. The people of California had disputes with not only insurance companies but also with the government about how much aid and assistance they felt they deserved. ALE (Additional Living Expenses) issues also are a problem. As a result of the fire many people were left unemployed. People in the San Diego area were forced to look for assistance so that they were able to survive. They went to the government when looking for this assistance.

The Horizontal Axis of Knowledge Disputes

The San Diego wildfires also caused horizontal arguments. Horizontal arguments occur between groups in a community with opposing opinions about environmental troubles. These disputes tend to occur in most disasters because when a tragedy occurs people are under stress and conflicts are likely to arise. People feel as though resources and assistance may not be distributed evenly. Also, people have different opinions on how the disaster should be handled. When controversies like this occur, they can be defined as Horizontal disputes. All together, the community joined forces well to deal with the disaster.