CA natural resources secretary says federal government 'needs to do its part' to prevent wildfires

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot spoke with ABC7's Larry Beil on Tuesday about climate change and President Trump's recent visit to the state amid devastating wildfires.

Trump renewed his unfounded claim that failure to rake forest floors and clear dead timber is mostly to blame for the fires ravaging the West Coast, not climate change.

RELATED: 'I don't think science knows:' Trump rejects climate change's role in California wildfires

Crowfoot shifted blame for these fires from the state to the president by saying, "The federal government needs to do its part to maintain about 57% of the state's forest that federal agencies own and manage."

During the visit on Monday, Crowfoot challenged the president to work with the state on climate change.

The president responded, "It'll start getting cooler, you just watch."

"I wish science agreed with you," Crawfoot pushed back.

"I don't think science knows, actually," Trump countered.

Crowfoot took to Twitter to correct the president's statement.

"Let's be honest about the facts," Crowfoot said, "and let's be honest about climate change because it's creating conditions we've never seen before."

Twenty-five major wildfires are still burning across the state.

Watch the video in the player above for the full interview.

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