In the wake of California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire in that state’s recorded history, political enemies joined hands  as President Donald Trump toured areas in and around Paradise, Ca. – a town of 27,000 residents – that was burnt to a crisp. Homes, businesses, government buildings, fire and police stations, churches, hospitals and schools were all gone with the scorching hot winds of fire.

California Gov. Jerry Brown was the first one to shake hands with and welcome the president as he walked down the steps of Air Force One. Standing with the president and Gov. Brown was governor-elect Gavin Newsom – both democrats and frequent critics of President Trump, but now is no time for political differences and finger pointing at who is and is not the blame for such immense, widespread human agony and despair all at the hands of Mother Nature’s wrath.

If anyone is to blame for the destructive so-called “Camp Fire” it really is Mother Nature. A rare combination of extreme drought, high winds, low humidity, thick underbrush, overgrown mountain forests and a spark set off this wildfire that spread quickly through wooden homes and buildings virtually destroying the entire town trapping residents in their homes and cars sealing their fateful deaths. And yes, climate change may also be blamed.

The statistics are grim and getting grimmer concerning this wildfire that began Nov. 8. The official death tolls stands at about 80 but with more than 1,000 people unaccounted for that number is sure to rise. Three deaths were also reported in another wildfire in southern California. In and around Paradise, some 9,800 homes burned to the ground while 52,000 area residents were forced to flee their homes.

In their comments during the tour of Paradise both Brown and Newsom said “It’s time to pull together for the people of California” and President Trump agreed. In the smog it was a breath of fresh air to see President Trump, Brown and Newsom standing together for the common good of the people and not trading ‘one-finger salutes’ at one another while the “Camp Fire” remains burning.

Recovery from these and other recent wildfires will take years in California – a state that is already financially strapped on the verge of bankruptcy thanks to runaway personal and business taxation, sky-high real estate prices, rents and property insurance, unchecked illegal immigration, and crazy sanctuary city liberal thinking.

Meanwhile, south of the border at Tijuana, Mexico the first of the traveling Central Americans arrived to the Mexico/USA border seeking asylum and they were greeted with chants of “invasion” from local residents telling the illegal immigrants to “Go Home” and “Get out.” It is becoming abundantly clear that this caravan of Central Americans mostly from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala is blowing up in the faces of those that organized it.

News reports coming out of Tijuana show rioting in the streets and fighting with police. The mayor of Tijuana is pleading for help from the Mexican government saying that his city is “ill-prepared” to deal with this humanitarian crisis only in its beginning stages. Thousands more illegal immigrants will be arriving in Tijuana in the days and weeks ahead.

President Trump maintains that these illegals will not be entering the USA. The developing situation in Tijuana and other locations along the 2,000-mile long border are under the watchful eyes of the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Border Patrol and the 5,600 U.S. Army troops now stationed along the border.

It is guaranteed that few if any of these illegals will get approved asylum to legally enter the USA. It is also guaranteed that incoming Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will be the one to deal with these illegals now that his predecessor outgoing President Enrique Nena Nieto failed to prevent illegals entering Mexico from the south.

Mexico is stuck with these illegals from Central America. President-Elect Obrador takes office on Dec. 1. Under Mexico’s Constitution he is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces. This situation will be his first test of leadership and anything can happen.

If blood fills the streets of Tijuana it’s not anyone’s fault except Mexico.

About the Author Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for the Palatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.

Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.