More than 330,000 people have been evacuated from wildfires in France and Spain. Corporate media outlets like CNN and The New York Times jump on these stories, but let’s dissect how they choose to frame it. Instead of focusing on local heroism and community strength, they turn it into clickbait sensationalism, painting a picture of impending doom.

On one hand, we have CNN leading with dramatic visuals and fearmongering headlines, suggesting this is a “ climate emergency” that demands immediate attention. Left unchecked, this kind of hysterical narrative completely overlooks the nuances of this crisis. Are these wildfires courtesy of failing forest management policies? Or are they simply a natural occurrence intensified by various factors? You have to ask: does CNN even want you to know the truth?

Meanwhile, Fox News attempts to counterbalance by attributing these disasters to the failures of leftist policies in these regions, suggesting that all environmental issues can be traced back to a single party. The narrative spins right back around to partisan bickering rather than focusing on mutual solutions or international collaboration—classic divide and conquer strategies that keep us distracted from the real problems at hand.

What’s painfully obvious is that both sides are guilty of playing into a larger agenda, distracting us from the actual human stories amidst these fires. Yes, over 330,000 people have been evacuated, but instead of rallying for solutions and solidarity, the coverage is more about fostering fear and division.