The White House today fired back in its feud with CNN reporter Jim Acosta, accusing him of being “solely responsible” for the blazes which have devastated much of northern California.

The senior Presidential correspondent had his credentials suspended after a fiery press conference earlier this month, during which the White House claimed that Acosta had “manhandled” an aide, an accusation backed up by clumsily doctored video footage.

CNN dropped its lawsuit against the White House when Acosta’s credentials were restored, a move made in conjunction with the release of a new set of rules for White House correspondents. The rules apply to all journalists addressing the President, and include “no follow-up questions, no making eye contact with the President, no sudden movements, and no red M&Ms.”

But the White House once again put the spotlight on Acosta, claiming that “irresponsible actions by Jim Acosta and the failing CNN” are the root cause of wildfires which have burned hundreds of thousands of acres of woodland, caused millions of dollars of property damage, and cost nearly a hundred lives.

Presidential Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders made the accusation in a press release, which was accompanied by video footage that purported to show Acosta leaving campfires unattended and being careless with matches. Critics claim that the video is, in fact, a Public Service Announcement from 1976 featuring Smokey the Bear.

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