Governor Gavin Newsom is working overtime to dodge the political fallout from California’s disastrous response to the Los Angeles County wildfires. With presidential aspirations clearly on his mind, Newsom seems more preoccupied with deflecting blame and clapping back at Donald Trump’s critiques than addressing the glaring failures in his state’s disaster preparedness. Trump’s social media jabs may have been blunt, but they pale in comparison to the anger simmering among California residents who are watching their homes and livelihoods go up in smoke. Once the flames subside, Newsom might find himself facing a political inferno of his own making.
The chaos on the ground reveals a top-to-bottom failure in leadership. Firefighters reportedly struggled without sufficient water, and it didn’t help that the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget was slashed by nearly $20 million earlier this year. Internal memos had already warned Mayor Karen Bass that these cuts could cripple disaster response, but those concerns apparently fell on deaf ears. Meanwhile, LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley has publicly criticized the city’s political leadership, leading to a very public standoff with the mayor’s office. However, Crowley herself isn’t blameless—she spent more time pushing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives than ensuring her team was prepared for, say, actually fighting fires.
Adding fuel to the proverbial fire, Newsom made a bold claim during a live NBC News segment, stating that California’s reservoirs were full and ready to assist with firefighting efforts. The reality? Not even close. Reservoirs that could have been critical in battling the Palisades blaze have been woefully underfilled for months, and some haven’t been at capacity since February. Yet Newsom confidently peddled the narrative, hoping the public wouldn’t notice the glaring disconnect between his rhetoric and the facts on the ground.
The Palisades fire itself is a case study in mismanagement. Threatening major infrastructure like the 405 freeway and still raging out of control, the situation underscores just how unprepared California is to handle its ever-worsening wildfire seasons. Instead of prioritizing basic disaster readiness, state and local leadership seemed more invested in political grandstanding and ideological pet projects. Workshops on unconscious bias might make for good headlines in a press release, but they’re of little use when fire crews lack the resources they need to save lives and property.
As the fires continue to rage, the political fallout for Newsom and his allies is only just beginning. Californians are fed up with leaders who talk a big game about climate change and resilience but can’t deliver on basic governance. With a growing chorus of critics pointing out the state’s failure to maintain critical infrastructure and its misplaced budget priorities, Newsom’s presidential ambitions might end up smoldering right alongside the wreckage of the Palisades fire.
Gavin Newsom: All our water reservoirs are full!
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 12, 2025
Reporter: Actually one reservoir was empty
Gavin Newsom: Oh yeah we’re investigating that pic.twitter.com/6BIfls54iW
