Newsom declares California emergency for forest fires with an eye on Trump
The decision follows President Donald Trump's warning to withhold recovery funding for Los Angeles unless California took steps to “rake" the forests.
TroibNews 
SACRAMENTO, California — On Saturday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to declare a state of emergency aimed at removing flammable brush from state forests. This decisive action comes as temperatures rise and the risk of wildfires increases, and it seems to be a response to President Donald Trump and Republican criticism.
According to PMG, Newsom’s declaration will suspend various state environmental and coastal regulations, which have been repeatedly criticized by Trump and GOP supporters as significant hurdles in the effort to clear areas vulnerable to wildfires in California.
The Democratic governor and his team have maintained that they have ramped up brush-clearing initiatives since he took office in 2019, a point Newsom mentioned during a recent meeting with Trump in the Oval Office. However, the forthcoming emergency declaration suggests a recognition that the state's previous measures have not been sufficient to counter the partisan blame directed at California’s Democratic leadership.
This high-profile action from Newsom coincides with his pursuit of nearly $40 billion in federal disaster relief from the Trump administration and congressional Republicans to aid in the rebuilding of Los Angeles following devastating wildfires earlier in the year.
For years, Trump has expressed concern about California's forest management practices, arguing that the state fails to adequately clear combustible materials, despite the fact that a significant portion of the land is federally managed. More than half of California's forests fall under federal management, leaving the state responsible for only about 3 percent.
Following recent fires in Los Angeles, projected to be the costliest disaster in U.S. history, Trump reiterated the need for California to improve its practices, suggesting the state should focus on “raking the forests.” Current discussions among congressional Republicans regarding the $40 billion disaster relief appear to be focusing on several conditions, reflecting both procedural considerations and policy matters.
Newsom's new order will temporarily lift certain provisions of state environmental laws, including those under the California Environmental Quality Act and the Coastal Act, which he claims hinder efforts to establish fuel breaks, remove trees and vegetation, and carry out controlled burns necessary to mitigate the risk of devastating wildfires.
“This year has already seen some of the most destructive wildfires in California history, and we’re only in March," Newsom stated in a preview of his announcement. "These are the forest management projects we need to protect our communities most vulnerable to wildfire, and we’re going to get them done.”
Trump and officials like Elon Musk have specifically targeted the California Coastal Commission, an entity established under the Coastal Act that manages environmental permitting along the state’s 840-mile coastline.
During his January visit to Los Angeles, Trump identified the Coastal Commission as a barrier to reconstruction, criticizing its lengthy permitting process. He remarked during a roundtable with local officials that “they are considered the most difficult in the entire country, and we cannot have them play their games and wait 10 years to give somebody a permit. … I'm not going to let them get away with their antics.”
Special envoy Richard Grenell supported imposing conditions on California’s wildfire aid during a discussion with PMG last week, indicating that the administration is considering what those conditions would include. He specifically mentioned the California Coastal Commission, labeling it “a disaster” and condemning its members as an unelected group with “crazy woke left” tendencies.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
According to PMG, Newsom’s declaration will suspend various state environmental and coastal regulations, which have been repeatedly criticized by Trump and GOP supporters as significant hurdles in the effort to clear areas vulnerable to wildfires in California.
The Democratic governor and his team have maintained that they have ramped up brush-clearing initiatives since he took office in 2019, a point Newsom mentioned during a recent meeting with Trump in the Oval Office. However, the forthcoming emergency declaration suggests a recognition that the state's previous measures have not been sufficient to counter the partisan blame directed at California’s Democratic leadership.
This high-profile action from Newsom coincides with his pursuit of nearly $40 billion in federal disaster relief from the Trump administration and congressional Republicans to aid in the rebuilding of Los Angeles following devastating wildfires earlier in the year.
For years, Trump has expressed concern about California's forest management practices, arguing that the state fails to adequately clear combustible materials, despite the fact that a significant portion of the land is federally managed. More than half of California's forests fall under federal management, leaving the state responsible for only about 3 percent.
Following recent fires in Los Angeles, projected to be the costliest disaster in U.S. history, Trump reiterated the need for California to improve its practices, suggesting the state should focus on “raking the forests.” Current discussions among congressional Republicans regarding the $40 billion disaster relief appear to be focusing on several conditions, reflecting both procedural considerations and policy matters.
Newsom's new order will temporarily lift certain provisions of state environmental laws, including those under the California Environmental Quality Act and the Coastal Act, which he claims hinder efforts to establish fuel breaks, remove trees and vegetation, and carry out controlled burns necessary to mitigate the risk of devastating wildfires.
“This year has already seen some of the most destructive wildfires in California history, and we’re only in March," Newsom stated in a preview of his announcement. "These are the forest management projects we need to protect our communities most vulnerable to wildfire, and we’re going to get them done.”
Trump and officials like Elon Musk have specifically targeted the California Coastal Commission, an entity established under the Coastal Act that manages environmental permitting along the state’s 840-mile coastline.
During his January visit to Los Angeles, Trump identified the Coastal Commission as a barrier to reconstruction, criticizing its lengthy permitting process. He remarked during a roundtable with local officials that “they are considered the most difficult in the entire country, and we cannot have them play their games and wait 10 years to give somebody a permit. … I'm not going to let them get away with their antics.”
Special envoy Richard Grenell supported imposing conditions on California’s wildfire aid during a discussion with PMG last week, indicating that the administration is considering what those conditions would include. He specifically mentioned the California Coastal Commission, labeling it “a disaster” and condemning its members as an unelected group with “crazy woke left” tendencies.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
