Governor Gavin Newsom’s Failures

1. Massive Overstatement of Wildfire Prevention Numbers
Newsom claimed 90,000 acres were treated in wildfire prevention programs in 2019. In reality, only 11,399 acres were treated—a staggering 690% inflation.  

Source: NPR2. Cutting Fire Prevention Funding
In 2021, Newsom cut $150 million from wildfire prevention efforts while wildfires were becoming more frequent and devastating. This decision left programs underfunded when California needed them most.  

Source: NY Post3. Failure to Meet Controlled Burn Targets
California’s wildfire prevention plan set a goal of 400,000 acres annually for controlled burns, but under Newsom, only 96,000 acres were treated in 2022—less than 25% of the goal.

Source: New York Times4. Failure to Scale Firefighter Resources
Despite increasing fire severity, Newsom’s administration has not adequately scaled firefighter staffing levels. Cal Fire has struggled to maintain staffing during emergencies, with firefighters often pulled away from preventive work to fight active fires.

5. Neglect of Infrastructure Failures
Water hydrants ran dry during the Pacific Palisades fire, and Newsom passed the blame onto local officials instead of addressing the state’s infrastructure issues.
Source: NYP6. Political Priorities Over Practical Solutions
Newsom’s focus has been on climate change legislation and photo ops, rather than investing directly in proven solutions like forest thinning, prescribed burns, and fire-safe community planning.

7. Failure to Address PG&E’s Role in Wildfires
Newsom has been criticized for not holding Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) accountable for faulty infrastructure that has sparked numerous wildfires, including the Camp Fire in 2018.