As wildfires continue to burn in Los Angeles, state and local officials have come under scrutiny over the city’s handling of the disaster.
Critics have raised concerns about inadequate preparedness, water shortages and budget cuts as factors hindering the response, with California Democrats facing significant backlash.
Newsweek reached out to the offices of Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) via email on Wednesday outside of regular working hours.
Why It Matters
The wildfires that tore through Southern California last week were the deadliest in the state’s history, claiming at least 24 lives and reducing entire neighborhoods to ashes.
While local officials have defended the response to the unprecedented disaster, the ongoing criticism is fueling political tensions and intensifying calls for accountability.
What To Know
The California governor has come under intense scrutiny, with prominent Republicans such as President-elect Donald Trump calling him “incompetent” and blaming him for the crisis.
Newsom has faced criticism for cutting the state’s funding for wildfire and forest resilience by $101 million last year, while overall increasing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s wildfire protection budget.
He has also been accused of failing to effectively utilize available water resources for firefighting efforts, with many fire hydrants in the city running dry during the crisis.
Newsom said he has called for an independent investigation into why some fire hydrants lost water pressure and why water supplies were reportedly unavailable from the Santa Ynez Reservoir.
The governor has hit back at his critics, accusing his political opponents of playing politics and spreading misinformation.
A group of survivors have also sued the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for water delivery issues, claiming that the Santa Ynez Reservoir was intentionally left drained for nearly a year to save costs.
ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images
The LADWP refuted claims that state water policies were to blame for water availability, contending that the unprecedented demand exceeded system capacity.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles’ mayor Bass has faced backlash for being out of the country when the wildfires erupted, despite having previously vowed to remain in the city during her term.
She has also been criticized for cutting the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget by $17.4 million last year, which critics say has contributed to their inability to respond to the wildfires.
LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley said in a memo in December that the cuts had “adversely affected the department’s ability to maintain core operations, such as technology and communication infrastructure, payroll processing, training, fire prevention and community education.”
Conservative commentators such as Elon Musk have also accused the department of prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies over operational effectiveness.
While there is little evidence to suggest DEI is to blame, the department has been scrutinized for being under-resourced and understaffed.
The LAFD is less staffed than almost any other major city fire department, according to a CNN analysis, despite it being located in one of the areas most at risk of fires in the country.
Former fire chiefs have also criticized the department for not acting preventatively ahead of the Pacific Palisades fire by deploying available firefighters and engines, despite there being warnings of life-threatening winds.
Crowley defended the decisions, citing limited resources and the need to continue responding to other emergencies.
What People Are Saying
Patrick Soon-Shiong, owner of the Los Angeles Times, said on X: “Fires in LA are sadly no surprise, yet the Mayor cut LA Fire Department’s budget by $23M. And reports of empty fire hydrants raise serious questions. Competence matters…”
Republican-turned-Democratic Rick Caruso, who ran against Bass as mayor, told Fox 11 News: “There’s no water in the Palisades. There’s no water coming out of the fire hydrants. This is an absolute mismanagement by the city. Not the firefighters’ fault, but the city’s.”
Trump said on Truth Social: “One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It’s ashes, and Gavin Newscum should resign. This is all his fault!!!”
Governor Newsom on X: “The TRUTH: – CA did NOT cut our firefighting budget. We have nearly doubled the size of our firefighting army and built the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet. – CA has INCREASED forest management tenfold since we took office.”
What Happens Next
Firefighters are still working to contain ongoing fires in parts of Los Angeles. The city faces a long road to rebuild and recover after the fires destroyed countless homes, public buildings and displaced tens of thousands.
Internal or independent investigations could take place into the quality of the city’s response.
