FLASHBACK: Trump urged California Governor Gavin Newsom to clean forest floor to prevent fires

As wildfires tore through Los Angeles and the surrounding areas on Tuesday and into Wednesday, a 2018 clip resurfaced from President-elect Donald Trump's first term in office in which he told California Governor Gavin Newsom that it was important to clean up the forest floor. 

"There's been a lot of study going on over the last little while," Trump said, "and I will say I think you're gonna have—hopefully this is going to be the last of these because this was a really, really bad one. And I know that Gavin's committed, we're all committed, I'm committed to make sure that all of this is cleaned out and protected. You gotta take care of the floors. You know, the floors of the forests, very important."

"You look at other countries where you do it differently and it's a whole different story. I was with the president of Finland and he said 'We have a much different—we're a forest nation.' He called it a 'forest nation.' And they spend a lot of time on raking and cleaning and doing things and they don't have any problem. And when it is, it's a very small problem. So I know everybody's looking at that, to that end. And it's gonna work out," Trump said with his characteristic optimism. "It's gonna work out well."

California's Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan in 2022 emphasized that "Rare plants and species diversity must be protected when 'clearing' forest floors." The plan also blamed climate change for fire intensity and frequency. "Seasonal Santa Ana winds dominate fire behavior along the coast, and mountainous areas. Other wind patterns also impact fire spread inland. There is not consensus on how climate change will impact these winds and related fire spread and severity," it read. "Inland, vegetation type and density have the greatest impact on fire patterns, many of these fuels are fine (such as grasses, chaparral, and shrubs), meaning that they ignite easily and burn hot, and quickly. As climate change brings drier, hotter seasons, this will impact vegetation and therefore fire behavior accordingly."

"Climate change," the Action Plan continued, "is expected to increase both wildfire risk and wildfire intensity in much, if not all, of this region."

Posts from Trump also resurfaced amid the fire on California's coast. Trump said that Newsom had "done a terrible job of forest management. I told him from the very first day we met that he must 'clean' his forest floors regardless of what his bosses, the environmentalists, DEMAND of him. Must also do burns and cut fire stoppers..." Trump cautioned that unless Newsom took care of his own state, the federal government would not provide aid in these times of crisis.

President Joe Biden immediately approved aid to California after Newsom declared a state of emergency. "I am being frequently briefed on the wildfires in west Los Angeles," Biden said. "My team and I are in touch with state and local officials, and I have offered any federal assistance that is needed to help suppress the terrible Pacific Palisades fire. Earlier tonight, FEMA approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support areas that are impacted and help reimburse the state of California for the immediate firefighting costs. My Administration will do everything it can to support the response.   I urge the residents of the Pacific Palisades and the surrounding areas of Los Angeles to stay vigilant and listen to local officials."