img

Gavin Newsom slashed fire prevention budget by $100 million before deadly wildfires: report

Signed into law in June, the budget eliminated $101 million from seven “wildfire and forest resilience” programs.

ADVERTISEMENT

Signed into law in June, the budget eliminated $101 million from seven “wildfire and forest resilience” programs.

ADVERTISEMENT
California Governor Gavin Newsom reduced funding for wildfire prevention programs by more than $100 million in the state’s fiscal 2025 budget, according to a report by Newsweek.

Signed into law in June, the budget eliminated $101 million from seven “wildfire and forest resilience” programs, which has raised questions about the state’s preparedness as devastating wildfires rage across California.

Among the reductions was a $5 million cut to CAL FIRE’s budget for fuel reduction teams, leaving $129 million allocated to these efforts. The reduction impacts funds used by the state National Guard for “vegetation management work” intended to reduce threats of fires starting and spreading. Additional cuts included $28 million from various conservancies for wildfire resilience and $8 million from fire monitoring and research programs.

In response to criticism, Newsom’s office dismissed claims of negligence, calling reports of funding cuts a “ridiculous lie.” A spokesperson for the governor said in a statement to Fox News, “The governor has doubled the size of our firefighting army, built the world’s largest aerial firefighting fleet and the state has increased the forest management ten-fold since he took office.”

The report comes as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also faces backlash for cutting funding to the Los Angeles Fire Department by $17.6 million in the city’s latest budget. Critics have called for an investigation into her administration’s budget priorities, with some even demanding her resignation.

The fires have forced over 150,000 California residents to evacuate, with tens of billions of dollars in damages already estimated. At least 11 people have been confirmed dead, and thousands of structures have been destroyed as the wildfires continue to spread.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Sign in to comment

Comments

Dean

Nothing to see here. Move along. Voters kept him in office, along with the rest of the Demonrats.

Dean

Hey Newsom, everything that comes out of your mouth is 'misinformation'. Censor thyself.

Powered by The Post Millennial CMS™ Comments

Join and support independent free thinkers!

We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.

Support The Post Millennial

Remind me next month

To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2025 The Post Millennial, Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information