As fires continued to ravage Los Angeles on Thursday, California’s legislature began a special legislative session Governor Gavin Newsom ordered to “Trump-proof” the state from President-Elect Donald Trump – but, one assembly member is asking Newsom to “fireproof” California, instead.
In a letter sent to Gov. Newsom Wednesday, Republican Assemblyman Bill Essayli calls on the Democrat governor to shift the focus from “political posturing” to saving lives and property from the fires:
“Now is not the time for political posturing or spending millions to ‘Trump-proof’ California. Instead, it’s time to take significant action to fireproof our state.”
Since the governor has the authority to issue proclamations convening special sessions (as he did in order to fight the incoming president), he should immediately convene a special session of the state legislature to:
- “Fund critical firefighting efforts and upgrade our infrastructure;
- “Pass policy changes to allow for needed fire mitigation, such as controlled burns and undergrounding of power lines, and
- “Address the fire insurance crisis Californians are currently facing.”
The current fires aren’t isolated incidents, Assemblyman Essayli writes, noting that California recorded more than eight thousand wildfires that burned more than one million acres in 2024 alone.
Governor Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass are currently being hit with harsh criticism by Democrats and Republicans alike, accusing them of grossly mismanaging the fire crisis and failing to properly prepare for it beforehand.
