Trump blames Newsom for deadly wildfires

By Brett Rowland
The Center Square

President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom for water policies that the future president says fueled the raging flames around Los Angeles.

"Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way," Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

Trump said Newsom wouldn't sign the measure because Newsom wanted to protect "an essentially worthless fish called a smelt."

"Now the ultimate price is being paid," Trump wrote. "I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, no firefighting planes. A true disaster!"

Meteorologists said that the combination of hurricane-strength winds blowing dry air down the mountains, and the second-wettest two-year span on record led to vegetative overgrowth. That overgrowth gave way to a drought that turned the brush into fire fuel, creating catastrophic fire conditions.

Weather conditions won't help firefighters working to extinguish the flames. 

"High winds and low relative humidity will produce critical to extremely critical fire weather in southern California through Thursday," according to the National Weather Service alert.

At least two people were killed in the fast-moving fires. The fire prompted mandatory evacuations for more than 80,000 people. The Palisades Fire had already burned through 5,900 acres and destroyed more than 1,000 structures. Officials are also tracking other fires in the area.