California relief aid should be withheld over state policies: Rep. Davidson

Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, suggested withholding federal disaster relief for California unless the state changes its forestry policies. He said, “If they want the money, then there should be consequences where they have to change their policies.”

California Fire Foundation Chair Brian Rice criticized Davidson’s comments, emphasizing that California firefighters are skilled and that wildfires are a natural part of the state’s ecosystem.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a webpage to counter wildfire misinformation, asserting that the budget for forest management is now ten times larger than in 2019.

The Los Angeles wildfires have resulted in at least 24 deaths and the destruction of over 12,000 structures, with many more at risk, highlighting the severity of the situation.