California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday he thinks the Los Angeles County wildfires will be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history “in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope.”
“I think it will be in terms of just the costs associated with it, in terms of the scale and scope,” Newsom said in an interview with NBC’s Jacob Soboroff on “Meet the Press.” “Currently we’re getting confirmation from the coroners, so we always have to be careful on the death toll, but it’s in the 13 range, and I’ve got search-and-rescue teams out. We’ve got cadaver dogs out. And there’s likely to be a lot more.”
In the interview, Newsom announced an executive order that would suspend some environmental regulations to help streamline rebuilding after the wildfires. The California governor also announced an independent investigation into the water supply issues, including one reservoir that serves Palisades not being full.
“We’ve got to be thinking three weeks, three months, three years ahead at the same time we’re focusing on the immediacy, which is life safety and property,” Newsom said. “And so that’s exactly what we’re doing with disaster assistance, making sure people are getting their applications, addressing the issue of fraud.”
As for the incoming independent investigation, Newsom said he wants to know “what the hell happened,” and get the facts together. He pushed back on claims that this would “pass the blame” onto anyone else and said he has “full faith in the community” and “leaders” when asked if he has faith in Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
“We’re all in this together. We’re all better off when we’re all better off, and we’re all better off when we’re working together to take care of people and to make sure people are supported,” Newsom said. “And we’re here not just in the immediacy of the crisis, but we’re here after the crisis, as opposed to creating a crisis in the middle of this by trying to divide people and play political, take cheap political shots.”
As for President-elect Donald Trump’s recent critiques of Newsom, including stating that his water policies protecting a fish species were responsible for the devastating fires, Newsom said he invited Trump to come out to California.
“I called for him to come out, take a look for himself. We want to do it in the spirit of an open hand, not a closed fist. He’s the president-elect. I respect the office,” Newsom said. “We had support from the president of the United States, Joe Biden, with 100% reimbursement, all the resources you could hope for, imagine, constant communication. I’d like to extend that to the president-elect. “
In a “Fox News Sunday” interview with Vice-President-elect JD Vance earlier Sunday, Vance said Trump “would love to visit California” but still criticized Newsom for his state policies.
“That mis- and dis-information I don’t think advantages or aids any of us,” Newsom said. “Responding to Donald Trump’s insults, we would spend another month. I’m very familiar with them. Every elected official that he disagrees with is very familiar with them.”