Part 6/9:
Despite claims from Newsom’s administration regarding bolstered wildfire-fighting capabilities—such as doubling the size of the aerial firefighting fleet—these cuts signal a glaring misalignment between funding allocation and the pressing needs on the ground.
The cuts came at a time when California was already navigating a complex landscape of increasing wildfire threats. By reducing resources dedicated to forest management and wildfire prevention, the state set itself up for the very crisis it is now facing.