Newsom Declares State of Emergency to 'Fast-Track' Wildfire Measures After Trump's Criticism

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a **state of emergency** in a bold move to expedite wildfire prevention projects. The announcement, made Saturday, comes amidst a backdrop of fierce criticism from former President Donald Trump over the state’s handling of previous wildfire disasters.

The emergency measure temporarily suspends certain environmental regulations that would have delayed critical forest management projects and other wildfire prevention efforts. Newsom emphasized the urgency in his statement, noting, "This year has already seen some of the most destructive wildfires in California history, and we’re only in March. Building on unprecedented work cutting red tape and making historic investments – we’re taking action with a state of emergency to fast-track critical wildfire projects even more."

He continued, "These are the forest management projects we need to protect our communities most vulnerable to wildfire, and we’re going to get them done."

The comprehensive wildfire prevention plan is expected to cost around **$2.5 billion**, funding initiatives like controlled burns, reducing fuel in highly flammable areas, and implementing public tracking systems for wildfire prevention progress. It’s a hefty price tag, but given how wildfires have been torching the state in recent years, it seems like a necessary investment. Let’s face it, California didn’t earn the nickname “fire season central” for nothing.

This move from Newsom follows weeks of personal attacks from Trump, who recently labeled the governor "grossly incompetent" in handling wildfire disasters. Trump, never one to mince words, even resorted to calling Newsom "Gavin Newscum" in a social media post on January 8, continuing his tradition of colorful nicknames for political rivals.

To bolster his case for federal support, Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., in February, where he described meetings with White House officials as "very productive." His team reported that the governor sought "unconditional disaster aid" to help recovery efforts and ensure survivors could rebuild swiftly. Newsom added, "As we approach one month since the devastating wildfires across Southern California, we continue to cut red tape to speed up recovery and clean-up efforts as well as ensure rebuilding efforts are swift."

This latest move by Newsom might not silence his critics, but it does send a clear signal that California is stepping up its wildfire response game. Whether Trump will acknowledge this progress—or use it as another opportunity for a Twitter tirade—is anyone’s guess.