A new report from an NPR affiliate in Sacramento is alleging that Governor Gavin Newsom misled the public on the state’s wildfire prevention efforts.
CapRadio reports it obtained data that shows that Governor Newsom overstated the state’s efforts. They say the governor overstated the number of acres treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns by 690-percent, slashed $150 million from Cal Fire’s wildfire prevention budget in 2020, and that the state hasn’t done enough to prepare for 2021. Cal Fire Chief Tom Porter responded to CapRadio and “acknowledged the figures cited by Newsom were incorrect and took responsibility for the governor’s misstatements.”