GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM,
WELCOME BACK TO MEET THE PRESS.
GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS.
THANK YOU.
6 DIFFERENT WILDFIRES RAGING RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES TO COMBAT ALL THESE FIRES AT THIS HOUR?
YEAH,
WE HAVE 14,000 PEOPLE WORKING THE LINE RIGHT NOW.
WE DOUBLED THE NATIONAL GUARD.
WE HAVE 1680.
OUT THERE HELPING ON THE LOGISTICS SIDE,
I WAS JUST WITH
FOLKS FROM MEXICO.
73 FOLKS WILL BE RELIEVING SOME OF OUR HAND CREWS.
WE'VE GOT 9 STATES THAT ARE NOW PROVIDING
UNDER THIS EA SYSTEM SUPPORT,
SO WE'VE GOT THE RESOURCES,
BUT WE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THIS.
WE HAVE THE WINDS THAT HAVE CHANGED,
AND THAT ALLOWS US TO BE MORE RESOURCEFUL WITH EXISTING RESOURCES,
PARTICULARLY THE AERIAL RESOURCES.
WHAT'S THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL GUARD HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA?
COMBINATION OF FACTORS.
WE HAVE THE RATTLESNAKE TEAMS THAT ARE DOING THE LINE AND WORKING.
WITH THE HAND CREWS,
WE HAVE OTHER LOGISTICS PACKAGES HAPPENING
AND WE SAW OUR FIRST MAPS,
WHICH ARE THESE FOLKS THAT ARE DOING RETARDANT,
WHICH ARE MILITARY PLANES AND THE GUARDS LEADING THAT OPERATION.
SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF ALL THOSE FACTORS
AND OF COURSE FUNDAMENTALLY 600 PLUS JUST FOCUSING ON LOOTING
AND MAKING SURE THERE'S LAW AND ORDER ON THE STREETS.
WELL,
THERE GOES I MAY AS WELL ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR CHOPPERS.
HOW MANY AIRCRAFT DO YOU HAVE DEPLOYED RIGHT NOW?
THERE'S THERE ARE AS MANY AS THE TRAFFIC CONTROL CAN HANDLE.
AIRCRAFT RESOURCES ARE NOT AN ISSUE.
WE'VE GOT FIXED WING UP TODAY AND THEN YOU SAW LAST NIGHT,
PARTICULARLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS,
JUST BATTLING THE NIGHTTIME BLAZES.
BY THE WAY,
TECHNOLOGY THAT DIDN'T EXIST
A FEW YEARS AGO.
DID NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES OF THESE FIRE HAWKS THAT ALLOWED NIGHT VISION,
6 HOURS,
NIGHT GOGGLES.
THESE GUYS LAID DOWN THE LINES IN THE PALISADE
ALMOST HALF A BILLION GALLONS TO TRY TO HOLD THE LINE THERE
ON THE RIDGE SO IT DIDN'T COME DOWN INTO THE CANYON,
THE BEL AIR AREA
AND PARTS OF BRENTWOOD.
SO IT'S JUST REMARKABLE THE HEROISM.
OF THESE FOLKS,
IT'S REMARKABLE THE MUTUAL AID SYSTEM.
I MEAN,
YOU MEET FOLKS FROM OREGON THAT ARE WORKING WITH FOLKS FROM KERN COUNTY THAT
ARE WORKING FOLKS OVERSEAS THAT HAVE NEVER MET IN ITS HAND AND GLOVE.
IT'S REALLY INSPIRING.
IN YOUR OPINION,
IS THIS OR WILL IT BE THE WORST NATURAL DISASTER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES?
I THINK IT WILL BE IN TERMS OF JUST THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT,
IN TERMS OF THE SCALE AND SCOPE.
I DON'T REMIND THE FOLKS IN CALIFORNIA WHERE THE TUBS FIRE 5600.
HOUSES WERE LOST AND OF COURSE CAMPFIRE.
WE HAD 18,000 HOUSING UNITS LOST AND 85 PEOPLE THAT LOST THEIR LIVES.
CURRENTLY WE'RE,
YOU KNOW,
WE'RE GETTING CONFIRMATION FROM THE CORONER,
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.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 48 HOURS?
I THINK IS MAKING SURE THE LIFE SAFETY,
PROPERTY FOCUS IS THERE AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE ADDRESSING THE PERIMETER ISSUES.
THE CHALLENGE IS THE WINDS.
WE GOT THESE WINDS COMING BACK
THIS EVENING,
SUNDAY NIGHT.
WE'VE GOT PEAK WINDS ON MONDAY.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE 50+ MILE AN HOUR GUSTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
SO NOW WE'RE PREPOSITIONING ASSETS.
UH,
AND WE'RE PREPOSITIONING NOT JUST HERE IN THE THEATER,
THOSE EXISTING 5 PLUS FIRES,
BUT NOW BROADENING THAT TO A NUMBER OF OTHER COUNTIES AND MOVING FARTHER SOUTH WITH
SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES IN ANTICIPATION WE COULD SEE SOME FLARE-UPS AND NEW PLACES,
NEW STARTS.
YOU'RE HERE WITH US ON MEET THE PRESS TO ANNOUNCE A NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER.
WHAT IS THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER?
WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH?
LOOK,
WE'VE GOT TO BE THINKING 3 WEEKS,
3 MONTHS,
3 YEARS AHEAD AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE IMMEDIACY,
WHICH IS LIFE SAFETY AND PROPERTY.
AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH DISASTER ASSISTANCE,
MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR APPLICATIONS,
ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF FRAUD.
AND THAT'S AN ISSUE WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS PRICE GOUGING,
SO EXECUTIVE ORDERS ON PRICE GOUGING,
RECOVERY.
WE WANT TO GET INSPECTIONS UNITS LIKE THIS.
WE WANT TO GET OUR INSPECTION TEAMS OUT HERE.
THEY'RE ALREADY STARTING TO GET OUT HERE.
WE'VE COME UP WITH SOME TIMELINES SO WE CAN GET WITHIN THE NEXT
FEW WEEKS ALL THAT DONE SO PEOPLE CAN GET THEIR INSURANCE CLAIMS.
WE CAN THEN START THE BIG CONTRACTS TO REMOVE
THE DEBRIS TO ADDRESS ALL THE HAZMAT ISSUES.
SAME TIME THAT I'VE GOT TO BUTTON UP THE
CANYONS HERE AS IT RELATES TO POTENTIAL FLOODING.
A LOT OF ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS,
WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER.
THIS IS JANUARY.
IN FACT,
THE DAY OF THIS FIRE,
NOT A STONE'S THROW AWAY AS THE CROW FLIES,
THERE WAS SNOW RIGHT UP THE MOUNTAIN HERE THE
SAME DAY AS THIS DEVASTATING FIRE HERE IN ALTADENA,
SO ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN CONCURRENTLY,
BUT HERE'S THE BIG THING.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT UH ISSUES OF REBUILDING AS IT RELATES
TO SCARCITY UH AS IT RELATES TO PROPERTY TAXES,
MEANING SCARCITY OF,
OF RESOURCES,
UH,
MATERIALS,
PERSONNEL
UH I'M WORRIED ABOUT TIME.
TO GETTING THESE PROJECTS DONE
AND SO WE WANT TO FAST TRACK BY ELIMINATING ANY REQUIREMENTS.
I'VE GOT COASTAL ACT CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN SOMEONE REBUILDS
THAT THEY HAVE THEIR OLD PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS
AND THAT THEY'RE NOT INCREASED.
ALL OF THAT'S BEEN DONE IN THE EXECUTIVE ORDER WE JUST ANNOUNCED.
AND THE COASTAL ACT ARE BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE SUSPENDING THOSE TEMPORARILY,
ARE YOU
CONCERNED ABOUT PROBLEMS THAT MAY RESULT FROM THE SUSPENSION OF
THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND THE POTENTIAL ABUSE BY DEVELOPERS?
YES,
WE'RE NOT GOING TO AND WITHIN THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER WE FRAME THOSE ABUSES.
WE BASICALLY BOOKMARK THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF MAINTAINING.
THE EXISTING FOOTPRINTS
ON THE COASTAL ACT,
THEY ALLOWED JUST A 10% VARIANT,
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT CALIFORNIA LEADS THE NATION
IN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
I'M NOT GOING TO
GIVE THAT UP,
BUT ONE THING I WON'T GIVE INTO
IS DELAY.
DELAY IS DENIAL FOR PEOPLE.
LIFES,
UH,
TRADITIONS,
PLACES TORN APART,
TORN ASUNDER FAMILIES,
SCHOOLS,
COMMUNITY CENTERS,
CHURCHES,
YOU'VE SEEN IT,
UH,
THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN LOST IN THIS COMMUNITY,
AND THEY WE'VE GOT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW
WE HAVE THEIR BACK,
WE'RE GONNA BE BACK.
WE'RE GONNA DO IT EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.
DON'T TURN YOUR BACK,
DON'T WALK AWAY BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO COME BACK,
REBUILD AND REBUILD WITH HIGHER QUALITY BUILDING STANDARDS,
MORE MODERN STANDARDS,
AND WE WANT TO.
SURE THAT THE ASSOCIATED COSTS WITH THAT ARE NOT DISPROPORTIONATE,
ESPECIALLY IN A MIDDLE CLASS COMMUNITY LIKE THIS.
YOU'VE ALSO CALLED FOR AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO
THE ISSUES AROUND WATER SUPPLY THAT WE'VE SEEN.
WHAT ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE HOPING TO ANSWER?
THE SAME ONES YOU'RE ASKING,
SAME ONES THAT PEOPLE WHEN I'M IN THE STREETS ARE ASKING,
YELLING ABOUT WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WATER SYSTEM?
WAS IT BY THE WAY,
WAS IT JUST OVERWHELMED
THAT YOU HAD SO MUCH THAT WAS USED,
WE DREW IT DOWN?
WAS IT PIPES?
WAS IT ELECTRICITY?
IT WAS A COMBINATION OF PIPES,
ELECTRICITY.
AND PUMPS.
WHAT WAS THAT DRAWDOWN IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU
LOST 7000 STRUCTURES RIGHT HERE ANYWAY,
AND EVERY SINGLE STRUCTURE WE LOST HAD A PIPE THAT
WAS LEAKING AND WE LOST THAT WATER PRESSURE ANYWAY.
DID IT CONTRIBUTE IN ANY WAY TO OUR INABILITY TO FIGHT THE FIRE,
OR WERE 99 MILE AN HOUR WINDS DETERMINATIVE AND THERE
WAS REALLY NO FIREFIGHT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE MEANINGFUL.
SO I WANT ALL OF US WANT TO KNOW THOSE ANSWERS,
AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO WAIT.
PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME.
I WANT TO KNOW THOSE FACTS.
I WANT THEM OBJECTIVELY DETERMINED AND THAT THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT FINGER POINTING.
YOU SAY WHAT TO PEOPLE WHO INSIST THAT THESE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS OR
CALLS FOR THEM ARE YOU PASSING THE BLAME ON TO OTHER PEOPLE?
HOW COULD IT BE WHEN WE'RE DOING AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION
AND WE JUST WANT THE ADJUDICATION OF THE FACTS,
AS I SAY,
IT'S NOT ABOUT FINGER POINTING,
IT'S ABOUT ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS YOU AND EVERYBODY WANTS ANSWERED,
AND I THINK THERE'S A PROPENSITY TO WAIT TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND PEOPLE WANT IMMEDIACY.
THEY WANT RESPONSE AND RESPONSIVENESS,
AND SO THAT'S THE IDEA.
ULTIMATELY HERE,
DOES THE BUCK STOP WITH YOU?
I MEAN YOU'RE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA.
YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE THE MAYOR OF CALIFORNIA.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE'RE ALL BETTER OFF.
WE'RE ALL BETTER OFF AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO TAKE
CARE OF PEOPLE AND TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SUPPORTED.
WE'RE EMPATHETIC
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.
CHEAP POLITICAL SHOTS.
DO YOU HAVE FAITH IN LOS ANGELES MAYOR KAREN BASS?
I HAVE ABSOLUTE FAITH IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I HAVE FAITH IN OUR LEADERS.
I HAVE THE FAITH OF OUR CAPACITY TO WORK TOGETHER.
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP HAS BLAMED YOU FOR THIS CRISIS.
HE CALLED YOU INCOMPETENT.
WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE?
WELL,
I CALLED FOR HIM TO COME OUT,
TAKE A LOOK FOR HIMSELF.
WE WANT TO DO IN THE SPIRIT OF AN OPEN HAND,
NOT A CLOSED FIST.
HE'S THE PRESIDENT-ELECT.
I RESPECT THE OFFICE.
WE HAVE A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES THAT WITHIN 36 HOURS PER A MAJOR
DISASTER DECLARATION OVER A TEXT WE HAD SUPPORT
FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
JOE BIDEN,
WITH A 100% REIMBURSEMENT,
ALL THE RESOURCES YOU COULD HOPE FOR,
IMAGINE,
CONSTANT COMMUNICATION.
I'D LIKE TO EXTEND THAT TO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO WHEN
HE TALKS ABOUT THE DELTA SMELT AND RESERVOIRS.
THE RESERVOIRS ARE COMPLETELY FULL OF THE STATE
RESERVOIRS HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT MISSING.
INFORMATION.
I DON'T THINK ADVANTAGES OR AIDS ANY OF US RESPONDING TO DONALD TRUMP'S INSULTS.
WE WOULD SPEND ANOTHER MONTH.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL THAT HE DISAGREES WITH,
VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEM.
WE DO KNOW THOUGH FROM REPORTING HERE LOCALLY THAT THAT
ONE RESERVOIR THAT SERVES THE PALISADES WAS NOT FULL,
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT TRIGGERED MY DESIRE TO GET THE INVESTIGATION
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THAT LOCAL RESERVOIR.
THAT WAS NOT A STATE.
SYSTEM RESERVOIR WHICH THE PRESIDENT-ELECT WAS REFERRING TO AS IT RELATES TO
THE DELTA AND SOMEHOW CONNECTING THE DELTA SMELT TO THIS FIRE WHICH IS
INEXCUSABLE BECAUSE IT'S
INACCURATE,
ALSO INCOMPREHENSIBLE
TO ANYONE THAT UNDERSTANDS WATER POLICY IN THE STATE.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU HAVE PUT A CALL INTO PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP.
HAS HE CALLED YOU BACK?
NO,
THAT WAS MONTHS AGO.
THAT WAS AFTER HIS VICTORY.
SO I
LOOK FORWARD TO HIM AGAIN COMING OUT HERE IN THE SPIRIT OF,
WELL,
YOU FORGIVE ME FOR INTERRUPTING YOU,
BUT YOU DID INVITE HIM TO COME OUT HERE.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY RESPONSE?
NO,
NO.
MULTIPLE TIMES MR.
TRUMP HAS THREATENED TO WITHHOLD AID FOR CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
BOTH AS PRESIDENT AND NOW AGAIN AS PRESIDENT-ELECT.
YOU WORRIED THAT HE MIGHT ACTUALLY DO THAT?
I MEAN HE'S DONE IT
UTAH.
HE'S IN MICHIGAN,
PUERTO RICO.
HE DID IT TO CALIFORNIA BACK BEFORE I WAS EVEN GOVERNOR IN 2018 UNTIL HE FOUND
OUT FOLKS IN ORANGE COUNTY VOTED FOR HIM AND THEN HE DECIDED TO GIVE THE MONEY.
SO HE'S BEEN AT THIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.
IT TRANSCENDS STATES,
INCLUDING,
BY THE WAY,
GEORGIA,
HE THREATENED SIMILARLY.
UH,
SO THAT'S JUST,
THAT'S HIS STYLE,
AND,
UH,
AND YOU KNOW WE TAKE IT
SERIOUSLY,
UH,
TO THE EXTENT THAT IN THE PAST,
UH,
WE,
IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME
UM I'VE BEEN PRETTY
EXPRESSIVE ABOUT THAT IN CONTEXT OF SOMEONE THREATENING
OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
IN TERMS OF SUPPORTING
THE IMMEDIACY OF THEIR NEEDS,
THAT'S WHAT YOU TAKE IT AS PRESIDENT-ELECT
TRUMP IS THREATENING THE FIRST RESPONDERS HERE.
WELL,
I MEAN,
IT'S WHAT HE SAID.
HE SAID,
I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE FIREFIGHTING EFFORTS.
I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AS IT RELATES TO ITS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
HE MADE THIS PRETTY CLEAR DURING THE ELECTION.
UH,
UNLESS THEY UH THEY DO MY BIDDING,
AND AGAIN THESE ARE FAMILIAR TERMS
AND THEY'RE FAMILIAR TO A LOT OF OTHER STATES,
NOT JUST MY STATE,
AND THEY'RE FAMILIAR TO NOT JUST ME AS
GOVERNOR BUT THE PREVIOUS GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA,
GOVERNOR BROWN,
THAT WAS BATTLING WITH THESE SAME THINGS.
SO
YOU JUST WORK THROUGH THESE THINGS AND,
UH,
AND I'M JUST BLESSED.
I MEAN THIS,
UH,
I'M BLESSED.
I HAVE 40 MILLION AMERICANS WHO HAPPEN TO LIVE IN CALIFORNIA THAT
JOE BIDEN'S PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND DID WHAT HE DID.
IMMEDIATELY AND TO THE EXTENT THAT
WE CAN WORK WITH THE SAME RELATIONSHIP AND THAT SAME SPIRIT WITH DONALD TRUMP,
I HOPE WE CAN.
PRESIDENT BIDEN,
LAST TIME I SAW YOU IN THE PALISADES ON WEDNESDAY RIGHT AFTER THIS FIRE STARTED,
YOU WERE ON THE PHONE AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TRYING TO REACH
PRESIDENT BIDEN.
SUBSEQUENT TO THAT,
HE PLEDGED 100% OF THE DISASTER RECOVERY RELIEF
FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS.
IS THAT ENOUGH?
WELL,
IT'S SIGNIFICANT.
I MEAN,
I,
IN FACT,
WHEN I WAS ON THE PHONE,
YOU SAW ME ON THE PHONE.
I WAS TRYING TO GET THE SATELLITE PHONE WORK.
I ASKED FOR 90%.
AND HE SAID NO,
I'M GONNA DO 100%.
UH,
IT WAS A BIG DEAL.
180 DAYS IS A BIG DEAL,
BUT HE ALSO HAD JUST PROVIDED THE MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATION,
AND WE DID THE PRESS CONFERENCE THE NEXT DAY,
AND THAT IS PROFOUNDLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THAT'S INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE
DISASTER ASSISTANCE.GOV.
PEOPLE SHOULD GO TO DISASTER.
ASSISTANCE.GOV AND START FILLING OUT APPLICATIONS,
GET THAT IMMEDIATE
RELIEF AND THEN GET LONGER AND MEDIUM TERM RELIEF,
BUT NO,
HE STEPPED UP IN A WAY THAT AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT SHOULD
STEP UP AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF HIM.
THAT'S NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M A DEMOCRAT SAYING THAT.
THAT'S BECAUSE I'M A HUMAN BEING TRYING TO HELP OTHER HUMAN BEINGS IN
THE MOST EXTREME ELEMENTS IN THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME OF THEIR LIFE.
AS YOU KNOW,
GOVERNOR,
THERE ARE MANY CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS WHO HAVE STRUGGLED TO OBTAIN FIRE INSURANCE.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE CALIFORNIANS WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO REBUILD?
WELL,
WE CREATED AND WE HAD A MAJOR ISSUE AFTER THE CAMPFIRE.
IN FACT,
I WAS GOVERNOR-ELECT
DURING THE CAMPFIRE.
AND IT PRECIPITATED THE LARGEST BANKRUPTCY OR RATHER BANKRUPTCY OF
THE LARGEST UTILITY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
PG&E,
PROCESS OF GETTING THEM BACK ON THEIR FEET AND BEGINNING TO
UNDERGROUND AND DEAL WITH VEGETATION OF
FOREST MANAGEMENT DIFFERENTLY IN CALIFORNIA,
WHICH,
BY THE WAY,
WE'VE 10XED THE FOREST MANAGEMENT INVESTMENTS IN THE STATE
SINCE I'VE BECOME
GOVERNOR.
WE CREATED A WILDFIRE FUND.
THAT IS AROUND THE UTILITY ISSUES ON THE INSURANCE SIDE,
WE DID AN EXECUTIVE ORDER A YEAR AGO TO DO CLIMATE MODELING
AND TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE IN TERMS OF REQUIRING
INSURANCE TO BE PLACED BEFORE WE CAN INCREASE RATES.
WE HAVE CREATED A FAIR PLAN OR AT LEAST EXPANDED A FAIR PLAN,
AND IT HAS REINSURANCE WE'RE ASSESSING AS WE DO.
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT,
THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE CLAIMS,
AND WE WILL DETERMINE WHAT TO DO AFTER WE UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF THOSE CLAIMS.
SOME OF THESE CALIFORNIANS IN HOMES THAT BURNT
LIKE THIS WERE THROWN OFF OF THEIR POLICIES,
THEIR FIRE POLICIES BEFORE THIS FIRE SEASON.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE?
IT BREAKS YOUR HEART.
I MEAN THIS IS AN ISSUE AND BY THE WAY,
PERSISTS IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF THE ACUITY OF THE NEW REALITIES.
GETTING HOTTER,
DRY IS GETTING DRIER.
WET'S GETTING WETTER.
THESE ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS,
ALL THE FLOODING THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN CALIFORNIA,
BUT ALSO ACROSS THE REST OF THE UNITED STATES.
YOU'RE SEEING INSURANCE RATES THROUGH THE ROOF,
ETC.
BUT HERE'S THE POINT WE'VE BEEN PROACTIVE IN TRYING TO STABILIZE THAT MARKET.
THAT WAS THE EXECUTIVE ORDER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
I'LL GIVE YOU A PROOF POINT OF SOME OF THE SUCCESS OF THAT.
JUST A WEEK AGO,
A MAJOR INSURER ANNOUNCED THEY WERE REINSURING IN PARADISE,
CALIFORNIA.
WHERE THE CAMPFIRE WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE REPOPULATED.
FARMERS SAID THEY WERE COMING BACK,
SO WE ARE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT AND THAT'S WHY THE FAIR PLAN
IS THAT BACKUP PLAN,
BUT I'M ALSO MINDFUL OF THIS AS SOMEONE ON THE FAIR PLAN.
INTIMATELY AWARE OF HOW IT WORKS,
IT'S NOT THE KIND OF INSURANCE THAT YOU GET ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR,
MEANING YOU'RE NOT GETTING AS MUCH IN TERMS OF THAT PROTECTION.
IT ALSO RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TAXPAYER DOLLARS SHOULD BE USED
TO PUT PEOPLE BACK IN THESE HIGHLY VULNERABLE AREAS
LIKE THE ONE WE'RE STANDING IN RIGHT NOW.
SHOULD THEY?
WELL,
TO THE EXTENT A LOT OF
THE ISSUE HERE AND PARTICULARLY IN ALTADENA.
UM,
THESE ARE SOME OF THESE HOMES WERE BUILT IN THE 20S AND 30S
AND 40S WHEN YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE BUILDING CODES THAT WE HAVE TODAY,
YOU CAN SEE AND YOU SAW THIS THE CAMP WAS A MASTER CLASS AT THAT
IN THE CONTEXT OF SEEING WHY DID THESE BUILDINGS SURVIVE THESE BUILDINGS?
IT'S NOT IN EVERY CASE.
I'M NOT NAIVE ABOUT THAT,
BUT THE BUILDINGS THAT TENDED TO SURVIVE OR ONES THAT WERE BUILT AFTER 2008.
WITH A HIGHER THRESHOLD OF BUILDING CODES
AND SO AS WE REBUILD,
WE WILL HAVE THESE HIGHER LEVELS OF CODES
AND STANDARDS THAT SHOULD HELP PROTECT SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES,
BUT I DON'T WANT TO SAY TO FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR GENERATIONS,
3 GENERATIONS LIVING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL MIDDLE CLASS
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT NOW YOU'VE GOT TO GO.
SO WE'VE GOT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT THEM.
WE GOT TO MAKE SURE AND IT WAS THE CASE UP IN CAMP WHERE PEOPLE ARE REPOPULATING
IN PARADISE,
CALIFORNIA.
THAT
WE
WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SYSTEM OF INGRESS AND EGRESS,
REDUNDANCY AS IT RELATES TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
AS IT RELATES TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE,
MAKE SURE WE UNDERGROUND THESE WIRES GOING FORWARD.
MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY IS MORE RESILIENT IN EVERY WAY,
SHAPE OR FORM.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS,
LOS ANGELES WILL BE HOST TO THE WORLD CUP AND THEN THE SUPER BOWL
AND THEN THE OLYMPICS
WITH THIS REBUILDING EFFORT.
UM,
NEEDING TO TAKE PLACE,
IS LA GONNA BE READY FOR ALL OF THOSE GLOBAL EVENTS?
MY,
MY HUMBLE POSITION
AND IT'S,
IT'S,
AND IT'S,
IT'S NOT
JUST BEING NAIVELY OPTIMISTIC
THAT ONLY REINFORCES
THE IMPERATIVE MOVING QUICKLY,
DOING IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION COOPERATION.
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
DONALD TRUMP,
TO HIS CREDIT,
WAS HELPFUL IN GETTING THE OLYMPICS.
TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO GET IT DOWN HERE IN LA.
WE THANK HIM FOR THAT.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO SHINE,
FOR THIS COUNTRY TO SHINE,
FOR CALIFORNIA AND THIS COMMUNITY TO SHINE,
THE OPPORTUNITY WITH ALL OF THAT
AND ALL THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THAT PRIDE AND SPIRIT
THAT COMES FROM NOT JUST HOSTING THOSE THREE ICONIC GAMES
AND VENUES BUT ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY I THINK TO REBUILD
AT THE SAME TIME AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALREADY.
ORGANIZING A MARSHALL PLAN.
WE ALREADY HAVE A TEAM OF LOOKING AND REIMAGINING
LA 2.0 AND WE'RE MAKING SURE EVERYONE'S INCLUDED,
NOT JUST THE FOLKS ON THE COAST,
PEOPLE HERE THAT WERE RAVAGED BY THIS DISASTER.
YOU JUST SAID YOU'RE ORGANIZING A MARSHALL PLAN FOR THE REBUILDING OF CALIFORNIA.
WHAT IS THAT MARSHALL FOR?
TELL US ABOUT JUST STARTING TO LAY OUT.
I MEAN,
WE'RE STILL FIGHTING THESE FIRES,
SO WE'RE ALREADY TALKING TO CITY LEADERS.
WE'RE ALREADY TALKING TO CIVIC LEADERS.
WE'RE ALREADY TALKING TO BUSINESS LEADERS AND NONPROFITS.
WE'RE TALKING TO LABOR LEADERS.
WE'RE STARTING TO ORGANIZE HOW WE CAN PUT TOGETHER
A COLLECTION OF INDIVIDUALS ON PHILANTHROPY FOR RECOVERY,
HOW WE CAN ORGANIZE THE REGION,
HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
SEEKING FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE OLYMPICS MORE BROADLY,
BUT ALSO FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE RECOVERY EFFORTS
AND HOW WE CAN GALVANIZE THE COMMUNITY.
WITH FOLKS THAT LOVE THIS COMMUNITY
TO REALLY DEVELOP A MINDSET
SO THAT AT SCALE WE'RE DEALING WITH THE SCOPE OF THIS TRAGEDY
AND RESPONDING TO IT AT SCALE WITH EFFICIENCY LIKE THE
EXECUTIVE ORDER I TALKED ABOUT TIME VALUE OF DELIVERING PROJECTS,
ADDRESSING BUILDING CODES,
ADDRESSING PERMITTING ISSUES AND MOVING FORWARD
TO REBUILDING AND BEING MORE RESILIENT.
GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON MEET THE PRESS.
GOOD TO BE BACK.