Governor Gavin Newsom and California’s Democratic lawmakers will likely push for new climate change actions this legislative session, but they are missing a critical point. According to research from the University of Chicago, 2020’s wildfires emitted nearly twice the amount of carbon dioxide the state saved in 16 years of climate efforts. One wildfire season erased decades of hard work and money spent to reduce emissions.

California faces these deadly wildfires year after year, threatening the state’s climate goals. But more than just climate change, these fires reveal a deeper issue: the failure of the state’s leadership to prioritize effective wildfire prevention policies.

Climate Change: An Incomplete Solution

Governor Newsom and many state leaders point to climate change as the driving force behind the increase in wildfires. They argue that more policies to reduce emissions are essential to mitigate the effects of global warming. However, this viewpoint ignores an obvious truth: wildfires are destroying the progress California has made in curbing emissions. Rather than focusing solely on reducing emissions, policymakers need to take a holistic approach to address the state’s wildfire problem. A study from the University of Chicago highlights the need to include wildfire management as a key part of California’s climate policy to achieve meaningful emission reductions.

Despite spending $54 billion on climate action plans and over $100 billion on projects like a high-speed bullet train, California’s wildfires continue to erase any gains made in emissions reduction. The state’s approach has failed to keep up with the crisis on the ground.

The Wildfire Problem: More Than Just Climate Change

California’s wildfires have become a predictable annual disaster. Despite significant budget allocations for climate action, the state has neglected vital wildfire prevention strategies. One area that remains poorly addressed is brush clearance. While Governor Newsom has occasionally called for increasing efforts to remove brush from forested areas, his administration has done little to enact significant change. California only clears about 125,000 acres of brush annually, a tiny fraction of its 19 million acres of state-owned forest. The process is burdened with bureaucracy, and property owners seeking to fire-harden their homes face unnecessary obstacles.

In addition, California’s water infrastructure, crucial in managing fires, has been neglected. Building more reservoirs during wetter years could have ensured adequate water resources during fire seasons. However, the state has rejected important projects, such as a privately funded desalination plant in Orange County, further compounding the crisis.

The Insurance Crisis

The wildfires have also exposed the vulnerabilities of California’s insurance market. California voters approved Proposition 103 in 1988, which established a complex approval process for insurance rate increases. Over the years, this system led to a reduction in competition as insurers struggled to keep up with rising risks. Many insurance companies have quietly exited the state, leaving homeowners with fewer options and higher premiums.

Recent reforms aimed at allowing insurers to use updated catastrophe models took effect just before the latest fires hit, but it’s unclear whether these changes will be enough to stabilize the insurance market. Meanwhile, the state-backed insurer of last resort, the FAIR Plan, is facing overwhelming demand and could collapse under the pressure.

Firefighting Budgets and the Cost of Leadership

While firefighters are often seen as heroes, there are concerns about the way firefighting agencies allocate funds. Public sector salaries for firefighters in California have risen to astronomical levels, with some annual compensation packages reaching over $500,000 and even $900,000 for top earners. The high salaries are partly due to union influence, which has limited the ability of agencies to hire enough firefighters to meet demand. If California based pay on market conditions rather than union agreements, it could employ more firefighters and increase its firefighting capacity.

Building and Rebuilding: The Regulatory Burden

In addition to wildfires, rebuilding efforts in California have been stymied by the state’s strict environmental and zoning regulations. Governor Newsom has temporarily suspended certain rules to expedite rebuilding, but these regulations have been a long-standing barrier to progress in California. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Coastal Act, for example, often slow down development projects, making it difficult for the state to recover after a disaster.

The $150 Billion Question: Why the State Hasn’t Acted Sooner

Despite knowing about the state’s growing wildfire problem for years, California’s leadership has failed to take meaningful action. This inaction raises an important question: Why has it taken a disaster to prompt action? With $150 billion in potential state funding at their disposal, it’s time for Newsom and his team to address these critical issues before the next wildfire season.

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