The wildfires affecting the Los Angeles area have raised state and national concerns due to their rapid spread and intensity, driven by extreme weather conditions and prolonged droughts. Amid this crisis, President-elect Donald Trump has blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom for what he claims is mismanagement in containing the fires. In a post on the social media platform, Truth Social, Trump labeled Newsom “incompetent” and accused him of blocking water supplies to the southern part of the state to protect an endangered fish.
“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump wrote.
Newsom’s office issued a rebuttal. “There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction,” said Izzy Gardon, Newsom’s communications director, in a written statement. “The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need.”
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: A key water source, but not a solution for wildfires
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a vital hub for California’s water supply. This vast network of wetlands and waterways connects the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers to the San Francisco Bay, channeling water from the state’s north to the south. It is crucial for agriculture, urban consumption, and the preservation of fragile ecosystems.
Delta management has been a contentious issue, particularly regarding the protection of the Delta smelt, a small, endemic fish whose drastic decline has placed it on the endangered species list. Its plight highlights the challenges of balancing human needs with environmental conservation.
Sign up for our weekly email newsletter in January 2025 and you’ll be entered to win an exclusive, personalized climate action consultation with a Yale Climate Connections staffer.
Trump suggested that water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in northern California could be used to combat wildfires in Los Angeles. However, most of the city’s water does not come from this region. Los Angeles relies primarily on the Los Angeles Aqueduct, built in 1913, which transports water from the Owens Valley, east of the Sierra Nevada.
Los Angeles wildfires: A climate-driven phenomenon
Kaitlyn Trudeau, senior climate science researcher at Climate Central, told Yale Climate Connections that the Los Angeles wildfires are driven by extreme weather.
“Recent wildfires in California have been driven by a combination of natural and human-induced factors,” Trudeau said by email. Prolonged drought conditions, exacerbated by climate change, have left vegetation dry and highly flammable.”
These conditions, intensified by climate change, create