FACTS About the Palisades Fires: Debunking the Lies Blaming Gavin Newsom
In times of crisis, the truth often becomes the first casualty. That’s exactly what we’re witnessing with the Pacific Palisades fires. As devastating flames ripped through California, conservatives on social media—especially on platforms like X—quickly turned the tragedy into a political blame game. Fueled by figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk, these lies are spreading like wildfire themselves.
Let’s cut through the misinformation and get to the facts.
Water Management: The Delta Smelt Myth
One of the most repeated (and baseless) claims is that maintaining river flows to protect endangered species like the Delta Smelt in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is causing water shortages in Los Angeles.
This is flat-out false. LA’s water doesn’t even come from the Delta. It’s sourced from the Colorado River, local groundwater, and major reservoirs like Castaic Lake.
In fact, reservoir levels are healthy:
Shasta Lake is at 78% capacity.
Lake Oroville is at 71% capacity.
Castaic Lake, a key supplier for LA, is over 70% full.
Blaming environmental protections for water shortages is a distraction from real issues like aging infrastructure in Los Angeles and increased urban demand. The Delta Smelt isn’t the culprit, and neither is Governor Newsom.
Forest Management: Misplaced Responsibility
Another popular but equally false narrative is that California’s wildfire crisis stems from "poor forest management" under Governor Newsom. Here’s the truth:
California has 33 million acres of forest, but the state manages just 3% of that land.
The federal government controls 57%, while 40% is privately owned.
Governor Newsom has significantly increased investments in fire prevention programs and implemented strict regulations for private landowners. However, the federal government bears the primary responsibility for managing most of California’s forests. Ironically, many devastating wildfires occurred during Trump’s administration, and federal funding for proactive forest management remains woefully inadequate.
It’s also worth noting that Republican lawmakers frequently oppose the very state regulations aimed at improving fire prevention on private lands, dismissing them as "overregulation." The blame here lies with Congress, not Newsom.
The Real Facts About the Palisades Fires
Now, let’s set the record straight about the Pacific Palisades fires themselves:
Reservoirs and Water Tanks Were Full: Before the fires began, all 114 city water supply tanks were fully stocked, and reservoirs were at normal levels.
Unprecedented Demand Reduced Pressure: A 15-hour surge of water usage at four times the normal demand caused a drop in water pressure.
Geography Played a Role: High demand at lower elevations slowed the refilling of tanks at higher elevations, which are critical for fighting fires in the hills.
Extreme Weather Conditions: Eight months without rain, combined with 85 mph winds, created the perfect storm for a catastrophic fire.
Continuous Water Transport: Despite these challenges, water is being continuously brought in to support firefighting efforts.
And even if we entertained the baseless claims about the Delta Smelt, it’s the federal Endangered Species Act—not Gavin Newsom or California—that mandates the protection of endangered species and their habitats.
Lessons From Hurricane Ian
As someone who lived through Hurricane Ian—one of the costliest hurricanes in U.S. history—I know how devastating natural disasters can be. Ian destroyed thousands of properties, including nearly all of Fort Myers Beach, and claimed at least 149 lives.
Could Governor Ron DeSantis have done more to protect vulnerable areas like Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach? Perhaps. Stricter building codes, better evacuation protocols, and enhanced storm surge barriers might have mitigated some of the destruction. But do I blame DeSantis for an unprecedented Category 4 hurricane hitting a vulnerable area that hadn’t seen a storm of this magnitude in over a century? No.
The same logic applies here. Freak disasters like the Pacific Palisades fires cannot be entirely prevented, no matter who is in office.
Lies Spread Faster Than the Truth
What’s truly alarming isn’t just the spread of the fires—it’s the speed and scale of misinformation on social media. Outrageous lies, like the Delta Smelt myth and claims of empty hydrants, travel far faster than the boring truth: the water was there, the resources were prepared, and the challenges were situational.
Instead of politicizing every disaster, let’s focus on what really matters: preparing for the next crisis and addressing the underlying issues—whether that’s upgrading aging infrastructure, improving forest management, or combating climate change.
The real enemy isn’t Gavin Newsom, the Delta Smelt, or California’s environmental regulations. It’s the growing tendency to weaponize misinformation during moments of crisis. Let’s extinguish the lies and focus on the facts—because only the truth can guide us to recovery.