This week, Southern California has been battling fierce wildfires, and things are heating up beyond just the flames! President-elect Donald Trump took to his platform, Truth Social, to express his frustrations. He pointed fingers at state leaders, particularly California Governor Gavin Newsom, even  suggesting that Newsom should step down.

Trump argued that Newsom was more focused on environmental issues than on keeping people safe from these wildfires. He also claimed that FEMA didn’t have enough money to tackle the emergency properly. To get to the bottom of these claims, some diggings had to be done.

Newsom Challenges Trump’s Statement on Water Restoration Plan

Trump claimed Newsom “refused to sign the water restoration declaration” that he said would have directed millions of gallons of water to areas now burning, alleging he prioritized a small fish, called a smelt, over residents.

In response, Newsom’s office said, “There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction.”

In a recent statement, former President Trump seemed to mention his 2019 plan to shift water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to farms in the Central Valley and urban areas in Southern California. However, this plan faced backlash from California officials and environmental advocates, who took legal action against it. They were worried that it would put local wildlife, including the tiny smelt fish, at risk.

Fast forward to December, and President Biden’s team, working alongside Governor Newsom, has rolled out a new set of rules. These rules aim to allow more water to flow from the Delta to Southern California while still keeping the region’s wildlife safe and sound.

In response to Trump’s claims that his changes could have helped with wildfire prevention, a key figure managing Southern California’s water resources stepped up to set the record straight. They firmly explained that his proposed changes wouldn’t have made much difference in that department.

Mark Gold, the guy in charge of water scarcity at the Natural Resources Defense Council and a board member of the Metropolitan Water District, recently talked  to CBS News. This organization is all about making sure 19 million folks in Southern California have enough water to drink and use every day.

“The issues have nothing to do with what amount of water we have stored within the region. The Metropolitan Water District has a record amount of water stored at this time.”

Mark Gold mentioned that Southern California has enough water right now thanks to some good rain in the past years. However, he noted that with not much rain lately, the plants and trees are getting pretty thirsty. Sadly, Trump’s idea wouldn’t really do anything to fix that problem.

“What happened has nothing to do with protecting the Bay Delta and how water is being managed there,” Gold said.

Trump claims fire hydrants are all dry

In multiple social media posts this week, Trump referenced “no water in the fire hydrants.”

Los Angeles recently found itself in hot water—quite literally—when some fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades ran dry overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Janisse Quiñones, the head of the L.A. Department of Water and Power, explained that all three huge water tanks in the area ran out of water by 3 a.m. This meant that fire hydrants on the hilly parts of the Palisades didn’t have enough pressure to work properly.

The issue arose because the tanks, which help pump water to the hydrants, couldn’t refill fast enough. Firefighters were using water quicker than the main supply could keep up with.

Captain Erik Scott from the L.A. Fire Department stepped in to clarify that they had filled every water storage tank they could before the fires started. This came after social media buzzed with claims that officials hadn’t done enough to prepare.

Mark Pestrella, who leads the L.A. County Department of Public Works, added that the water system was stretched thin, especially since firefighters couldn’t get help from the air due to strong winds and low visibility. It’s a tough situation for the crews battling to keep the community safe.

“The municipal water systems that service our homes and businesses continue to work effectively. However, they’re not designed to fight wildfires. A firefight with multiple fire hydrants, drawing water from the system for several hours is unsustainable. This is a known fact,” Pastrella said.

California’s Governor Newsom has decided it’s time for an honest look into some serious water issues. He’s calling for an independent investigation into why local fire hydrants lost water pressure and why the Santa Ynez Reservoir couldn’t provide water when it was needed the most.

Now, the Santa Ynez Reservoir, which holds a whopping 117 million gallons of water and is located close to Pacific Palisades, was out of commission for repairs. This happened just as fires started blazing through neighborhoods in Los Angeles, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. It’s concerning to think that during such a crisis, vital resources like this weren’t available to help.

Trump claims there is “no money in FEMA”

Trump took aim at President Biden, suggesting that the current administration is leaving FEMA high and dry with no funds. It’s true that last October, FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund started running low after Hurricane Helene and several severe disasters. However, in December, President Biden stepped in and signed a bill that boosted the fund by a whopping $29 billion!

Fast forward to this week, and FEMA shared with CNN that they still have about $27 billion in the Disaster Relief Fund. CBS News is working to confirm that amount.

On their end, the White House announced that FEMA is stepping up by approving Fire Management Assistance Grants to help California with firefighting costs. So, it seems like they’re still working hard to support those in need.

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