California lawmakers on Thursday approved a pair of bills that would provide $2.5 billion in state aid to respond to wildfires that have ravaged neighborhoods, destroyed schools and damaged public infrastructure across Los Angeles County.
The legislation, which has bipartisan support, directs money to begin monumental emergency response and recovery efforts, including evacuation, sheltering, hazardous waste disposal, flash flooding, debris removal, traffic control and environmental testing.
“Tens of thousands of our neighbors, our families and friends, need help,” Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) said during the debate in the upper chamber.
“We need to move urgently, put our differences aside and focus on providing the financial resources, boots on the ground, and the policy relief needed to clean up neighborhoods. And communities are rebuilt.”
The fire, which started on January 7, has killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 16,000 structures in Altadena and Pacific Palisades.
Firefighters have made significant progress in containing the Palisades and Eaton fires, but continue to battle dangerous winds and dry conditions that have brought new fires over the past two days.
After the first forest fire, Newsom expanded the ongoing special session Los Angeles needs to add funding. Governor Originally called Special Session Two days after the November election, lawmakers demanded more money for the California Department of Justice to fight legal battles against President Trump.
During a visit earlier this month, former President Biden pledged federal funding to support the rebuilding effort. If Trump follows through on that promise, most of the money approved by the Legislature on Thursday will eventually be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The money currently comes from the state's emergency reserve account, known as the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainty.
Newsom is expected to sign wildfire funding bills Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles.