Newsom Accelerates Wildfire Prevention Rules After Devastating Los Angeles Fires

California Governor Gavin Newsom issues an executive order to fast-track ember-resistant zone regulations following wildfires that destroyed over 16,000 structures and claimed 29 lives.

• Governor Gavin Newsom's executive order mandates the implementation of a 'zone zero' around homes in high fire-risk areas to reduce wildfire ignitions caused by embers.
• The Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County burned 47,900 acres, destroying over 16,250 homes and businesses and killing 29 people, prompting renewed urgency for wildfire mitigation measures.
• The regulations, originally passed in 2020 but delayed by the state Board of Forestry, require homeowners to clear flammable materials within five feet of their homes, with a three-year compliance timeline for existing homes.
• Newsom's order also expands California's fire-prone map by 1.4 million acres, subjecting more properties to fire mitigation requirements.
• The governor's actions follow a meeting with President Trump, during which federal aid for wildfire recovery and contentious water policy issues were discussed without a clear resolution.

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