Overview
- At a public event, Gov. Gavin Newsom said California is on the “tip of the spear of climate change,” linking slow rebuilding and insurance hurdles after the Palisades fire to climate risks.
- Commentators including Joe Rogan and Adam Carolla argued the problem stems from poor preparation and management, not climate change, citing unaddressed brush and planning failures.
- Permitting remains sluggish months later, with reports showing 782 of 1,843 rebuild applications approved in the city of Los Angeles, 568 of 2,200 in county areas, and just 11 permits issued in Malibu as of October.
- Dozens of displaced residents have sued, alleging the state failed to monitor the original burn scar; Newsom’s office argues no such obligation existed and points to an alleged arsonist, Jonathan Rinderknecht.
- Newsom’s office rejects claims of poor preparation, saying resources were prepositioned based on National Weather Service alerts, while separate reports describe evacuation gridlock and limited police presence during the fire.