California Officials Address Wildfire Misinformation with Fact Checks
California officials created 'California Fire Facts' to counter false claims about recent wildfires. Governor Gavin Newsom dismissed reports that California cut its fire budget by $100 million as 'a ridiculous lie,' noting Cal Fire's personnel and budget have nearly doubled since 2019. However, recent budget cuts reduced wildfire funding by over $100 million from one-time surplus packages. Experts say these cuts likely wouldn't prevent the L.A. fires. Newsom also denied claims that California ran out of water, stating reservoirs are at record levels despite some temporary shortages in fire zones. Trump falsely linked California's smelt fish policy to the wildfires, but officials clarified it was unrelated to the fire hydrant issues.