In recent days, raging wildfires have plunged Los Angeles into a devastating disaster. As people mourn the loss of their homes and loved ones, they also begin to openly criticize the inadequate policies of the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Governor of California. These two top-tier Democratic politicians in California now face significant challenges in their careers.
Since January 7th, multiple wildfires have ravaged the Los Angeles area, resulting in 24 deaths, thousands of buildings destroyed, over 40,000 acres burnt, and an estimated property loss of over billions of dollars. Critics have pointed out that the government has put the lives and properties of the people and major businesses at risk. California’s water resources and forest management policies have also come under scrutiny.
Critics further argue that both the state and Los Angeles city officials not only made major mistakes in responding to the fires but also showed serious deficiencies in preparedness, including incidents of dry fire hydrants and at least one state reservoir being empty.
In the initial outbreak of the wildfires, besides hurricane-level winds fueling the blazes, the lack of water in the fire hydrants hindered timely rescue efforts by firefighters. Therefore, the criticisms directed at Governor Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Bass come from various political parties, including members of the deep-blue Democratic camp and Hollywood celebrities.
From the 8th to the 13th, about 130,000 people have signed petitions on the large petition website Change.org, demanding Bass to immediately resign from office.
Meanwhile, the “Saving California” alliance announced on the 10th the initiation of a new round of recall campaign against Governor Newsom. The alliance stated that Newsom would receive formal recall documents within the next two weeks.
“Saving California” is a non-partisan alliance newly formed by working families, professionals, and community advocates. Randy Economy, who leads this recall movement, was a senior adviser and official spokesperson for the 2021 recall movement against Newsom.
In a statement, Economy said, “Years of poor policies under Governor Newsom have led to increased cost of living, rising crime rates, increased drug use and homelessness, heavier burdens on small businesses and communities, making it unlivable for ordinary Californians.” He believes the state government’s handling of the Los Angeles wildfires demonstrates the incompetence of its leaders.
Tens of thousands of people have also signed petitions on Change.org in support of the Newsom recall movement. Newsom, who has term limits, is set to leave the governor’s mansion in January 2027, while Bass, who has just been in office for a year, has announced intentions to seek re-election in 2026. However, in California, any elected official can be recalled by voters before the end of their term.
Since Newsom took office in 2019, there have been continuous recall efforts against him. The 2021 campaign collected over 1.6 million signatures, successfully triggering a recall election, but it ultimately failed due to the vote not passing.
Regarding the ongoing recall movement, a representative of Newsom’s political team stated in an email to reporters on the 13th, “Governor Newsom’s focus right now is not on politics, he is 100% dedicated to the fire situation, ongoing rescue efforts, and the progress of reconstruction.” The email also mentioned, “Since taking office, the same group of extreme right-wing Trump followers has launched six different recall actions against him, all of which have failed.”
Dr. Houman Hemmati, a frequent medical and political commentator in mainstream media, remarked, “Wildfires are a common and well-known issue in California. Newsom, after serving as governor for six years and as lieutenant governor for eight years, has failed to present any plan or preparation, indicating a complete lack of readiness and lacking compassion and willingness to lead California.”
Currently, over 15,000 firefighters, law enforcement personnel, and emergency support staff are working hard to extinguish the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Though most of the affected areas by the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire have calmed down, evacuation and curfew orders are still in effect.
As of 5 p.m. on the 13th, the Palisades Fire has consumed 23,713 acres of land with a containment rate of 14%; the Eaton Fire burned 14,117 acres of land with a containment rate of 33%.