President Donald Trump has issued an executive order directing the federal government to override California's water management practices if they are deemed ineffective, escalating a dispute with state officials over the response to devastating wildfires.
The order, signed on Sunday, comes two days after Mr Trump visited the Los Angeles region, where wildfires have killed at least 28 people and burned over 35,000 acres. The president has repeatedly falsely claimed that Governor Gavin Newsom and other officials refused to supply water from northern California to fight the fires.
Mr Trump's order directs federal agencies to “immediately take actions to override existing activities that unduly burden efforts to maximise water deliveries” and orders the US Bureau of Reclamation to deliver more water through the Central Valley Project, even if it conflicts with state or local laws. It also instructs the White House budget office to consider attaching conditions on federal aid to ensure cooperation.
California officials have dismissed the claims, noting that reservoirs were full when the fires began and that 100mph winds made the fires uncontrollable. Governor Newsom accused Mr Trump of spreading “hurricane-force winds of mis- and disinformation” and urged him not to politicise the disaster.
During Mr Trump's visit on Friday, Mr Newsom said: “We’re going to need your support... You were there for us during Covid – I don’t forget that – and I have all the expectations that we’ll be able to work together to get this speedy recovery.” Estimates of total damage and economic loss could exceed $250bn, according to AccuWeather.
