By WAA Writer
We Are Americans November 30, 2025
The ashes of California’s Palisades Fire still haunt the state, but a darker ember glows in the form of Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration: the inexplicable order to pull firefighters from a smoldering blaze, despite their desperate protests. This January 2025 catastrophe, which razed over 6,800 structures and claimed 12 lives in Pacific Palisades and Malibu, didn’t ignite from thin air. It reignited from the Lachman Fire—a New Year’s Eve arson set by Jonathan Rinderknecht that firefighters believed they’d doused on January 1. Yet, by January 2, crews were yanked from the scene, leaving underground hotspots to fester amid warnings of extreme winds. Six days later, hurricane-force gusts up to 100 mph fanned those embers into a hellstorm, devouring neighborhoods in hours.
What makes this pullout so suspicious? Text messages from Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) personnel, obtained through lawsuits, reveal firefighters begging brass: “This is a bad idea—the ground’s still hot, rocks burning to the touch.” One crew reported smoldering roots and logs, pleading for more time to “mop up.” Their pleas fell on deaf ears. Orders came swift: pack up hoses, abandon the burn scar. Hikers later captured video of visible smoke, and 911 calls about rekindling went unanswered. Why the rush? Critics point to Newsom’s eco-centric “Wildfire Management Plan,” a policy prioritizing “let-it-burn” tactics in “Avoidance Areas” to protect native plants. The plan explicitly advises allowing “large logs to burn out” and bars heavy equipment like bulldozers—precisely what firefighters sought to deploy. A state parks representative, dispatched to the site hours after ignition, allegedly reinforced these restrictions, telling crews they couldn’t disturb the terrain. Newsom’s office insists the state had “no role” in monitoring, but photos and logs prove otherwise: a parks official chatted with LAFD chiefs on January 1, then returned January 2 to nix aggressive suppression.
Newsom’s fingerprints are everywhere in this fiasco. His administration pre-positioned assets statewide on January 6, yet Cal Fire later admitted zero engines reached Palisades pre-ignition. He touted executive orders for aid, but victims seethe: Why suspend environmental regs for rebuilding but enforce them during prevention? Lawsuits from 3,000 survivors accuse the state of negligence, with attorneys like Roger Behle decrying “elite capture” by green agendas over human lives. Newsom’s photo-ops amid the flames—touring with Mayor Karen Bass while crews diverted for escorts—reek of optics over action.
This isn’t just incompetence; it’s a policy albatross strangling Newsom’s ambitions. As he eyes national runs, the Palisades probe looms like a noose. Firefighters, thrown under the bus, testify to ignored expertise. Californians demand answers: Was it green dogma, bureaucratic bungling, or something more sinister? The governor’s silence fuels the suspicion. In a state ablaze with distrust, Newsom’s burn-it-out legacy may finally consume him.
References:
- RedState: Newsom’s Burn-It-Out Policy Behind LA Firestorm
- PJ Media: Secret Enviro Rules Led to Palisades Fire
- NewsNation: Photos Contradict California’s Denial in Palisades Fire
- Los Angeles Times: Palisades Fire Victims Claim State Park Official Restricted Efforts
- Breitbart: Newsom Avoids Accountability Amid Palisades Fire Fallout
