Fatal poll reveals how many Californians blame Gavin Newsom for LA wildfires

Nearly half of Californians hold Governor Gavin Newsom responsible for the damage caused by the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, a damning poll shows.

According to a new poll from DailyMail.com, 47 percent of Californians think the Democratic governor is largely or somewhat responsible for the damage caused by the flames.

Meanwhile, 38 percent believe Newsom is not at all or not very responsible for the dystopian scenes.

President-elect Donald Trump was among those who blamed Newsom, claiming that his forest management policies and fish conservation efforts are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in some urban areas.

Californians also blame LA Mayor Karen Bass for the situation; 48 percent of them say they think they are largely or somewhat responsible.

Bass was halfway around the world, traveling to Ghana as part of a presidential delegation, when the fires broke out.

However, some hold the federal government responsible, with 27 percent saying it is President Joe Biden who is taking the blame.

The poll comes as millions of Southern Californians are on edge as another round of dangerous fire weather is forecast in the Los Angeles area, with the National Weather Service warning of a particularly dangerous situation on Wednesday.

According to a new poll from DailyMail.com, 47 percent of Californians think Governor Gavin Newsom is largely or somewhat responsible for the damage caused by the flames.

The fires have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

More than 90,000 homes were without electricity since Wednesday as utilities cut power to prevent their lines from sparking new fires.

Newsom faced calls to resign over his devastating handling of the catastrophe, with everyone from Donald Trump to Hollywood stars condemning his and Mayor Bass’ lack of leadership.

Saving California, a group that bills itself as a “nonpartisan coalition of working families, professionals and community activists,” has launched a new recall campaign against Newsom.

A spokesperson for Newsom told Newsweek that the governor is “100 percent focused on the fires, the ongoing rescue efforts and the recovery process – not on the politics.”

“Readers still need context that the same group of far-right Trump acolytes has made six different recall attempts against the governor since he took office, each of which has failed spectacularly.

“Even Republican Party leaders have criticized these repeated efforts as a brazen campaign finance fraud, and the recall organizers have been sued by their own donors for pocketing previously raised money.”

Newsom faced and won his first recall battle — which was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic — for California in a landslide victory in September 2021.

Californians also blame LA Mayor Karen Bass for the situation, with 48 percent of them saying they think she is largely or somewhat responsible

This month, multiple fires in Los Angeles have killed at least 25 people and burned down 12,000 buildings

Firefighters in the affected Palisades area are overwhelmed by the fast-spreading fires as the state’s response is closely watched

“The fires are still raging in LA,” Trump wrote in Truth Social on Sunday morning. “The incompetent police have no idea how to take them down.”

“Thousands of beautiful homes have disappeared, and many more will soon be lost,” he lamented. “There’s death everywhere.”

“This is one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our country. They just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?’ he wondered, laying the blame on Newsom and other Democratic politicians in California.

Newsom on Friday ordered an investigation into the city’s water and energy department over the loss of water pressure. An online petition demanding Bass’ resignation attracted 33,000 signatures.

He told NBC News correspondent Jacob Soboroff that his team is trying to figure out what on earth happened to cause the water systems to fail.

He also fought back against Trump’s accusations, saying the Republican was spreading “disinformation” and saying he hopes the new administration will be able to work with him with an “open hand, not a closed fist.”

The governor also said he invited Trump to survey the damage from the LA wildfires, but has not yet responded to that invitation.