Governor Newsom signs executive order to protect public safety in firestorm-devastated communities

News

Jan 19, 2025

What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to support local law enforcement and protect property as evacuation orders lift.

Los Angeles, California - Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order directing state agencies to support local law enforcement partners as they lift evacuation orders from the firestorm-devastated areas in Los Angeles. A copy of the executive order is available here.

As impacted families begin to see first-hand the devastation these firestorms caused, we are proud to continue supporting our local law enforcement partners to ensure the public safety of the entire community.

Governor Gavin Newsom

The executive order issued by Governor Newsom:

• Directs the California Highway Patrol and Office of Emergency Services to support local law enforcement in enforcing state and local laws in the hardest-hit communities.
• Focuses on deterring crimes like trespassing and loitering for the purpose of committing crimes of opportunity as these areas are reopened to the public and to prevent gawkers from disrupting ongoing emergency response activities and the ability of residents to assess damage to their homes.
• Helps ensure response and recovery efforts are not impeded as previously evacuated areas are re-opened.

"As the aftermath of the devastating wildfire continues to impact our communities, our primary focus remains the safety and security of our residents," said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna. "We are grateful for the collaboration and close partnership with the Governor's Office to ensure that state resources, including the National Guard and California Highway Patrol, stay in the area to assist us with this disaster."

"We appreciate the solid partnership that we have with the California Highway Patrol and are grateful for their assistance throughout this fire emergency," said Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell.

Launching historic recovery and rebuilding efforts - faster than ever before

In response to the devastating Los Angeles firestorms, Governor Newsom is implementing a comprehensive recovery plan to support impacted communities and expedite rebuilding efforts. To rebuild faster, the Governor issued an executive order waiving permitting and review requirements under CEQA and the California Coastal Act. Temporary housing is also being fast-tracked by the Governor through streamlined accessory dwelling unit construction, mobile home fee suspensions, and protections for tenants sheltering displaced survivors. The Governor is accelerating debris removal efforts and taking additional action to safeguard survivors from price gouging, protect survivors from real estate speculators, and advance a proposal for at least $2.5 billion for emergency response and recovery. The Governor is also prioritizing displaced students by streamlining rules and directing coordinated assistance to affected schools, supporting a swift return to the classroom. The Governor's tax relief measures include postponing the individual tax filing deadline to October 15 and extending the sales and use tax filing deadline to April 30 for Los Angeles County, while suspending penalties on late property tax payments for a year.

Get help today

Californians can go to CA.gov/LAfires- a hub for information and resources from state, local and federal government.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses from wildfires in Los Angeles County can apply for disaster assistance:

• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
• By calling 800-621-3362
• By using the FEMA smart phone application
• Assistance is available in over 40 languages
• If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.

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