January 17, 2025

Gavin Newsom is echoing the incoming Trump administration as he touts government efficiency. But the governor has expanded the size and scope of California’s government to an all-time high.

Gardeners, housekeepers and car wash workers living paycheck to paycheck are out of work in Los Angeles County as fires damaged homes and businesses. Their income losses may be permanent.

Los incendios de Los Ángeles han dejado a los trabajadores domésticos y jornaleros sin trabajo. Es posible que pronto los contraten para realizar tareas de limpieza tras los incendios forestales, donde pueden estar expuestos a cenizas y otras toxinas.

The Los Angeles-area fires reveal a harsh truth: Recovery isn’t the same for everyone. Wealthier communities will turn to private resources, while working-class neighborhoods in Altadena will face immense barriers to rebuilding and recovery.

The LA fires have left domestic workers and day laborers jobless. They may soon be hired for wildfire cleanup work, where they can be exposed to ash and other toxins.

Private firefighters are a growing part of insurance companies’ strategy to head off wildfire-related damages. But Cal Fire says they can sometimes pose a safety risk.

Housing construction permits were already trending downward. Now the wildfires have taken away at least 10,000 occupied homes.