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California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, faced off with Rachel Darvish, a Pacific Palisades mother, in a tense exchange after wildfires ravaged Los Angeles County, burning homes, displacing residents, and killing people.
Among the devastation was Darvish’s daughter’s school, leading her to confront the governor about the issues. The exchange came as Newsom was about to leave the region in his black SUV. Rachel Darvish, a lawyer, confronted the governor, demanding to know how he planned to assist affected families in recovering from the disaster. She said:
“Governor! That was my daughter’s school. Please tell me what you’re going to do.”
Gavin Newsom replied, saying he was trying to reach President Joe Biden to discuss federal help. However, Darvish was skeptical and asked him to call the President then and there. To which Newsom pointed to his phone, explaining that poor cell reception prevented him from reaching him.
Rachel Darvish expressed her frustration with the state’s apparent lack of preparedness in responding to the disaster. “Why was there no water in the hydrants? Is it going to be different next time?” she asked Newsom.
Newsom promised Darvish that he would make improvements and told her that he sympathized with her family's situation. Noting that he has kids of his own, about whom he is worried due to the current situation.
More about Rachel Darvish’s confrontation and the financial disaster caused by the LA wildfires
After the confrontation, Rachel Darvish expressed disappointment in the way the wildfire was handled in recent interviews. Talking about fire with News Nation, she stated that if there were more crew members amongst the firefighters, fewer homes would have been scorched, and it would have boosted morale.
She pointed out how Gavin Newsom was quick to blame the firefighters when asked about the crisis, to which she added:
“When you are the governor of California and the city of Los Angeles is under your jurisdiction, and the city of Pacific Palisades as part of your jurisdiction, it doesn’t matter who cut the line. It’s your name on that cut.”
Rachel Darvish also pointed to larger homelessness and displacement issues exacerbated by the wildfires. Her home remains standing, though she said it was unlivable because of the damage.
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According to a report by the NDTV, The Los Angeles wildfires will likely go down as one of the most expensive U.S. disasters on record, with losses estimated to range from $135 billion to possibly $150 billion.
More than 10,000 structures have been destroyed, putting pressure on insurers, who are facing more than $8 billion in payouts. Insurers are reassessing premiums and coverage, causing many citizens to depend on California’s more expensive state-run Fair Plan.
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