Four months after California’s devastating Palisades and Eaton wildfires, state executive orders focused on wildfire recovery, rebuilding and prevention initiatives continue to flow from the Governor's office, chronicling the economic and human impact, as well as the state’s continuing need to better prepare for the future.

The two most recent of the 22 wildfire executive orders from Governor Gavin Newsom in 2025 were signed in mid-April. They protect Los Angeles area wildfire survivors against “predatory real estate speculators”, and ensure streamlined management of more than $170 million in legislative funding for wildfire forest and vegetation safety projects. 

After the LA wildfires themselves were controlled about three weeks after they started in early January, subsequent California executive orders focused on helping survivors; suspending permit and review requirements; expediting repairs, and launching initiatives to help prevent and respond to potential future wildfire events that affect urban communities.

Since January 1, at least 25 executive orders in other states have also focused on wildfire hazards, recovery and prevention efforts, continuing the attention that governors’ executive orders have leveled at wildfire dangers in previous quarters. These dangers have grown over time due to climate changes; the proximity of hazardous wildfire conditions to urban areas, and periodic state droughts. For example, on May 9, Nebraska’s Governor Jim Pillen signed an executive order (following several others) that dealt with continued suspension of burn permits due to dry weather, drought conditions and “a dangerous environment resulting in an elevated wildfire risk.” 

Other wildfire executive orders since January were signed by governors in Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina and South Dakota. Some of these orders dealt with active spreading wildfires at the time of the executive order. For example, in a March 26, 2025 EO in North Carolina, Governor Josh Stein referred to active wildfires in a number of counties around the state. Several executive orders, such as the one in Colorado, are focused on continuing funding needs related to previous severe wildfires.

A good source for wildfire news is available through the information section of the  National Interagency Fire Center. To see executive orders on multiple topics, our resources section provides a map with links to executive order websites that are easily accessible and kept up-to-date in all but a few states.

#GovernorExecutiveOrders #StateandLocalWildfireManagement #StateWildfireExecutiveOrders #GovernorWildfireExecutiveOrders #2025CaliforniaWildfireExecutiveOrders #StateandLocalWildfirePrevention #CaliforniaContinuingWildfireManagement #ContinuingLAWildfireNeeds #StateandLocalGovernmentEmergencyManagement #StateandLocalGovernmentManagement #StateandLocalGovernmentPerformance #NationalInteragencyFireCenter #GreeneBarrettResourceCenter #GreeneBarrettExecutiveOrderMap #StateManagementClimateChange #UrbanElevatedWildfireRisk #StateDroughtConditionsAndWildfireRisk #BandGWeeklyManagementSelection #StateandLocalManagementNews #StateandLocalEmergencyManagementNews #BarrettandGreeneInc