Trump signs executive order taking over wildfire rebuilding process

Donald Trump has signed an executive order, promising to slash “bureaucratic red tape and speed up reconstruction in the Pacific Palisades and Eaton Canyon areas one year after devastating wildfires destroyed nearly 40,000 acres of homes and businesses,”  the White House confirmed this morning.

The order, titled “Accelerating rebuilding in wildfire-devastated Los Angeles,” was signed Friday, according to the White House.

It’s unclear what impact Trump’s order will have, but many property owners have complained about the pace of permitting and rebuilding in the hardest hit wildfires zones. The order aims to “preempt State or local permitting processes” and move the procedures to the federal level.

The Eaton fire destroyed more than 6,000 homes and devastated the community of Altadena. The Palisades fire burned roughly 5,000 houses.

Trump’s order promises to “preempt State or local permitting processes, and other similar pre-approval requirements, that each agency has found to have unduly impeded the timely use of Federal emergency-relief funds by homeowners, businesses, or houses of worship in rebuilding such structures following a disaster.”

This is breaking news. Watch for updates.

City News Service contributed to this report