Former California state Rep. Mike Gatto blames years of policy failures for devastating wildfires

Ex-lawmaker Mike Gatto says poor preparation and slow reaction time from local, city, and state officials allowed the fire to reach such devastating proportions.

Gatto served in the California legislature as a Democrat from 2010 to 2016.

The fires resulted from a perfect storm of strong winds, overgrown brush , and dry conditions due to a lack of rain.

Gatto: The laws on looting and theft in California have been weak for the past decade .

The scarcity of clean water for wildfire victims is a highlight of the past week’s failures, he said.

“Climate change is not an excuse. It is not something that absolves our officials from good planning and good execution,” Gatto said.