Brown administration’s response

But instead of speeding up fire prevention, the Brown administration argued Moorlach’s bill would have slowed down existing work. The state utilities commission and CalFire, the state’s forestry and fire prevention agency, had been at work since 2013 mapping areas at risk of fires due to utility equipment.

Asked about the criticism leveled this week at Brown, Evan Westrup, the governor’s spokesman, said it was "absolutely shameful to exploit this tragedy – with fires still burning – to try to score cheap political points."

Westrup added that the Brown administration has taken numerous steps to prevent fires in recent years, citing several efforts here:

-- September 21, 2018: Governor Brown Signs Legislation to Strengthen Wildfire Prevention and Recovery

-- August 7, 2018: CAL FIRE Awards $170 million to Reduce Fire Threat and Improve Forest Health

-- May 10, 2018: Governor Brown Issues Executive Order to Protect Communities from Wildfire, Climate Impacts

-- Oct. 30, 2015: Governor Brown Takes Action to Protect Communities Against Unprecedented Tree Die-Off

Terrie Prosper, a spokesperson for the utilities commission, wrote in an email that the bill "would have prolonged the safety work already going on by requiring the participation of certain entities, which was unnecessary because CAL FIRE was already a party to the proceeding, and local governments and fire departments could also participate."

That process produced a statewide Fire-Threat Map in January, one month after the commission voted to strengthen regulations for utilities that have facilities in areas where thick vegetation and strong winds make fires more dangerous, according to a KQED news article.