Climate change fuels California emphasis on preventing fires

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has approved nearly $1 billion in new spending to prevent wildfires that are getting bigger and more destructive from climate change, saying that will bring spending commitments for climate change in the state to a total of $15 billion.

Newsom approved the spending on Wednesday while visiting Sequoia National Park.

"We feel a deep sense of responsibility here in the state of California because of the smashmouth realities of climate change," he said before signing the bill,

The park contains some of the world’s largest and oldest trees that have been threatened by a recent wildfire.

California’s wildfire budget has grown to $3.4 billion from just $800 million in 2005.

But most of that money has been spent on putting fires out.

California’s wildfire prevention budget this year will pay for things like clearing brush and dead trees that act as kindling for large fires.