Trump warns LA fire aid could be withheld over voter ID, water overhaul

President Donald Trump has threatened to withhold federal emergency assistance for Los Angeles if California does not enact a pair of demands he has long sought for America's most populous state.

Asked by reporters if he would withhold federal disaster assistance for fires that have devastated wide swathes of some Los Angeles communities, Trump said on Friday he wanted to see state officials first implement new voter identification laws and change how water is distributed.

"I want to see two things in Los Angeles: Voter ID, so that the people have a chance to vote, and I want to see the water be released and come down into Los Angeles and throughout the state. Those are the two things," Trump told reporters in the state of North Carolina before departing for Los Angeles.

Trump said if the state were to implement the overhauls, "I will be the greatest president that California has ever seen."

Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom's office was quick to shoot down the proposals, saying Trump's push to condition aid for American citizens grappling with one of the worst fires on record is "wrong."

"FACT: Under current CA law, you must be a CA resident and US citizen (and attest to being one under penalty of perjury) AND provide a form of ID such as driver's license or passport that has been approved by the Secretary of State in order to register to vote," it wrote on X.

"FACT: 15 states do not generally require voter ID at polls, including Nevada and Pennsylvania (two states won by President Trump). FACT: California pumps as much water now as it could under prior Trump-era policies."

Signs of progress

California firefighters have been facing an uphill battle for weeks to contain major wildfires in Los Angeles, which scorched entire neighbourhoods and killed 28 people.

However, they could make more headway in battling the fires as the latest round of blistering winds dissipates and the area's first rainfall in months arrives over the weekend.

The improved outlook comes after weeks of frustration in snuffing out the crisis, as crews contended with water shortages, gale-force winds, bone-dry air, and a steady outbreak of new fires that have stretched resources thin.

But the region's first significant rainfall in months would also increase the risk of dangerous mudslides on hillsides denuded of vegetation by fires over the past two weeks.

Red flag warnings, signalling extreme fire danger, are set to expire in the Southern California area at 10 am local time, said Andrew Orri, son of a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

"Basically, the reason is because of the slackening winds," he said. "The changing conditions will also bring higher humidity, which should help fire containment."

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Source: TRT