Newsom’s final wildfire-cost gamble tests California’s finances

With only months left in his term, Gov. Gavin Newsom is pushing an eleventh‑hour bill to cap utility liability for wildfires, bar insurers from buying loss claims, and create a state fast‑pay program for survivors—reforms that could reshape wildfire financing but draw fierce opposition from insurers, local officials, and victims who fear higher rates or undercompensation, while supporters say the package is needed to preserve California’s power system and address escalating wildfire costs.