Gov. Gavin Newsom, Arnold Schwarzenegger Tour New Cal Fire Tech At McClellan Airport
NORTH HIGHLANDS (CBS13) – California's former "Governator" was back in the Sacramento area on Thursday for a tour of the latest firefighting arsenal.
Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Gov. Gavin Newsom for a look at some of the new equipment and technology that will help Cal Fire in their response to wildfires and other fire emergencies.
Gov. Newsom's 2019-2020 state budget invests nearly $1 billion in emergency preparedness, response and recovery to ensure California communities can prepare for disasters. That includes funding for C-130 air tankers and 21st-century firefighting helicopters.
The former Governor said he supports the upgrades, recalling his own administration's struggles with providing enough help across the state during fire season.
"We didn't have the assets, we didn't have the equipment. So many times we had to study the weather and figure out where should we send our assets," Schwarzenegger said at a press conference during Thursday's tour.
Schwarzenegger's time in office saw both 2007's Witch Creek Fire, which burned 240 thousand acres in San Diego County, and 2009's Station Fire, which is considered Los Angeles County's most devastating fire to date.
California will also have nearly 400 seasonal firefighters for this year's fire season.
In addition to the added seasonal firefighters, Gov. Newsom added 13 new fire engines through this fiscal year.