Governor Gavin Newsom on Saturday declared a state of emergency to fast-track wildfire protection projects ahead of the peak fire season. Newsom says the emergency proclamation is designed to expedite forest management efforts and reduce the bureaucratic hurdles slowing down essential wildfire resilience projects, such as fuel reduction and forest restoration. Specifically, the proclamation suspends the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Coastal Act, allowing for quicker implementation of wildfire prevention measures.