The devastating fires that burned large swaths of Los Angeles to the ground in January are a grim reminder of California’s vulnerability to large-scale natural disasters. Wildfires are a top environmental concern for Californians—and rightly so, as more people and property are in harm’s way than ever before. The Los Angeles wildfires and their far-reaching impacts on residents and communities have sounded a loud wakeup call about the challenges of response, recovery, and rebuilding. Today we take a look at Californians’ views of wildfire threat, their confidence in government’s readiness to respond to that threat, and their support for environmental policies related to climate change.

Majorities of Californians are worried about wildfires in their part of the state, calling them either a big problem (46%) or somewhat of a problem (35%), according to the February PPIC Statewide Survey. Just 19% say they’re not much of a problem. Perceptions that wildfires are a big problem are higher in Los Angeles (53%) and the Inland Empire (53%) than in Orange/San Diego counties (43%), the Central Valley (40%), and the San Francisco Bay area (38%). In Los Angeles, 83% of residents called wildfires either a big (53%) or somewhat of a problem (30%) while 16% say it is not a problem in their part of California.

When it comes to feeling a personal or economic threat to well-being from wildfires, Californians are a bit more divided, with 30% calling this threat very serious, 41% calling it somewhat serious, and 29% calling it not too serious. Residents are more likely to hold the view that wildfires are a very serious threat to their well-being in Los Angeles (36%) and the Inland Empire (36%) than in Orange/San Diego counties (28%), the Central Valley (26%), and the San Francisco Bay Area (23%). In Los Angeles, 36% say this threat is very serious, 41% say it is somewhat serious, and 22% say it is not too serious.

Should disaster strike, do Californians feel like their government is ready to step in and help? Just 29% say that they have a great deal of confidence in the government to respond to wildfires in their part of California. About half (49%) say that they have only some and 22% have hardly any. Pluralities express “only some” confidence in government readiness across all regions and political and demographic groups. In Los Angeles, 27% say they have a great deal of confidence, 51% have only some, and 20% have hardly any confidence in the government when it comes to readiness to respond to wildfires.

Despite their skepticism about government readiness—or perhaps because of it, along with the perceived threat—Californians want their state government to do more. Fifty-nine percent of likely voters in our July 2024 survey said they would vote yes if there was a $10 billion state bond measure to pay for climate resiliency projects. In Los Angeles, 61% said yes to state bonds for climate resiliency programs. In the November election, California voters expressed these preferences by passing Proposition 4 (60% yes), which authorizes $10 billion in state bonds for wildfire protection, water, and protection of communities and lands. In Los Angeles, 64% voted yes on Proposition 4. In our February survey, 70% of Californians—and 74% in Los Angeles—favored the governor’s proposal to use some of the Proposition 4 bond funds for wildfire and forest resilience programs in the 2025–2026 state budget.

Moreover, Californians are eager to roll up their sleeves and get involved in environmental policy. Sixty-two percent of likely voters are in favor of the state establishing a citizens’ assembly on environmental issues, according to our July survey. Remarkably, there is solid majority support for this idea across demographic groups as well as state regions. In Los Angeles, 66% are in favor of this proposal.

Californians’ interest in government action on environment makes sense given that overwhelming majorities are concerned (46% very, 32% somewhat) about climate change causing wildfires in the future that are more severe (11% not too concerned, 11% not at all concerned). In Los Angeles, major decisions are ahead, and it remains to be seen how the state’s most populous city and county will rebuild with the threat of wildfires in mind. Stay tuned to the PPIC Statewide Survey as we continue to track views on California’s environmental challenges and residents’ trust in government.

Earlier versions of this post were published on August 16, 2023 and January 24, 2025.