The independent investigative report into the Palisades fire and Eaton fire was released on Friday. At 723 pages, its complexity is both a strength and a weakness.

On the one hand, it is comprehensive. Almost nothing is left out. On the other, it includes so much detail that it is difficult to draw useful conclusions.

There is, however, one very important observation in the report: namely, that the state failed to coordinate with other agencies when it came up with a plan for dealing with wildfires on California State Parks land.

That points a finger directly at Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration. It has been painfully obvious since Jan. 7, 2025, that the state shared in the blame, yet Newsom pushed back on any suggestion that the state bore any responsibility.

Maybe that was a legal strategy to avoid liability in the slew of lawsuits that emerged from the fires. Maybe it was political postruring ahead of Newsom’s likely 2028 presidential campaign. But it was always absurd.

As the California Post reported, California State Parks adopted a policy just weeks before the fire that prevented heavy firefighting equipment from being used in sensitive areas. The policy was adopted both to protect endangered wildflowers, and to preserve potential cultural sites.

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It was a ridiculous policy that overlooked the immediate threat to nearby communities in places where cities run up against wilderness.

Newsom’s position has been that the city of LA alone is responsible for firefighting on State Parks land. It would’ve been far better to admit that the policy was ridiculous, and to promise to do better in future.

The report makes clear that preventing future wildfires will depend on cooperation at every level. The mismanagement of water resources, for example, will require partnerships between every level of government, as well as utilities like LADWP.

Thus far, LADWP has behaved like a law unto itself — first neglecting the reservoirs, then digging up whatever it wants in the aftermath of the fire. The next cohort of California leaders have to bring it into line with other agencies.

Finally, there is the complicated picture of insurance and permitting. These are the two factors most responsible for the slow pace of rebuilding.

California’s political choices this fall will determine whether we elect leaders who are committed to reform, or politicians who will simply preserve the status quo as they pad their resumes and their wallets.