Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut off federal disaster aid for California’s wildfires if he returns to the White House, most recently at a campaign rally in Coachella and in remarks at his golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes. Such a loss in federal funds would be a devastating blow to a state where wildfires have grown larger and more destructive in part due to climate change. A single severe fire season can rack up tens of billions of dollars in damage, firefighting costs and economic losses. The prospect of losing disaster aid has state officials and politicians mulling contingency plans ahead of next week’s election. … Trump has said he’ll withhold disaster funding if state officials don’t back his policies — most recently threatening to do so if Gov. Gavin Newsom doesn’t make more water available to farmers and homeowners.

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