The total cost of rebuilding homes in the L.A.-area fires will outpace what underinsured owners' insurance policies can afford.

California is typically ranked as the second most expensive state to live in, after Hawaii, with costs averaging around 30% higher than the rest of the U.S., per U.S. News & World Report. The state has the highest individual tax rate and the highest gas tax, 68 cents a gallon in 2024.

Trump’s invective stands in a marked contrast to the celebratory mood earlier this month as Roy Lee, a 43-year-old immigrant from Taipei, Taiwan, was sworn in as 1st District supervisor at the Santa Barbara County Administration Building, vowing to “serve all residents in our county with transparency, dedication, honesty, and integrity.”