Though there is a question about how much California elected officials have done to prevent wildfires–and to battle them more effectively when they happen–Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla have a plan: Don’t allow betting markets to handle wagers on wildfires. A report by ABC7 in San Francisco says the Senators claim “that the practice profits from disaster and could create harmful incentives. The lawmakers raised concerns after more than $1.2 million in bets were placed during the 2025 Palisades and Eaton wildfires in Los Angeles.”
It’s hard to argue that this isn’t a cause for concern, but it also distracts from the real work of strengthening policies and practices that make wildfires less likely. And, as some of the recent fires have shown evidence of arson, attention should especially be paid to enhanced punishment. These are the areas our elected leaders should prioritize, rather than a tangential, designed to generate clicks and coverage (and the attention Schiff so loves), but is a side issue to the main problem.
