Newsom boasts California reservoirs ‘completely full,’ quickly gets called out

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday tried to play semantics and weasel out of blame by saying state reservoirs were “completely full” when the LA fires broke out — even though a county-run reservoir had been drained at the time.

Newsom made the shocking statement while addressing criticism from President-elect Donald Trump over the state’s water management ahead of the infernos.

“The reservoirs are completely full — the state reservoirs here in Southern California. That mis- and disinformation I don’t think advantages or aids any of us,” Newsom told NBC News in a pretaped interview that aired on “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

Reporter Jacob Soboroff pressed Newsom on his response by pointing out how the LA-County-run Santa Ynez Reservoir was bone dry — something that even has prompted a probe from Newsom.

“That’s exactly what triggered my desire to get the investigation to understand what was happening with that local reservoir,” Newsom said.

“That was not a state system reservoir, which the president-elect was referring to as it relates to the delta smelt … which is inexcusable because it’s inaccurate,” the governor said, as if missing the point that water pressure was a major debilitating issue when the blazes broke out last week.

“Also, incomprehensible to anyone that understands water policy in the state,” Newsom said.

Last week, Trump raged against Newsom’s management of California in light of the wildfires, alleging the governor refused to allow “millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning.”

Trump claimed last week that Newsom rejected that policy because of his desire to save the smelt fish, something Newsom and local officials have denied, claiming that was unrelated to reservoir management.

On Friday, Newsom blasted off a letter to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as well as the Los Angeles County of Public Works announcing an independent investigation into how the Santa Ynez Reservoir went dry.

The reservoir had been offline since at least February of last year for repairs to leaks and its cover. The facility was able to store up to 117 million gallons of water.

First responders were vexed by low water pressure as demand for water to put out the apocalyptic-looking flames soared.

More than 10 years ago, California voters approved Proposition One to construct new reservoirs, but a decade later none of those projects have been completed.

Throughout, the political frenzy that has coincided with the wildfires, Newsom has often opted to pass at least some of the blame onto local officials over the lack of preparations in place and for the response to the monster fires that ravaged Los Angeles County.

During his interview with NBC, Newsom urged Trump to visit California and tour the damage, something Vice President-elect JD Vance has said the incoming president is eager to do.

“I called for him to come out, take a look for himself,” Newsom said, referencing a letter he sent to Trump last week. “We want to do it in the spirit of an open hand, not a closed fist.”

Trump and Newsom have clashed over California’s handling of wildfires in the past.

Thus far, the latest infernos have decimated over 12,300 homes and killed at least 16 people. Authorities are still fighting against the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires.