By Editor,Lauren Acton-Taylor

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California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill calling to give state firefighters a raise just months after wildfires devastated Los Angeles.

Newsom refused to sign bipartisan bill 1309 that would secure raised wages for the state’s firefighting service, Cal Fire, on Friday.

Introduced by Republican Assembly member Heath Flora, the bill would require the state to pay firefighters within 15 percent of the average salary for corresponding ranks in 20 local fire departments.

Tim Edwards, president of Local 2881, the union representing Cal Fire workers, said that Newsom’s refusal was ‘highly disappointing and frustrating.’

‘Cal Fire is an all-risk fire department, just like a San Francisco Fire Department or Santa Rosa or San Jose Fire Department,’ Edwards told SFGate.

‘We don’t have the staffing like they do. We don’t have the workweek like they do, and we definitely don’t have the pay like they do, but we do the exact same job at the exact same training, and we’re expected to do the exact same services.’

Wildfires have become an increasing threat to the state. Throughout the past decade wildfires have caused more than 100 deaths, billions of dollars in damage, and ‘placed overworked firefighters at risk,’ according to the bill.

It further noted the mental health and physical risk of the job, citing ‘extremely long hours under extreme duress’ as well as close and long-term exposure to ‘dangerous particulates’ from weeks-long fires.

The bill would also require Cal Fire’s human resources department to survey the fire chief’s salaries before January 1, 2027.

California State firefighters make a base salary of $54,122 per year, while firefighters in Los Angeles make at least $85,315 annually.

Edwards said Newsom’s veto ‘hit even harder’ as the memorial for fallen firefighters also took place on Friday in Sacramento.

‘It’s highly disappointing and frustrating especially when he vetoes the bill the day before we put six members on the memorial wall honoring fallen firefighters in the state of California,’ Edwards told the outlet.

Newsom, however, claimed that the bill would add ‘significant cost pressures for the state.’

In a letter, Newsom wrote: ‘I am returning Assembly Bill 1309 without my signature…While I appreciate the author’s intent, this bill would create significant cost pressures for the state and circumvent the collective bargaining process.

‘State employee salaries, along with other components of compensation such as health and pension benefits, should be determined through collective bargaining,’ Newsom continued.

‘Establishing a statutory salary floor for employees of a single department undermines this process, to the detriment of both the state and other bargaining units. For these reasons, I cannot sign this bill.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office for comment.

The bills veto comes just months after LA was destroyed by devastating wildfires that claimed the lives of around 29 people.

Hundreds of ritzy, multi-million-dollar homes were reduced to nothing more than piles of rubble and ash following the blaze.

Newsom came under intense scrutiny after the wildfires, with around 47 percent of Californians saying the governor was responsible or somewhat responsible for the damage.

President-elect Donald Trump was also among those who blame Newsom, claiming his forest management policies and fish conservation efforts are to blame for fire hydrants running dry in some urban areas.

Newsom faced calls for his resignation for how the fires were handled before he requested $40 billion to help Los Angeles rebuild.

The fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures and torched over 57,000 acres of land in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Pasadena and Altadena.

The total economic loss from the fires is estimated to be $250 billion, which includes factors such as anticipated cleanup costs, housing displacement and businesses shutting down.