Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a broad executive order that aims to make it easier to rebuild after the fires by suspending California’s costly and time-consuming environmental review process for homeowners and businesses whose property was damaged or destroyed.

The order is likely to be the first of several permit streamlining measures issued by state, county and city agencies in the wake of the devastating fires across greater Los Angeles.

More than 12,000 homes, businesses, schools and other structures have been destroyed by raging wildfires that began ripping through the Greater Los Angeles area last Tuesday. 

Cal Fire said in an update Monday that a total of 40,300 acres have burned across multiple blazes including the Pacific Palisades fire west of Los Angeles, the Eaton Fire near Altadena and the Hurst fire near Sylmar. At least 24 people have died and more than 100,000 have been forced to flee their homes.  

Two people are dead, and 80,000 have been forced to evacuate neighborhoods in Los Angeles thanks to fires raging out of control. According to the media and some scientists, climate change is causing the fires. “Researchers believe that a warming world is increasing the conditions that are conducive to wildland fire, including low relative humidity,” reported the BBC.