Newsom proposes making looting a felony in evacuation zones during the LA wildfire.

Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, has declared looting in fire evacuation zones to be a felony following the recommendation of harsher penalties by Southern California prosecutors, as reported exclusively by Planet Chronicle Digital.

"These criminals are among the worst kinds because they prey on people at their most vulnerable," Newsom stated in a Planet Chronicle Digital statement on Thursday afternoon.

The governor stated that looting is not legal in the state and will not be tolerated as the state continues to fight the ongoing wildfire that began on January 7th.

Newsom stated that he had assigned support from CalGuard and CHP from the start to safeguard affected residents and their belongings.

In California, looting is currently classified as a "wobbler offense," meaning it can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor. Nevertheless, judges have the authority to reduce the charge to a misdemeanor, even if prosecutors object.

Nathan Hochman, the newly elected district attorney of Los Angeles County, has issued several arson felonies this week in unrelated cases as firefighters continue to battle the blaze across the region. Planet Chronicle Digital previously reported that authorities have arrested at least a dozen individuals in connection with looting and arson.

Armed homeowners in some neighborhoods have taken matters into their own hands to defend homes that have not been destroyed, as Hochman issued a warning to others "contemplating similar acts," vowing individuals would be "prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

After Hochman and District Attorney Todd Spitzer of Orange County called on him to make looting a felony, Newsom has publicly addressed the criticism he has faced for his handling of the crisis, which has come from celebrities and lawmakers alike.

Hochman and Spitzer's plan aims to change the classification of looting from a misdemeanor to a felony, resulting in a state prison sentence instead of a county jail term.

As containment efforts continue, the number of people killed by the Los Angeles wildfires is expected to increase, currently standing at two dozen.

Planet Chronicle Digital has reached out to Spitzer and Hochman for comment.

Planet Chronicle Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.