Republican congressman calls for halting of disaster relief to California

Warren Davidson of Ohio says aid should be withheld until the state ravaged by wildfires reforms forestry management

A Republican US congressman from Ohio has called for federal disaster relief to be withheld from California unless the state reforms its forestry management practices that some blame for the rapid spread of wind-fanned fires that broke on Tuesday.

Warren Davidson's remarks to Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo on Friday came as California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, urged officials to avoid politicizing the response to the blazes which had killed people and destroyed thousands of homes.