Trump to visit California on Monday to be briefed on wildfires
President Trump will travel to California on Monday to be briefed by local and federal fire and emergency officials on the recent wildfires that have ravaged the state.
White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere said in a statement that Mr. Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom have spoken by phone, adding "the White House and FEMA have remained in constant contact with State and local officials throughout the response to these natural disasters."
"The president continues to support those who are battling raging wildfires in a locally-executed, state-managed, and federally-supported emergency response," Deere said.
Mr. Trump approved a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for California in August. According to Deere, the administration has also approved 10 fire management assistance grants and 24 grants for other western states affected by the fires, providing a 75% federal cost share. More than 26,000 federal personnel and 230 helicopters have been deployed to the region to fight these fires.
Mr. Trump visited California in the aftermath of wildfires that ravaged the state in 2018. The president has clashed with Newsom, a Democrat, on the best ways to combat forest fires.
At least 19 people have died in California, Washington and Oregon as historic wildfires ravage the West, scorching millions of acres and forcing thousands of people to evacuate. An official in Oregon said the state is preparing for a "mass fatality incident" as the fires continue.