Twenty-one people have died due to the devastating wildfires that have broken out across Northern California wine country, government officials there said Wednesday.
Close to two dozen fires spanning hundreds of thousands of acres have destroyed 3,500 structures, causing more than 25,000 people to evacuate the area.
California Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, predicted the wildfires in California, coupled with the hurricanes that hit Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico over the last few weeks, will cost the federal government “tens of billions” of dollars.
“Along with the other ones in Texas and Florida and elsewhere, this will be tens of billions, so we have to get ready to deal with this situation and then prepare for others that will follow in the years to come,” he said.
Brown said the $30 billion the White House asked Congress for in response to the most recent natural disasters “will have to grow.” The House is expected to vote this week on a bill authorizing $36.5 billion in emergency funding to help states affected by hurricanes and wildfires.
The legislation includes an additional $576.5 million specifically for states recovering from wildfires.
“The federal government is going to help us as they’re helping the other states,” the governor said. “It’s just part of the facts of a highly-developed society is that you have a lot of people and a lot of assets, and in the face of floods and hurricanes and fires, this is what happens. This is all part of the budget. We can pay our share, but we want to make sure the federal government is a good partner, and so far I think they’ve been a very good partner.”
Officials said 8,000 firefighters are committed to fighting the wildfires, and the California National Guard is mobilizing an additional 1,800 soldiers and airmen Wednesday to assist in the response.
President Trump issued a disaster declaration for California on Tuesday, unlocking federal resources for the areas of the state that were affected by the wildfires.
