PRESIDENT Donald Trump is expected to visit the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles today as new blazes continue to rage across the city.
Trump will be making his first official trip since taking office on Monday despite red flags and huge evacuation orders still in place due to the dangerous fire weather.
Several fires are still active across California, with the most devastating Palisades tragedy continuing to cause chaos weeks after it first emerged.
A new inferno, the Hughes Fire, also started north of Los Angeles on Wednesday, leaving firefighters scrambling to contain the flames.
As of Thursday night, it had burned through over 10,000 acres and is still only 36% contained.
The blaze forced 50,000 people to be given evacuation orders as severe weather warnings came into effect.
Schools and businesses were shut down with parts of Interstate 5 temporarily closed.
The Hughes fire has burned through mostly brush so far with no casualties or damaged structures reported.
The chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department said 4,000 firefighters have been working on containing the Hughes fire.
Another blaze in neighboring Ventura County went on to burn through 94 acres.
Fire crews on Thursday were able to put out a blaze near the celebrity-packed neighborhood of Bel Air.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Fast-moving new fire ‘that could go nuclear’ breaks out in Los Angeles sparking evacuations as 30,000 forced to flee” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”pV1KxHf2t” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6367530430112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]The outburst of the new fires comes just as Trump is due to visit the ravaged area.
He is expected to visit places devastated by blazes that have killed at least 28 people and leveled entire neighborhoods earlier this month.
No specific details or timings for his visit have been released by the White House yet.
Trump has been very critical of the state and city authorities’ handling of the crisis.
Trump is also expected to visit North Carolina earlier in the day.
The state is still rebuilding itself after Hurricane Helene’s flooding left thousands without a home.
California governor Gavin Newsom is planning to meet Trump at the airport when he arrives in Los Angeles in the next few hours.
The pair isn’t believed to have spoken since Trump’s presidency began, but Newsom hopes they can work together despite their political differences.
Newsom announced yesterday that the state will spend $2.5 billion to help Los Angeles recover through a relief package.
The measures signed by the governor will go towards the state’s disaster response efforts, which will aid in evacuations, housing survivors, and removing hazardous waste.
State lawmakers also approved $4 million for local governments to rebuild homes.
Another $1 million was also pledged to support school districts and help them rebuild facilities.
