The ultimate blaze

Trump hatches strategy to prevent future catastrophic fires

AS HE stood in the ashes of a California caravan park, US President Donald Trump said he wanted to ensure the state never again experienced a firestorm like the one that has ravaged it in recent weeks.

Mr Trump said he visited northern California to fully grasp the scale of the desolation. He reiterated his belief that poor forest management was to blame and vowed to provide federal funding to help California recover.

“We’re going to have to work quickly … Hopefully this is going to be the last of these,” he said in what remains of the largely destroyed town of Paradise. “I think everybody’s seen the light and I don’t think we’ll have this again to this extent.”

Hours later, on a visit to the state’s south, Mr Trump found similar signs of devastation in Malibu. Palm trees stood scorched and some homes were burnt to the ground on a bluff above the Pacific Ocean.

At least 71 people have died across northern California, and authorities are trying to locate more than 1000 people. More than 5500 fire personnel were yesterday still battling a blaze that covered about 590sq km and was about 50 per cent contained, officials said.

When asked in Paradise if seeing the devastation had altered his scepticism of climate change, Mr Trump said: “No.”

Wearing a camouflage “USA” hat, Mr Trump gazed solemnly at the ravaged town and pledged his support.

“It’s going to work out well, but right now we want to take care of the people that are so badly hurt,” he said.

“I think people have to see this really to understand it.” He pledged that Washington would come to California’s aid and urged the Republican House of Representatives leader Kevin McCarthy to help secure the needed funding.

He later praised the work of firefighters, police and Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel. “They’re out there fighting and they’re fighting like hell,” he said.