No Filipinos hurt in California wildfires

MANILA — There were no reports that Filipinos were among the casualties of the wildfires that swept through California's wine county, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday.

At least 10 people were killed in the wildfires that spread over north of San Francisco from Napa in the south to Redding in the north.

The Philippines has expressed its sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives in the massive wildfires.

"We pray that our kababayans and other residents in the affected areas be kept safe and their homes spared from the fires," Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said.

About 15 separate wildfires spread through and affected over 73,000 acres, destroyed 1,500 structures and caused the evacuation of 20,000 residents, according to the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco.

Consul General Henry Bensurto said that the consulate is coordinating with local authorities to monitor the situation of the Filipinos in the affected areas.

“We continue to reach out to Filipino community organizations in the affected areas, particularly in the Napa and Sonoma counties, to ascertain their condition,” Bensurto said.

An estimated 13,500 Filipinos live in Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties, which were the most affected by the wildfires. Another 4,200 Filipinos live in Lake, Marin and Mendocino counties which were also affected.

According to Bensurto, the windy and hot conditions from late spring through autumn cause periodic wildfires in California.