Brown seeks $7.4 billion for fire relief

Federal funds would go to wine region, where losses are at $3 billion and rising.

Gov. Jerry Brown has asked the federal government to provide $7.4 billion to help Northern California recover from recent devastating wildfires.

The fires, which ripped through the state’s wine country last month, killed 43 people and demolished 8,800 homes and commercial structures.

“The full economic impact to the agricultural, tourism, hospitality and wine industries is still not known,” Brown wrote in a letter Friday to President Trump. “Nine California wineries were destroyed and 21 were damaged in the nation’s most prominent winemaking region.”

Brown’s letter was cosigned by the state’s two U.S. senators, Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, and 39 members of California’s congressional delegation.

On Friday, Brown also directed more than $40 million in state funds to assist in immediate cleanup efforts.

This week, state officials said the wildfires caused at least $3 billion in insured losses.

Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones warned the staggering figure will probably rise.

“As shocking as $3 billion in insured losses are, the number is sure to grow, as more claims are coming,” Jones said in a statement.

Santa Rosa alone lost 5% of its housing in California’s most destructive wildfire, and some residents have questioned whether they will be able to afford to stay in a region known for its tight housing market and high prices.

More than 40 people died in the fires, and Jones’ office said more than 14,000 homes were damaged or destroyed.

As a storm moved into the fire zone Friday, officials have been scrambling to contain potentially toxic runoff from the ash and debris.