Trump Says California Wildfires Caused 'Catastrophic Destruction'

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th November, 2018) US President Donald Trump said that the ongoing wildfires in the western state of California had caused a "catastrophic damage" adding that 52,000 people have been already evacuated over the disaster.

Three major fires are currently raging in California, with the Camp Fire hitting its north, and the Woolsey Fire and the Hill Fire hitting its south. The disaster, which started on Thursday and quickly spread across the state, has already claimed 11 lives and destroyed over 6,500 buildings.

"More than 4,000 are fighting the Camp and Woolsey Fires in California that have burned over 170,000 acres.

Our hearts are with those fighting the fires, the 52,000 who have evacuated, and the families of the 11 who have died. The destruction is catastrophic. God Bless them all," Trump wrote on his Twitter page on late Saturday.

The president pointed out that the fires were expanding very quickly.

"These California fires are expanding very, very quickly (in some cases 80-100 acres a minute). If people don't evacuate quickly, they risk being overtaken by the fire. Please listen to evacuation orders from State and local officials!" Trump added.

On Saturday, Trump also declared a state of emergency in California.