CHICO, Calif. — President Donald Trump has arrived in California to survey the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history.
The Camp Fire, in northern California, has killed at least 71 people.
More than 1,000 people are reported missing, although officials say that figure could fluctuate.
Speaking in the town of Paradise, President Trump described the scene as “sad to see” and revisited his disputed claim that poor forest management was to blame.
“We do have to do management maintenance, and we’ll be working also with environmental groups. I think everyone’s seen the light,” he said.
“I don’t think we’ll have this again to this extent,” he added.
Experts have pointed to the weather, climate change, and population shifts as bigger causes of the wildfires.
On top of the Camp Fire, firefighters are also tackling several other blazes, including the Woolsey Fire near Los Angeles which has claimed at least three lives.
Adding to the misery, scores of people have become sick after outbreaks of the norovirus at shelters and the air quality in northern California has been rated the world’s worst.
Heavy rain is forecast next week that could douse the flames but also bring mudslides and floods on hillsides stripped of vegetation.
