(Reuters) – US President-elect Donald Trump, who has strongly criticized California's handling of devastating Los Angeles wildfires, said on Saturday that he would likely visit the area next week after his inauguration.
The fires had killed at least 27 people as of Friday and destroyed more than 10,000 structures in the residential areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
“I'll probably go at the end of the week,” Trump, a Republican who will be inaugurated on Monday, said in an interview with NBC.
“I was going to go… yesterday but I thought it would be better if I left as president. I think it's a bit more appropriate,” he added.
California Governor Gavin Newsom last week invited Trump to visit the region, saying people should not “politicize the human tragedy or spread misinformation from the sidelines.”
As the fire raged, Trump demanded the resignation of Newsom, a Democratic representative, claiming that his policies caused water shortages that hampered firefighting efforts. Newsom said the accusations are baseless.
Trump also accused Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of incompetence, and said President Joe Biden did not leave him any money in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's budget.
The wildfires, which started on January 7, spread quickly under dry conditions and extremely strong Santa Ana winds. Los Angeles officials asked most evacuees on Thursday to stay away from their homes for at least another week.
Damage estimates range from $20 billion to $45 billion. Rents have risen and uncertainty over insurance settlements has left some displaced people in limbo.
