Trump declares emergency for wildfires in California

WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump declared an emergency in state of California on Friday as wildfires have engulfed several mountains around Los Angeles.

The declaration allows federal assistance to supplement the state and local response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from wildfires beginning earlier this month, according to the White House.

It also frees up federal emergency funds for disaster-hit places, including Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, and Ventura counties, where California Governor Jerry Brown declared states of emergency earlier this week.

Trump's announcement also came a day after Brown asked the president in a letter to declare an emergency in the state.

The wildfires, driven by unpredictable winds, have destroyed thousands of acres of property and some 439 buildings in just a few days, fire authorities said.

Earlier this year, wildfires ravaged Northern California, killing 44 people and causing damages worth billions of U.S. dollars. Enditem