California governor Gavin Newo has asked the US Federal Government for $ 40 billion (£ 31.6 billion) funds to help restore the Los Angeles areas, devastated by January fires.
Newsom sent the request to the leaders of the Congress in a letter on Friday. He said the funds would help both immediate and long -term recovery work.
“I ask Congress to have the back of the American people and to provide disaster funding to help Californians recover and recover as soon as possible,” he wrote in social media.
The fires, which began on January 7, burned 37 469 acres and killed at least 26 people in the Big Los Angeles area.
The funds will be used to restore the workforce, tax incentives, fire resistance and private property reconstruction, Newsom said.
According to Newsom's proposal, the largest share of the funds – 42% – will go to public care for the removal and repair of debris.
“The avid communities have experienced widespread devastation and the overall impact on the California economy will take years to qualify completely,” Newsom wrote in the letter.
About 150,000 inhabitants have been displaced as the fires erupted in early January.
Much of the communities in the Los Angeles region of the Pacific Palisades and Altadan were destroyed during the days of flames.
The request has attracted support from some legislators who represent the area.
“This package will provide for the injection of a desperately needed federal assistance for the restoration of homes, companies and institutions in the community that will support the healing process of Angelos, suffering from grief and trauma of loss of loved ones, homes and any belonging,” which they appreciate, ” Judy heard, a Democratic Congressman said in a statement.
It is unclear how the request in Congress will be obtained, where both chambers are controlled by Republicans with narrow majority.
Last month, before his visit to Los Angeles, President Donald Trump told Fox News that he did not think the federal government should give California “everything” until he displaced the water supply south of the state.
After his visit to the Palisadi, Trump described the destruction as “devastation”.
“I don't think you can realize how rough it is, how devastating it is until you see it,” Trump said. “I want to say that I saw many bad things on television, but the extent of it, its size, we flew over it in a helicopter.”