US President Joe Biden has canceled his planned trip to Italy to focus on managing the federal response to the devastating wildfires sweeping across California, White House Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre announced Thursday.
After visiting Los Angeles earlier in the day, where he met with emergency responders and approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, Biden decided to remain in the US to oversee federal relief efforts. The trip, originally scheduled for January 9-12, was intended to be Biden’s final foreign visit as president, including meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Pope Francis.
California’s wildfires, including the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, and Woodley fires, have burned tens of thousands of acres and caused significant loss of life and property. The fires, which began earlier this week, have claimed five lives and prompted widespread evacuations. Preliminary estimates from AccuWeather suggest economic losses from the disaster may reach $52-$57 billion.
