150 Pinoys affected by LA wildfires

MANILA, Philippines — Around 150 Filipinos have been affected by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, the Philippine consulate general in Los Angeles reported yesterday.

In an interview on ANC, Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz of the Philippine consulate general in Los Angeles said that the Filipinos displaced by the fires are currently staying in different evacuation centers.

The authorities are working to help them find long-term housing following a mandatory evacuation due to the spreading wildfires.

According to Cruz, some of the Filipinos affected by the fires are “undocumented” and “a few have only minimal insurance.”

“If you need help, if you need medical assistance, they (California authorities) will provide and assist,” Cruz said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs authorized the consulate to extend an emergency assistance of $200 to Filipinos affected by the wildfires.

According to Reuters, the death toll from the Los Angeles wildfires has climbed to 24, while more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple fires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong Santa Ana winds, continue to rage across Southern California.