The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday there were no Filipinos affected in the recent forest fire in the United States.
(David McNew / Getty Images / AFP / File Photo / MANILA BULLETIN)
“No Filipinos have so far been reported affected by the recent forest fire incidents across the United States’ West Coast,” the department said in an advisory.
The DFA advised the public to monitor advisories released by the Philippine Foreign Service Posts with jurisdiction over affected areas such as the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles and the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco for up to date information and necessary assistance.
Authorities reported that the fire engulfing swaths of the US West have killed at least 35 people since the start of summer and forced hundreds of people out of their homes.
Climate change amplifies droughts, which dry out regions, creating ideal conditions for wildfires to spread out-of-control and inflict unprecedented damage.
The blazes across California, Oregon, and Washington states have burned more than five million acres (two million hectares), torching an area roughly the size of the state of New Jersey, with fears the death toll may rise. (With a report from Agence France-Presse)