New fires erupt in southern California ahead of Trump visit

Five new fires have erupted in southern California ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to the state.

The blazes – named Laguna, Sepulveda, Gibbel, Gilman and Border 2 – flared up on Thursday in Los Angeles, San Diego, Ventura and Riverside.

Meanwhile, firefighters have made progress in bringing the 10,000-acre Hughes Fire in Los Angeles under control, containing it by 36% since it broke out on Wednesday.

Fires have devastated the US state over the last few weeks, with the Palisades and Eaton fires scorching a combined total of more than 37,000 acres and killing at least 28 people.

Here are some details about the latest fires, based on updates from California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire):

• The Border 2 fire in San Diego spans 800 acres. Evacuation orders are currently in place
• Laguna fire in Ventura, which covers 94 acres and 70% of it has been brought under control
• The Sepulveda fire in Los Angeles spans 45 acres and is 60% contained. In an update posted on X, the Los Angeles Fire Department said they had stopped the blaze from spreading and evacuation orders had been lifted
• The Gibbel Fire erupted in the Riverside County, covering 15 acres. Fire crews have managed to stop the fire from progressing
• A bush fire dubbed “Gilman Fire” in San Diego covers two acres, but the blaze’s progress has been stopped

Trump is set to visit Los Angeles on Friday to examine the wildfire damage.

The newly inaugurated president has been critical of the response to the fires and has threatened to withhold federal assistance if California fails to alter the way it manages water supplies.

He has criticised California Governor Gavin Newsom and repeatedly made claims that the state had water issues because it diverted supplies to save a small fish called a smelt.

When asked by US media if he would cut off funding to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), Trump said: “I might have to do that. Sometimes that’s the only thing you can do. California’s a great example of it.

“If you actually poll the people, they don’t want sanctuary cities, but Gavin Newsom does. And these radical left politicians do.”

Brian Rice, the president of the California Professional Firefighters, told the BBC that he hopes Trump does not deny the state federal aid.

“The most important focus we have is getting federal aid into California, into these communities where people have lost their lives, their homes,” he said.

“In the history of this country, federal disaster aid has never been tied to if you do this, you get that. This is the discussion that’s going on, it’s never happened.”

The Hughes fire – the third largest blaze in the state after the Palisades and Eaton fires – forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate after it broke out on Wednesday.

According to Cal Fire, crew managed to make progress in containing the fast-moving blaze on Thursday.

In an update posted on Friday, the US National Weather Service has said dry weather and “elevated wildfire conditions” will persist in southern California, before rain over the weekend is expected to bring relief to the fire-stricken areas.