Evan Vucci/AP Photo WHITE HOUSE Trump blames California forest policies for deadly wildfires

President Donald Trump on Saturday blamed "mismanagement" of California’s forests for ongoing deadly wildfires, threatening to withhold federal payments after 25 people died in two separate blazes and evacuation orders were issued for some 250,000 state residents.

“There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!” he tweeted.


Trump earlier issued an emergency declaration providing federal funds to help firefighters.

Trump has previously criticized management of California’s forests, blaming the spread of wildfires and widespread drought on the state’s water policy. Trump in August said California’s “bad environmental laws” are a cause of wildfires. Experts have disputed those claims.

The Pasadena Fire Association hit back at the president's comments on Twitter later Saturday, writing: "Mr. President, with all due respect, you are wrong. The fires in So. Cal are urban interface fires and have NOTHING to do with forest management. Come to SoCal and learn the facts & help the victims. Scott Austin, Pres IAFF 809. @IAFFNewsDesk."

Brian Rice, the president of the California Professional Firefighters, said in a statement: "The president’s message attacking California and threatening to withhold aid to the victims of the cataclysmic fires is Ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines."

Trump later struck a more conciliatory tone, tweeting: "More than 4,000 are fighting the Camp and Woolsey Fires in California that have burned over 170,000 acres. Our hearts are with those fighting the fires, the 52,000 who have evacuated, and the families of the 11 who have died. The destruction is catastrophic. God Bless them all.

"These California fires are expanding very, very quickly (in some cases 80-100 acres a minute). If people don’t evacuate quickly, they risk being overtaken by the fire. Please listen to evacuation orders from State and local officials!"

One of the wildfires this week incinerated most of the Northern California town of Paradise, killing at least 23 people and becoming the third deadliest fire in California's history, according to the Associated Press.

A Southern California wildfire killed 2 and continued to burn homes as it ran toward the ocean, including in the celebrity enclave of Malibu, which officials ordered evacuated.