Bush tours ‘sad situation’ in California, promises aid

President Bush flew to fire-ravaged California Thursday with promises of federal help, supportive words for those who’ve lost homes \nand businesses.\n“It’s a sad situation out there in Southern California,” Bush said on the rainy South Lawn of the White House early Thursday as he was leaving for bone-dry California and a visit to the blaze-stricken region. “I fully understand that the people have got a lot of anguish in their hearts, and they just need to know a lot of folks care about them.”\nBush, who was getting an aerial tour of the devastation wrought by blazes fanned by Santa Ana winds, took several California lawmakers with him on Air Force One. He was greeted on the tarmac at Marine Corps Air Station-Miramar by his tour guide for the day, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the smell of smoke.\nThe president also was getting a look at the situation on the ground. But first came the helicopter tour inspection of the wildfire damage and a visit to a San Diego neighborhood. He then traveled north to Escondido to assess that area’s damage, talk about recovery efforts and have lunch with emergency responders.\n“We have some incredibly brave citizens who are risking their lives to protect people and property in California and we owe a great debt of gratitude to our nation’s firefighters,” Bush said.\nFran Townsend, his White House-based homeland security adviser, said the most important aspect of the president’s trip was providing comfort to the victims of the fires.\n“People are going through a very difficult time,” she told reporters traveling with Bush. “This is chaotic. It’s anxiety producing. And just having him there – where he walks the neighborhoods that have been devastated and listens to the people who have been affected – is very important.”\nBush declared the fires a major disaster on Wednesday, setting in motion long-term federal recovery programs, some requiring matching funds from the state, to help state and local governments, families, individuals and certain nonprofit organizations recover. The assistance varies from direct aid for uninsured losses to help with rebuilding infrastructure.\nFor example, the Agriculture Department on Thursday approved a monthlong emergency food stamp program in San Diego County to help feed people whose homes were damaged or destroyed or who lost income because of\n the fires.\n“There will be help for the people of California,” Bush said.\nThe fires have destroyed about 2,200 structures since Sunday and led to the largest evacuation in California history. The flames have burned at least 431,000 acres across five counties, from Ventura in the north all the way into Mexico. Property damage has reached at least $1 billion in San Diego County alone.