Raging blaze in W. states forces mass evacuations — WH

Thousands of Americans are under mandatory evacuation orders out west as widespread wildfires burn hundreds of thousands of acres across Oregon, California, and elsewhere. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, "We are grateful for the brave firefighters and first responders who are working to protect people and save lives." "We urge everyone in the -- in the affected areas to remain vigilant and heed the warnings of local officials, especially those who have been ordered to evacuate. "And the president has been briefed on the fires and we are in close touch with the governor's office -- offices in affected States to ensure they have all that they need," Karine noted. White House and federal officials are also in close contact with state and local officials on the front lines of these fires and 6800 federal personnel from the US Forest Service and the Department of Interior are on the ground helping to fight the blazes and keep people safe. The Department of Defense has also mobilized four of its C-130 modular airborne firefighting systems to support fire suppression efforts. "FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) also issued several Fire Management Assistance grants to help reimburse states for firefighting costs. As always we stand ready to provide further support as needed," she added. Source: Kuwait News Agency