Transcript for Trump surveys California wildfire devastation
The deadliest American wild fire in a century has just claimed more lives. Overnight officials saying 76 people are confirmed dead from the camp fire. The number of missing sky rocketing again standing at nearly 1,300. President trump traveling to California to take a firsthand look at the situation remarking on the utter destruction and applauding the firefighters who he says quote are fighting like hell. However while on the ground there, he also doubled down that forest management is to blame for the historic and deadly wild fires. Thousands of homes destroyed in a tent city smothered by smoke. Marcus Moore covering it for us. Marcus, good morning. We’re in the one of the neighbored president trump visited on his tour of the devastation. You look around and you’re reminded of how relentless the flames were. They seemed to quickly burn just about anything in the path of those flames as they marched downhills and hopped over roadways and destroyed homes and properties across the state. Reporter: President trump seeing firsthand the devastation left behind. Overnight the death toll of the camp fire rising to 76. The number of missing potentially as high as 12 hundred. The president arriving in northern California first. Smoke hanging in the air, flanked by the governor and governor elect. His motorcade passing supporters to welcome him to paradise, the town of 28,000 wiped out by the camp fire. It’s very sad. Reporter: The president standing by his controversy controversial comments about the forest management. I was with the president of Finland. They spend a lot of time raking and cleaning things. They don’t have any problems. Reporter: At a command post in near chico the president taking in the gravity of the damage. In California we’ve never seen anything like this. It’s total devastation. Reporter: Outside protester. And supporters gathering. The whole town is trying to help people who had to evacuate. Now all these resources are sent here to try to protect him. Reporter: The groups clashing. It’s almost the 11th hour for a tent city outside a nearby Walmart where residents are told they can’t stay and have to leave by the afternoon. With thick smoke in the air, air quality a concern. It’s serious. It’s gone on for days. I want to guard my family’s health. Reporter: The president traveling to the woolsey fire site. Trump telling the reporters seeing the devastation is unbelievable. You’re watching from Washington, D.C. And you don’t see the gravity of it until you see it. This truck burned out and another astonishing thing is it looks like melted aluminum underneath the truck. Crews have been able to make progress in getting the fire contained. It could be contained by Monday. The camp fire still only about 55% contained. You see a lot of those stranded vehicles as people are trying to get out. Marcus Moore, we appreciate it.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.