President-elect Donald Trump grimly predicted the death toll of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires to jump drastically as local authorities start using cadaver-sniffing dogs to search through the rubble left behind.
At least 24 people have died in the fires and thousands of homes have been decimated since the first inferno broke out last Tuesday as firefighters are still trying to get dueling blazes under control.
Trump, who slammed Gov. Gavin Newsom over his handling of the deadly fires earlier this week, said the two dozen confirmed deaths are likely just a fraction of the real toll as first responders start sifting through the buildings and areas scorched by the infernos.
“They’re going to find many bodies, you know. Only the dogs will find them, right? You know, German Shepherds will. They can pick out the ashes immediately. It’s amazing,” Trump said in an interview with Newsmax. “But we’re gonna find many bodies and many more, many more dead.”
The incoming president was blown away by images of the sheer level of destruction caused by the fires and is reportedly considering flying out to the Golden State to access the damage firsthand.
“I believe it’s greater damage than if they got hit by a nuclear weapon. I’ve never seen anything like it. Vast miles and miles of houses just burned to a crisp. There’s nothing standing,” Trump told the outlet.
The wildfires have torched more than 40,000 acres and destroyed more than 12,000 structures — leveling entire neighborhoods.
When the dust settles, Trump plans to refurbish the area through new developments in a rare return to his real estate roots, he said.
“We’re gonna do things with Los Angeles. You know, I’m already putting my developer cap on because it looks literally– I just saw some very guarded pictures of it. And it’s far worse than you even see on television, if that’s believable,” he said.
