By Kanishka Singh and Jasper Ward
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris has canceled her upcoming trip to Singapore, Bahrain and Germany because of wildfires still raging in California, the White House said on Thursday, after President Joe Biden made a similar decision a day earlier.
Biden canceled an upcoming trip to Italy where he was scheduled to meet with Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni.
“In response to the historic wildfires in Los Angeles, the vice president has made the decision to cancel her and another gentleman’s upcoming trip to Singapore, Bahrain and Germany,” the White House said Thursday.
The canceled trip by Harris, who is from California, would likely be her last post as vice president before she leaves office on Jan. 20.
Los Angeles is facing the worst wildfires in its history that have so far killed five people, forced the evacuation of 180,000 and consumed 31,000 hectares (12,500 acres).
Biden, who declared a major disaster in California, met with top administration officials Thursday afternoon to discuss the federal response.
