California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency Friday as result of "a vast tree die-off throughout the state" and deteriorating forest conditions that have increased the risk of wildfires.

Most of the $12bn in damages relate to the Paradise fire, which killed 85 and destroyed nearly 19,000 buildings
Insurance claims have topped $12bn for the November wildfires in California, making them the most expensive in state history.
The figure released on Wednesday by the insurance commissioner, Ricardo Lara, covers the fire that destroyed the town of Paradise and two southern California blazes.