Jan. 19 (UPI) — Five major banks have agreed to provide mortgage relief to customers affected by wildfires that have ravaged thousands of homes, businesses and structures in the Los Angeles area, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced over the weekend.
Fires that erupted earlier this month have scorched tens of thousands of acres, killing at least 27 people and destroyed some 15,000 structures, with two of the blazes still uncontained as of Sunday night.
Newsom, in a Saturday statement, said that the Bank of America, Citi, JP Morgan Chase, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo have committed to offering a 90-day mortgage payment forbearance period to property owners in designated fire areas in Los Angeles and Ventura counties…