Biden announces 100% federal funding for Los Angeles wildfire response

President Joe Biden declared on January 9, that the federal government will fully cover the costs of the initial disaster response to the wildfires ravaging Los Angeles. 

In a meeting with federal officials at the White House, Biden confirmed the funding would support debris removal, temporary shelters, first responder salaries, and other essential needs for the next 180 days, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Biden reassured Californians affected by the wildfires, stating, "We are with you. We are not going anywhere. To the firefighters and first responders, you are heroes." He continued, emphasizing the magnitude of the destruction: "The cost of the debris clean-up is gigantic, gigantic. The cost of replacing the housing is almost exponential. Anybody can give you a number now, they have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s big, big, big."

The President also made an appeal to Congress, urging them to step up when more funds are needed to assist those affected by the devastating fires. “They’re going to have to step up when we ask for more help to get people the kind of assistance they need,” he said.

As Biden addressed the situation, five fires were continuing to spread across the Los Angeles area, with over 28,000 acres scorched. The fires have led to the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people, with at least five lives lost and many more injured.

Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native whose own neighbourhood was evacuated earlier this week, joined the meeting. She described the fires as "apocalyptic," particularly in Southern California, adding, “What we have seen in California and in particular in Southern California is apocalyptic in terms of the nature of it.”

Meanwhile, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna announced increased security measures to prevent looting in the evacuated areas. “More than 20 arrests have been made on suspicion of looting over the last few days,” he said. The sheriff requested additional assistance from the California National Guard, who will aid in traffic control and protection of critical infrastructure.

Luna also outlined plans for a curfew in the affected areas, expected to run from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., with the goal of implementation by Friday evening. “Having the National Guard with us,” he said, “will help send a stronger message, keep people out of the impacted areas, so we don’t continuously victimize the people who have already been victimized."

L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger reiterated that the curfew was not intended to punish residents but to maintain safety in the impacted regions, noting that it was requested by the Altadena Town Council.

By Aghakazim Guliyev