Federal government to cover 100% of LA wildfire disaster response, Biden announces

LOS ANGELES - President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the federal government will pay for 100% of the disaster response costs from the wildfires devastating neighborhoods across the Los Angeles area for the next six months. Speaking from the White House, Biden also said he plans to ask Congress for additional funding to support long-term recovery efforts.

The federal assistance will cover expenses such as debris removal, temporary shelters, and first responders' salaries. Biden highlighted the federal government’s deployment of resources to Southern California, including 400 federal firefighters and 30 firefighting planes.

"I told the governor and local officials, spare no expense," Biden said during the briefing, describing the damage as "catastrophic."

Newsom thanks Biden for federal support

California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed gratitude for the federal response, tweeting, "Thank you, @POTUS, for having California’s back during this unprecedented crisis. Together, we’ll rebuild and recover."

The 100% federal coverage increases from the 75% originally allocated and surpasses Newsom’s request for 90%. It marks a critical step in addressing what is expected to be one of the most expensive disasters in California’s history.

Impact and next steps

The wildfires have forced 179,000 residents to evacuate and destroyed entire neighborhoods. With three major fires still raging, Biden urged Congress to approve additional funding to support long-term rebuilding efforts.

"We need Congress to step up," Biden said, emphasizing the importance of sustained federal and state collaboration to help affected communities recover.

The Source:

Information based on President Biden’s briefing, official statements from the White House and Governor Newsom, and updates on the Los Angeles wildfires.