President Joe Biden boosted disaster assistance to California on Thursday, announcing the federal government will cover “100 percent of all the costs” to fight the fires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
But he was less certain that President-elect Trump would be similarly generous with assistance for the series of fires, which are poised to be the most expensive in U.S. history.
“I’m not in a position to answer that question,” Biden said when asked if he was confident that the incoming administration would make California whole. “I pray to God they will,” Biden said.
The president held a White House briefing on the disaster response effort alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, whose Los Angeles home is in the evacuation zone of the destructive Palisades Fire, and administration officials.
Biden previously approved federal Fire Management Assistance Grants when the first fires broke out earlier this week. The grants were to cover 75 percent of firefighting costs, including equipment, salaries and aircraft. The president also approved an expedited Major Disaster Declaration on Wednesday to help affected individuals get immediate cash assistance.
After California Gov. Gavin Newsom made an additional request for funds, Biden said the grants and elements of the disaster declaration will now cover all of those costs for 180 days. Those dollars will pay for efforts including debris and hazardous material removal, temporary shelters and first-responder salaries.
“I told the governor and local officials to spare no expense to do what they need to do and contain these fires in their communities that have really been devastated,” he said.
Two of the largest fires are still at 0 percent containment, according to Cal Fire. Harris’ office announced Thursday that the vice president had canceled her upcoming trip to Singapore, Bahrain and Germany and “will remain in the United States to support the federal response in California.”
Biden said he is also dispatching additional federal resources, including 400 firefighters, aircraft and wildfire ground clearing personnel.
The president recognized that even more aid will likely be necessary after a full accounting of the damage has been done — and called on Congress to answer the call for assistance.
“I hope they’re ready to step up, because we can afford it,” he said.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said earlier Thursday Congress was unlikely to take up new support for the state until mid-March during the next government funding deadline.
