Washington, DC: US President Joe Biden promised government funding for relief and recovery operations in response to the Southern California wildfires.

In addition, Biden said that Governor Gavin Newsom’s request for a major disaster designation had been approved and promised that the federal government will help the impacted towns as needed.

Biden shared a post on X that said, “We’re willing to do all it takes to assist in rebuilding and controlling the flames in Southern California. However, we are aware that it will be a very long distance. As long as you need us, the federal government will be here.

In a separate post, he stated, “I’ve approved Governor Newsom’s request for a major disaster declaration and ordered federal assistance to supplement response efforts in areas affected by wildfires, ensuring impacted communities and survivors have immediate access to funds and resources to begin their recovery.”

Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that five people had died as a result of wildfires that surged across Southern California, fueled by windy and dry weather.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Nicole Nishida verified the death toll Wednesday afternoon at five. More than 25,000 acres had burnt, Nishida said.

As of Wednesday afternoon, 1.5 million consumers in Los Angeles County were without power, according to poweroutage.us.

Two people had died earlier. LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a news conference on Wednesday that the Eaton Fire had resulted in two fatalities and several injuries.

According to CalFire, the state fire service, the Palisades Fire has destroyed over 1,000 buildings, making it the most devastating in the history of Los Angeles. The New York Times reported that mandatory evacuation orders were in effect for over 100,000 people.

In a post on X, US President Joe Biden stated, “More than 100,000 people have been told to leave regions affected by the wildfires in Southern California. There are at least two fatalities. Firefighters are among the several other people hurt. It’s disastrous. We stand with the people of Southern California.

The Eaton Fire, which started in Altadena, California, miles distant from the Palisades Fire, has burnt 2,227 acres and is completely uncontained. At least 500 acres were burned when the Hurst Fire started and spread northeast of San Fernando, California.

Another wave of strong winds may come by Thursday afternoon and last until Friday morning, according to the National Weather Service. In the mountains, isolated gusts of up to 70 miles per hour (mph) are likely.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended the Oscar nominee voting period in response to the horrific wildfires that have swept across Los Angeles.

Originally scheduled to end on January 12, the voting for the roughly 10,000 Academy members began on January 8. But according to Variety, the deadline has been moved until January 14.