LOS ANGELES: President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that the federal government would fully cover the costs of the initial disaster response for the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. The funding will support essential recovery efforts such as debris removal, temporary shelter, and first responders' salaries for up to 180 days.

While meeting with federal officials at the White House, Biden stressed the importance of providing whatever resources are necessary to aid the recovery. “Spare no expense,” he told California officials. “We are with you. We are not going anywhere. 

Biden acknowledged the enormous financial toll of the disaster.  "Replacing homes will be even more expensive. Anyone who gives you a number right now has no idea what they’re talking about. It's big, big, big." Biden reassured Californians affected by the fires: “To the families who have been impacted, you're living through a nightmare, I know. 

As fires continued to spread across the Los Angeles area, consuming around 28,000 acres and forcing hundreds of thousands of evacuations, Biden called on Congress to provide additional funding to support recovery efforts.  

At the time of his announcement, five separate fires were burning in the region, and the toll had already claimed at least five lives, with many others injured. Biden’s message was clear: more resources were needed to support the ongoing fight against the fires.

Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native, also attended the meeting. Reflecting on the devastation, she called the fires “apocalyptic in terms of the nature of it.”

In response to the disaster, Biden approved a major disaster declaration on Wednesday, unlocking immediate funds for those affected. This action will help victims access the necessary resources to begin rebuilding their lives. The president also ordered the Pentagon to provide firefighting resources, including helicopters, to support local efforts. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of 500 personnel to assist ground operations.

Biden had originally planned to visit Italy to meet with Pope Francis and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. But, he canceled his travel plan to focus on the federal response to the wildfire crisis.

On Wednesday, Biden visited California to receive a briefing on the situation, alongside Governor Gavin Newsom. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump criticized Newsom’s handling of the crisis and falsely claimed that FEMA had no funding under the Biden administration. In reality, Congress passed a bill in December that allocated an additional $100 billion for disaster aid, including USD29 billion for FEMA’s disaster relief fund, although it was less than the USD40 billion Biden had requested.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell visited Los Angeles on Thursday to meet with local officials and survey the damage. FEMA also released a guide to help individuals affected by the fires access financial assistance for essential items such as food, water, and medication.