President Joe Biden has stepped in to support victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
On Monday, he announced that people impacted by the fires will get a one-time $770 payment to help with essential purchases like water, baby formula, and medicine.
“So far, nearly 6,000 survivors have registered, and $5.1 million has already been distributed,” Biden said. “We aren’t waiting until the fires are over to help—people need aid now.”
The wildfires have destroyed over 12,300 structures, burned through 40,000 acres, and claimed 24 lives. With evacuation orders affecting over 90,000 residents, another 89,000 people remain under warnings to leave. Entire communities have been wiped out.
Biden also emphasized the need for long-term financial support:
“It’s going to take tens of billions of dollars to rebuild L.A. Congress needs to step up with funding.”
Additionally, Biden confirmed that the federal government will cover 100% of disaster response costs for the next six months.