Official announcements from the White House or news coverage from major outlets like Reuters or BBC

President Biden Declares California Disaster Area, Announces $770 Payments to Los Angeles Wildfire Victims

Jan 14, 2025, 02:00 AM

President Joe Biden declared California a disaster area due to the wildfires and announced that individuals affected will receive a one-time payment of $770 to help with immediate needs. He stated that nearly $5.1 million in immediate aid has been distributed, with the payments intended to allow victims to quickly purchase necessities such as water, baby formula, and prescriptions. Biden emphasized that the federal government is not waiting until the fires are over to assist, saying, "It's going to cost tens of billions of dollars to get Los Angeles back to where it was." He also ordered an increase in federal funding for emergency operations in the state by 100%.