Washington: US President Joe Biden on Thursday declared a major disaster in California due to large fires ongoing in the state since earlier in the week, the White House said.
“Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of California and ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires and straight-line winds beginning on January 7, 2025, and continuing,” the White House said in a statement.
The decision makes aid funds available to affected people in Los Angeles.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the statement read.
The Palisades fire in Los Angeles was first reported Tuesday and has spread to over 15,000 acres, forestry and fire protection officials said. The Eaton fire started Tuesday night, also prompting evacuation orders. It claimed five lives. The fire burned more than 10,000 acres as of Wednesday afternoon. The Hurst fire broke out in the Sylmar neighborhood of Los Angeles late Tuesday night. The Woodley fire reportedly erupted Wednesday morning.
The AccuWeather media company said its preliminary estimate of the damage and economic loss from the wildfires in California is $52-$57 billion.
