Biden attends California wildfire briefing with Newsom, celebrates great-grandchild.
Gov Gavin Newsom and President Biden discussed California wildfires during their meeting.
On Wednesday, President Biden made some brief and off-topic remarks after meeting with firefighting officials about the wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Biden, who was present to sign a disaster declaration alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsom, stated that we are ready to do anything and everything necessary to control these fires and restore normalcy.
The journey will be arduous and time-consuming, but the government will remain steadfast and available to assist you. Please provide all the necessary resources and we will fulfill any unfulfilled requests.
Newsom thanked Biden for federal support in the fight.
He stated that it was impossible for him to convey the extent of his gratitude.
Biden unexpectedly changed the direction of the meeting, announcing the birth of his eldest granddaughter's first child and celebrating his new role as a great-grandfather.
"As of today, I am a great-grandfather," Biden stated, responding to reporters' inquiries.
The Los Angeles fire chief, Kristin Crowley, stated that her team recognized the "significant threat" posed by the Pacific Palisades fire from the beginning due to the "high, high, high winds."
In her 25 years of experience, Crowley had never witnessed wind conditions like the ones she saw.
A total of 22 square miles have been consumed by fires that resulted in the deaths of at least two people and the evacuation of more than 30,000 individuals.
On Wednesday, Trump criticized Newsom again for opposing a plan to increase water supply to the Central Valley, which he called "derisive," and renewed old accusations that the governor prioritizes the interests of endangered species over those of farmers.
Trump has supported farmers over environmentalists in a prolonged conflict over California's limited water resources, but it is unclear how his strategy could have prevented the wildfires in the Los Angeles region.
"Trump stated that he wanted to protect a worthless fish called a smelt by giving it less water, but he didn't care about the people of California. The ultimate price is now being paid."
Amid the overnight firefight, some fire hydrants across Los Angeles County ran out of water, prompting his comments.
The reason for the water shortage in Los Angeles County is because the municipal water system is not equipped to handle the high demand during wildfires.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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