President Joe Biden delivers remarks at a reception for the new Democratic members of Congress in the State Dining Room of the White House on Sunday. He visited Los Angeles on Wednesday. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI |
License PhotoJan. 9 (UPI) — White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday that President Joe Biden nixed a trip to the Vatican to see Pope Francis this week so he could remain focused on the Southern California wildfires damaging the densely populated Los Angeles region.
She said that Biden wanted to engage in “directing the full federal response in the days ahead” to the fires that have led to five reported deaths, thousands of charred acres, and evacuations. Jean-Pierre said additional details on Biden’s new agenda will be forthcoming soon.
Biden traveled to Los Angeles on Wednesday to receive a briefing on the wildfires. He was already in the area for the dedication of two national monuments in the eastern Coachella Valley.
In the meantime, firefighters continued their battle against three wildfires in Los Angeles County against lessening, but still powerful, Santa Ana winds that continue to fuel the blazes. The strong winds have prevented emergency crews from gaining any kind of control over them.
On Wednesday, more than 100,000 people were ordered to evacuate as the fire destroyed more than 1,000 structures. The fires in Pacific Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Woodley, and Lidia have left the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection scrambling for additional assistance.
The Palisades Fire, the oldest of the blazes, continued to burn east and west in the Los Angeles area, torching more than 17,000 acres, according to the latest data from Cal Fire. The Eaton Fire has burned more than 10,000 acres. The Hurst Fire has burned more than 850 acres.
