California Is Quick to Get Federal Aid for LA Fires. But Soon, Trump Will Make Such Calls

As devastating fires continue to burn in Los Angeles County, state lawmakers have moved quickly to secure federal aid — help that some fear could be delayed or cut off in a future disaster under the Trump administration.

The Palisades and Eaton fires, which began Tuesday and spread rapidly during strong winds, have destroyed thousands of homes and forced over 100,000 residents to evacuate.

President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration on Wednesday after several California representatives and Gov. Gavin Newsom urged the president to swiftly respond to the crisis.

“It didn’t take more than a text message to get [Fire Management Assistance Grants] approved, which means we’re reimbursed for the vast majority of these costs. No politics, no hand wringing, no kissing of the feet,” Newsom said during a press conference on Tuesday. “Emergency proclamations are being drafted as we speak, and I just want to thank the president because that’s something I don’t take for granted.”

On Thursday, Biden pledged that the federal government would cover 100% of the costs associated with the wildfires. He also noted that all possible resources are being sent to California to help with firefighting and rescue efforts.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D–San José), who signed the letter to Biden, said his quick response “will accelerate the assistance that is so desperately needed.” But she also acknowledged that Biden only has a few more days left in office. Once his term ends this month, it will be President-elect Donald Trump who is in charge of approving emergency aid distribution on the federal level.

During his first term as president and throughout his most recent campaign, Trump frequently threatened to limit and even cut the amount of financial aid going to California for disaster recovery, decisions that would be well within his authority as president.

When a natural disaster occurs, states can seek federal assistance through the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, a law that designed the process by which states can request financial aid in times of emergency.

First, state officials proclaim a state of emergency. Then, the governor can look to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a disaster declaration.

Upon determining that a declaration is warranted, FEMA’s recommendation is brought to the Secretary of Homeland Security, who then brings it to the president for final approval.

Federal aid can help with cash assistance for people who have been evacuated or lost their homes, as well as expedite the process of debris removal and other assistive measures.

After the catastrophic Camp Fire in 2018 and the major wildfires in 2020, Trump resisted providing aid before eventually capitulating. When eastern Washington also experienced a massive wildfire in 2020, Trump refused to approve any federal assistance, allegedly due to his conflicts with Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, according to an NPR report.

Biden also faced criticism in 2021 for his denial of individual assistance to those affected by the Caldor Fire in Northern California after FEMA found that enough victims were covered by insurance.

Stephen Collier, a professor of regional and city planning at UC Berkeley, said the issue goes beyond just the president.

“It’s complicated how this stuff is going to exactly play out,” Collier said. “There are moments when the Republicans in Congress have resisted more federal aid, but the moment there are disasters in their own states, which happens every year, they ultimately get on board.”

Several Republicans, including Trump, have already vocalized their criticisms of Democratic politicians and policies since the fires began, according to a report by Politico.

The president-elect criticized Newsom in a Truth Social post on Wednesday, calling the fires “virtually apocalyptic” and blaming the governor for not signing a water restoration declaration that he said would have prevented the disaster.

As Trump’s second term approaches, some lawmakers and experts are concerned about how his attitudes toward California may affect future federal response to such disasters.

Matt Sedlar, a climate analyst at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, said the distribution of federal emergency aid can sometimes become a matter of politics.

“One of the very few positive things you can get out of what’s happening right now in Southern California is that Biden is still technically president. The White House did declare a disaster yesterday and they’re starting the process of determining whether funding can go to specific areas,” Sedlar said.

He continued: “If this was happening in February, we would be having a very different conversation because there’s a lot of unpredictability around Trump. But because Biden is still in office, California is likely to get that federal aid.”

Sedlar and Collier urged state officials and residents to begin thinking about mitigation and risk management when it comes to addressing natural disasters and wildfires.

“We’re playing defense, and we need to start playing offense. We need to start building better homes. We need to start building better communities,” Sedlar said. “More money needs to go into mitigating these disasters rather than thinking of this after the fact.”

KQED’s Juan Carlos Lara and Marisa Lagos contributed to this report.