Biden To Visit Santa Monica Fire Station For LA Wildfires & Winds Briefing Before Flying Out Of Town Today – Update
UPDATE, 9:12 AM: Holding up overnight in a westside hotel, Joe Biden hasn’t spoke out publicly about the devastating wildfires and battering winds pounding L.A. That may change soon as the outgoing POTUS will be getting an in-person briefing from first responders and officials, the White House says.
With the President and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden in town a day longer than anticipated due to the natural disaster, as well as turbulence grounding Air Force One, Biden will be heading to Santa Monica Fire Station #5 to learn more up-close at an 11 am PT sit-down. Before the President gets his briefing, he and Dr. Biden are going to Cedar-Sinai to join family for the birth of a great-grandchild
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Early Wednesday as local and regional officials wrapped up an updating press conference, the White House put out the following: “This morning, the President received a briefing from his team on the latest developments of the Palisades wildfire overnight. Soon, the President will receive a briefing from CalFire officials on the Palisades wildfire at a Santa Monica Fire Station. Then, the President and the First Lady will depart Los Angeles, California and return to the White House.”
Besides the devastated Palisades, there are another three major fires around the county. On the positive side, after a long and dangerous night, wind speeds are decreasing right now, allowing fire and media choppers to take to the air. Aircraft was also restricted because of the President’s presence in town, but the Secret Service gave a dispensation on Tuesday for them to take off even though the winds were still too rough.
Having authorized federal assistance for the region last night as fires swarmed Pacific Palisades and Pasadena, Biden has been in close touch with Gov. Gavin Newsom both officials have said. Set to give a eulogy at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral at the National Cathedral on Thursday, Biden is scheduled right now to leave from LAX around 2 p.m. PT
1st UPDATE, Jan. 7 5:01 PM: The President of the United States has been forced to spend an unexpected night in Los Angeles due to the powerful winds and wildfires pounding the county.
Originally set to depart LA around 2:15 p.m. PT this afternoon after designating two national monuments, Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will now try to fly out of town at 2 p.m. PT on Wednesday, according to the White House.
As the already fierce winds gusts are picking up, a decision was made that it was “not advisable” to move the First Couple to Air Force 1 at LAX and attempt to take off into strong turbulence, I’m told. Also, having AF1 taking off would have increased the air restrictions in the region for presidential security – a move that could have hampered helicopters and other aircraft from working on fighting the fires before it gets too dark.
As it is, with nothing to do with Air Force One, many choppers and planes are grounded right now in LA County because of the winds.
Tomorrow, the Bidens are scheduled to travel via Marine One to LAX, Santa Ana winds permitting. If all goes to plan, they will return to the White House around 10 p.m. ET.
The President is supposed to be delivering a eulogy for Jimmy Carter in DC on January 9. A close friend of the 46th POTUS, the 39th POTUS died on December 29 at the age of 100. Carter’s flag-draped casket is lying in state in the Capitol presently before returning to Georgia for burial this weekend.
The lack of movement by the outgoing incumbent in the final days of his administration comes after Biden cancelled his trip earlier today to the Coachella Valley to sign proclamations creating the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument. The proclamations will see 848,000 acres of lands in California now protected. The stay in place announcement for the Bidens also comes less than an hour after the President confirmed federal assistance in response to the fires ravaging over 1200 acres in Pacific Palisades, where mandatory evacuations are in effect.
Gov Gavin Newsom revealed a couple of hours ago during a press conference with the LAFD chief and other officials that he had been texting with Biden and POTUS had assured him on aid was on the way.
“The President has been briefed on the wildfires in Los Angeles and at his direction his team is in contact with state and local officials to offer any federal assistance as needed,” the White House said in the past half hour of said aid. “In response to the Governor’s request, FEMA has just approved a Fire Management Assistance Grant to support the impacted community and help reimburse California for firefighting costs.”
With winds blowing west and increasing in velocity as night falls, Malibu now looks to be vulnerable to fires — just weeks after the Franklin fire hit the beachfront neighborhood. To that, LA has been in a state of tactical alert since late this morning.
According to the Governor’s office: The National Weather Service continues to forecast very high dangerous winds for Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside counties through 6 p.m. tomorrow night, with isolated gusts reaching up to 100 miles per hour in Los Angeles County.
PREVIOUSLY, 12:24 PM Wildfires and powerful winds whipping around Los Angeles have forced President Joe Biden to cancel his trip to nearby Joshua Tree National Park to proclaim a new national monument.
“Due to weather issues, the President will not travel to Thermal, CA,” the White House just announced “The previously scheduled remarks will be delivered in Los Angeles, CA. Additional details to follow.”
Biden’s speech has now been shuttered, at least for the time being, I’m told. (Update 12:45 p.m.: White House says: “Today’s event will be rescheduled for next week at the White House so that key stakeholders can attend.”)
Having flown into LAX last night on what is likely his last visit to the region as POTUS, Biden stayed on the west side of town Monday. Up until just over an hour ago, it looked like the President would be making his trip to establish a Chuckwalla National Monument south of Joshua Tree National Park.
According to the White House pool report: “Earlier, pool saw POTUS enter the Beast at the RON at 10.58am. Pool then saw POTUS exit the Beast about 10 minutes later and reenter RON”
Fast moving fires, low humidity, dry vegetation and hard wind gusts have led to fast moving fires throughout LA. Smoke from a brush fire is engulfing Pacific Palisades, and another fire broke out in West Hollywood. Evacuation orders are already being issued in the Palisades, says the LAFD.
To make things worse, the Santa Ana winds are expected to pick up considerably later today and into the night reaching 80-100mph, putting most of Southern California at risk.
Joined by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Biden was to travel to sign proclamations creating the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument, which will protect 848,000 acres of lands in California.
The President and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden were set to leave LA this evening. Also, with Air Force One at LAX, there are additional flight restrictions in the area as super scoopers and others need to take to the sky to attack the fires. The President is scheduled to deliver one of the eulogies at former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral in Washington DC on January 9.
Ted Johnson contributed to this report.
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