Remarks by President Biden Before Briefing Regarding the Ongoing Wildfire Season Response and Federal Efforts to Reduce Wildfire Risk

12:01 P.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Okay? 

I’m about to receive a briefing on everything we’re doing to support the people and communities threatened by these horrific wildfires.  And they’re — and they’re devastating. 
 
I — as I was saying to my staff before you came in, since I’ve been president, I’ve flown over more of these wildfires — from Arizona to Idaho and Montana and all that whole crescent — than makes up the entire state of Maryland burned to the ground. 
 
And — and there’s a lot that has to be s- — we’re not going to be able to speak to all of it tonight, but — today, but we’re going to talk a little bit about California and — and what’s going on in Oregon as well.
 
Nationwide, nearly 37,000 — 37,000 wildfires burning over 7.3 million acres, more land than some of the states that we occupy. 

In California, they have three major wildfires destroying homes and displacing thousands of people — I mean, thousands of people. 
 
In Oregon, there’s nearly 1.8 million acres burned.  And it sounds like it’s something good when you say it’s a record, but it’s a bad state record.  It’s real.
 
And my administration is working closely around the clock to control these fires and protect our people, but it’s always a matter of resources.  And I look forward to this briefing from key members of my administration, who’ve been working like hell on this, and two frontline governors.
 
And, by the way, what I’d like to do is I’d like to make the — we’ve raised the pay to $29 an hour.  I want to make that permanent for the fire- — these firefighters.  Anyway.
 
So, that’s what we’re going to be talking about, folks.  And thank you for making the effort to come in.  Appreciate it.
 
12:03 P.M. EDT