Remarks by President Biden in a Briefing on the New Mexico Wildfires | The White House

New Mexico State Regional Coaching Set up Facility
Santa Fe, New Mexico

3:18 P.M. MDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Effectively, Governor, thanks very a lot.  Earlier than I start, we’re on Nationwide Guard property.  I simply wish to say that the Nationwide Guard, clearly, is managed by the governor, besides when federalized.  And I’ve federalized you plenty of instances nationwide to combat fires, to combat each catastrophe we’ve had.  And my son was a significant within the Nationwide Guard.  And I feel the individuals don’t fairly perceive the extent — the extent of the work you do and the chance you’re taking for us. 

And secondly, there’s an expression the place I come from: “God made man, then he made some firefighters.”  You’re all loopy — (laughter) — however I like you.  I grew up in a neighborhood known as Claymont, Delaware, once we moved from Scranton when coal died.  And, you already know, my dad and mom weren’t within the coal mines — they have been in gross sales — however the economic system shriveled and we moved all the way down to this little metal city.  And I went to slightly Catholic college throughout from the hearth division — a hearth station.  And everyone I grew up with — you both grew to become a cop, a firefighter, or a priest.  I wasn’t certified for any of them, so right here I’m.  (Laughter.)

I — however, you already know, simply so you already know, I’ve completed too many
particular person and mass funerals for firefighters and hotshots and — and, you’re an unimaginable group of individuals.  I imply, a very unimaginable group of individuals. 

Anyone — and the — and the overwhelming human intuition is you run away from a hearth, not into it.  And the one factor that protects firefighters is extra firefighters — the one factor.  Extra firefighters. 

And I simply needed to say that on the outset as a result of I — you’ve my indebted gratitude.  And my fireplace division saved my life actually, not figuratively.  My home obtained struck by lightning and it largely burned down.  It needed to be rebuilt. 

Saved — the thick — the smoke was so thick, Gov.  It was actually that thick.  And also you couldn’t see by means of the home windows or out the home windows.  And the flooring have been collapsing, and these guys went in and did two issues: Most significantly, they obtained my spouse out — I used to be in Washington when it occurred — and saved our cat.  However equally necessary, virtually — not equally, however necessary — I’ve a ‘67 Corvette they obtained out.  (Laughter.)

And so, anyway.  However my level is: You’re unimaginable.  And so, Governor, thanks.  And Senators Heinrich and Luján, thanks very a lot for all you do.  And Teresa Leger Fernández and — you already know, Herrell, and — and, you already know, Stansbury, and all members of the Home doing an excellent job. 

And — however possibly the proudest factor I’ve completed is I appointed the primary Native American to be a Cupboard member.  (Applause.)  However she’s solely been in New Mexico 35 generations.  You’re a newcomer.  (Laughter.)  A newcomer. 

However, look, a particular thanks once more to the firefighters — over 4,000 of you.  Over 4,000 of you’re placing your lives on the road. 

And we’re about to obtain a briefing in regards to the largest, most damaging wildfire in America thus far this yr and the most important wildfire in New Mexico’s historical past. 

I simply flew over a number of the harm.  And Air Drive One is so rattling massive we couldn’t go in, however we flew the perimeter of the — of the hearth.  And it’s an astounding quantity of territory. 

And the influence on households which were there for therefore lengthy are so consequential.  And on this — in a manner — you already know, there’s, you already know, almost 700,000 acres.  And a brand new fireplace simply began — have simply began.  Hundreds of individuals displaced.  Ranchers worn out.  Colleges shuttered.  And wilderness — it appears like a moonscape.  You would see elements of it the place I — I used to be in a position to see. 

And I’m interested by what you’re pondering, and that’s our accountability.  It’s not a present.  We’ve a accountability to assist this state get well, to assist the households who’ve been right here for hundreds of years, and the attractive northern New Mexico villages who can’t go house and whose livelihoods have been basically modified.

Governor, let me be clear: We shall be right here for you in response and restoration for so long as it takes.  So long as it takes.  (Applause.) 

And I discovered one thing about this Governor: When she asks one thing, I simply say, “Sure.”  (Laughter.)  However I don’t suppose there’s —

GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM:  Are you able to get the legislator to do this?

THE PRESIDENT:  Effectively, that’s — (laughter) — that’s what we’re making an attempt.  You recognize, I’ve publicly gone on file of supporting it — of supporting it.  That’s 100% –anyway. 

There — I hope we’re in a position to get that completed.  I do know that Ben Ray is working like hell within the Home to get passage.  However we’re going to — I’ve slightly extra hassle in america Senate.  We’ve 50 Democratic senators, which suggests we’ve got 51 presidents. 

And so, it’s — you already know, we obtained to get a consensus and we are able to’t — not a consensus, in some instances, in the event that they insist on it being a — requiring cloture, and we want 60 votes.  So, it — it stays to be seen. 

And so — however, you already know, whenever you requested for main catastrophe declaration, Governor, I instantly responded, offering tens of millions of {dollars} in housing help and money grants and funding for emergency responders — not as a result of they’re doing any favor; it’s an obligation.  I feel we’ve got a accountability, as a authorities, as a — to take care of the communities who’re put in — in such jeopardy. 

And at this time, I’m saying the federal authorities is overlaying 100% of the price of — (applause) — of particles elimination and emergency protecting measures for the subsequent vital months which can be — on this restoration. 

After which there’s going to be a robust bridge till we — that we move the — the Hermit’s Peak Fireplace Help Act, launched by Senator Luján and Senator Heinrich and your — and Senator Fernández, in addition to Stansbury, to totally compensate — absolutely compensate survivors for his or her whole loss. 

We’re additionally — (applause) — we’re additionally offering funding and loans for small companies, farmers, and ranchers.  And we should be certain this doesn’t occur once more.  We all know the circumstances of Hermit’s Park and Calfe [Calf] Canyon Fires are distinctive, beginning with the prescribed burn.

Yearly, the Forest Service, to place this in perspective — they do a reasonably rattling good job — conduct 4,500 prescribed burns.  99.8 % go as deliberate.  And — however this time, tragically, it didn’t.  And that’s why the Forest Service has simply put a whole pause on prescribed burns in our — within the Forest Service lands.  And it’s conducting an intensive 90-day overview, which can make public the — all of the element of that overview.  And this must occur.  And I’ll be briefed on the outcomes, and we’ll transient the world on the outcomes — the nation on the outcomes. 

And for folk at house, there are a whole lot of fireplace — of federal personnel on the bottom making an attempt that can assist you get by means of this.  I feel, should you have a look, crucial factor you are able to do is register with FEMA, which lets you get help you deserve and also you want rapidly.  And there’s a FEMA cell app that permits you to rapidly register for help.  And it’s obtainable in Spanish as effectively. 

And our Director of FEMA, who I feel has completed an unimaginable job — what number of people you’ve right here now roughly?

ADMINISTRATOR CRISWELL:  Slightly below 400.

THE PRESIDENT:  Slightly below 400 right here.  And it’s — (applause) — I don’t — we — should you don’t have cellphone — cellphone service but, you’ve Catastrophe Recovers — Restoration Facilities in Mora and Las Vegas the place you possibly can register as effectively. 

And we even have a staff on the bottom that can assist you register.  And FEMA is looking each one that is denied help — anyone denied help to make sure they get the assistance they want and within the language they communicate. 

Lots of, you already know — you already know, you bought to know how you can know.  You bought to know what it’s worthwhile to know to have the ability to get one thing completed.  I can stroll into the Library of Congress — one of many nice libraries on the earth — should you don’t know how you can work the cardboard catalog, it’s not very a lot use to you.  I imply, it.  You bought to know how you can know. 

And so we’ve discovered, in our administration, that it’s not simply sufficient to supply the assistance however let individuals know the way they will entry the assistance, and once they can’t, how they will go about to repair that. 

And so eligible residents can join a state program that gives advantages to purchase groceries and — and scorching meals as effectively.

For the long term, however starting proper now, we’ve got to assist with the mixed impacts of drought and wildfires and — which threaten your very important watershed.  And it’s arduous to clarify to individuals again east once I speak about this, as a result of we’ve gone to — we’ve spent a while, the FEMA Director and I, in different elements of the nation — in Northern California, Oregon, up in Idaho — to clarify what we’re speaking about — the scope and dimension and the consequence — and the way the watershed just isn’t — not — actually however in (inaudible) evaporating in lots of locations.  End up able the place it has very important, very important im- –influence.

And thru the Bipartisan Infrastructure, we’re already investing a whole lot of tens of millions of {dollars} within the state — of your drought aid and wildfire mitigation and water infrastructure.

And because the monsoon season approaches, we’ve licensed one other $22 million to guard vital water infrastructure from post-fire flooding — (applause) — post-fire flooding and particles flows.  And — and the work begins at this time.  It begins at this time.  Not — not subsequent week, not subsequent month.  At the moment. 

The underside line is, Gov — to the individuals of New Mexico: We’ll do no matter it takes, so long as it takes, to comply with your management and what — telling us what you want.  And I promise you, I — and I — and we type of joke.  They are saying the “Governor is on the cellphone.”  I say, “Simply inform her sure.”  After which I begin the dialog.  Y’all suppose I’m kidding.  I’m not kidding.  (Laughter.)

So, I’m going to cease right here.  And I suppose we’re going to get — begin the briefing, if we might.  And — however I suppose, David, I’m speaking to you first.  You’re Secretary of the Division of Homeland Safety and Emergency Administration, so I’m going to yield to you.  Okay?

3:29 P.M. MDT