“Our leaders should take these situations seriously”- Joe Biden criticized online over his “Fire away” pun at Kamala Harris at LA wildfire briefing

Following the devastating destruction of the Los Angeles wildfires, Joe Biden was criticized online for his purported “Fire away” pun at Vice President Kamala Harris at the LA wildfire briefing on January 9, 2025.

As per The Guardian, the LA wildfires have damaged nearly 30,000 acres of land, and at least ten people have lost their lives. Around 180,000 people had to evacuate their homes, and countless properties were damaged. Multiple celebrities' houses were burnt down as well.

As Harris paused to gather her thoughts, Biden remarked, "No pun intended."

"Madam vice president, I know you’re directly affected, so you fire away!" said the president.

During the briefing, the president repeated the "fire away" pun for the second time, telling US Forest Service Chief Randy Moore:

“Chief, why don’t you fire away?”

The "insensitive" remark angered the netizens as they erupted on X, expressing their dissatisfaction.

"Jeez, it’s one thing for us to make jokes and memes about it, but our leaders should take these situations seriously," said one user.

"Nobody cares about Biden...we know he's checked out and we have 12 more days before he's gone. I simply don't care about him or Harris...it's over...the people despise these two," said one user.

"Let's crack some jokes! Meanwhile... LA is burning to the ground and WNC is still buried under mud with freezing residents living in tents!!!" said one user.

Some netizens pointed out Kamala's reaction.

"I know kamala is tired of dealing with this and just wanna go home with her hubby," said one user.

Some X users defended the president.

"Leaders are human too, and sometimes humor sneaks in unexpectedly. What matters now is the commitment to aid those suffering from these devastating fires," said one user.

"Biden that is way too soon of a joke, but it is funny," said one user.

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Biden announced that the federal government would cover the costs of wildfire damages

As per the LA Times, the president announced in the briefing that the federal government would cover 100% of the damages. For 180 days, the funds would go towards the salaries of first responders, temporary shelters, debris clearing, and removing hazardous materials.

Biden shared that the cost of debris cleanup is gigantic.

"The cost of the debris cleanup is gigantic, gigantic. The cost of replacing the housing is almost exponential, anybody can give you a number now, they have no idea what they're talking about. It's big, big, big."

President Biden Speaks On The Federal Response To The Wildfires In Los Angeles County - Source: Getty

The president assured the wildfire victims he would appeal to the United States Congress for more help.

Kamala Harris, who is from California, called the wildfires "apocalyptic" and "unpredictable." She praised the local leaders, especially the firefighters, for working around the clock. She also mentioned that multiple insurance companies have canceled insurance for the affected victims, and she considers this an "added burden."

According to the White House, Biden approved a disaster declaration on Wednesday so the victims could appeal for funds and resources.

The president assured the victims that he understood the severity of their situation and promised to ensure their recovery from this "nightmare." He said:

"To the families who have been impacted by this disaster, you're living through a nightmare, I know. And I promise you, we're going to help you get through this and eventually recover and rebuild."

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Netizens criticized the president, urging politicians to take the matter more "seriously." President Joe Biden has eleven days left in office.