Sun Jan 12 08:46:17 UTC 2025: ## Biden’s “Fire Away” Remark Sparks Outrage Amidst Devastating LA Wildfires
**Washington D.C.** – President Joe Biden’s repeated use of the phrase “fire away” during a White House meeting on the devastating Los Angeles wildfires has drawn sharp criticism. The gaffe, delivered twice – once to Vice President Kamala Harris and again to US Forest Service Chief Randy Moore – was immediately met with visible discomfort from Harris and sparked a firestorm on social media.
The President, seemingly attempting a pun, quickly added “no pun intended” after each instance. However, the attempt at humor failed to land, with many online commentators criticizing Biden’s insensitivity given the scale of the disaster. The wildfires, which have scorched over 30,000 acres of Los Angeles County, have already claimed 10 lives and caused an estimated $135 billion in damages, a figure projected to rise as high as $150 billion.
The incident comes as Biden faces ongoing scrutiny for his handling of the crisis, with criticism leveled at both him and California Governor Gavin Newsom for perceived insufficient action in response to the disaster in a wealthy region of the country. Social media users expressed outrage, highlighting the perceived lack of empathy demonstrated by the President’s remarks.
This latest gaffe adds to a growing list of verbal missteps by the outgoing President in recent years. His cognitive abilities have been a subject of public discussion, even contributing to his withdrawal from last year’s presidential campaign. The timing, just days before the end of his term, has further fueled the controversy surrounding his presidency. Scientists attribute the severity of the wildfires to a combination of natural factors and human-induced climate change, highlighting a worsening trend fueled by increasingly dry conditions.
First Piper 