The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday declared a public health emergency for California to address the health impacts of the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County. The wildfires have devastated Los Angeles neighborhoods on the east and west sides of the sprawling metropolis and have so far killed 10 people and destroyed nearly 10,

U.S. President Joe Biden said at a White House briefing Thursday afternoon that federal resources and additional funding have been made available to California to fight the wildfires that he described as the "worst fires to ever hit Los Angeles.