Record backlog leaves LA fire victims waiting nearly 600 days for aid

Survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles fires have waited longer than any previous disaster victims for federal recovery money. More than $15bn in long-term funds remain unallocated, hampering rebuilding efforts. Critics accuse the administration of politicizing disaster relief.

The delay stems from the administration's failure to allocate over $15 billion in long-term recovery funds. This surpasses the previous record set by Maui fire victims, who waited 500 days for support. The January 2025 fires destroyed more than 16,000 structures and claimed 31 lives across Los Angeles, leaving neighborhoods like Altadena still unable to rebuild.

The dispute has escalated into legal action. Attorneys general from 25 Democratic-led states, led by California's Rob Bonta, sued the administration in July, alleging the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA have attached unlawful conditions to disaster grants, attempting to leverage aid for policy changes on voting and immigration. Data shows Trump approved only 23% of disaster requests from Democratic-run states versus 89% from Republican-led states.