(CNN) President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with seven governors on Friday to talk about how states are responding to a devastating Western wildfire season -- and how the federal government can assist. The group is also expected to discuss funding and investing in wildland firefighters, including increasing pay for federal firefighters who are battling blazes, and extending hiring for temporary firefighters. In June, Biden signed an executive order that raised the minimum wage for federal firefighters to $15 an hour. The White House on Friday will also announce two new interagency working groups pointed at the impact wildfires and extreme heat. Biden's National Climate Task force, which is chaired by National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, will announce a Wildfire Resilience Interagency Working Group, and an Extreme Heat Interagency Working Group.

Source: CNN July 29, 2021 19:52 UTC