Biden to visit Hawaii as first wildfire victims named

Biden's visit is meaningless.

Unless he offers more than a token $700 payment.

I'm not sure when it became the Federal Government's responsibility to pay for disasters? Did they pay when San Francisco burned?

Make no mistake, this is one of the richer areas in the country. If they didn't have insurance or the state didn't save any of the billions in tourism dollars for a firey day I'm not heart broken.

Unless he offers more than a token $700 payment.

The aforementioned $700 is an emergency payment to fire victims to buy necessities in the short term. FEMA is also giving those who's homes were burned free lodging in hotels in addition to the $700. This is just a first step while a larger relief effort is organized. In case you didn't know fires still burn in Maui and more residents are having to evacuate as more homes at higher elevations are now being threatened. The roots of trees continue to burn and wind causes new flare ups to appear regularly.

I'm not sure when it became the Federal Government's responsibility to pay for disasters? Did they pay when San Francisco burned?

Absolutely.  Along with the apparent damage to the city, the earthquake severed all telephone/telegraph lines in the city as well. The U.S. Army Signal Corps from the Presidio was brought in and in one day, they were able to set up a direct line from Fort Mason in San Francisco to the Secretary of War in Washington. The Signal Corps set up 40 telegraph and 79 phone offices, which the city depended on until May 10th. To account for the homeless, the Presidio housed 20,000 citizens in tents and also built relief shelters which was rented out for $2 a month, or $50 to purchase. To help with the wounded, General Funston opened up the Army General Hospital in the Presidio and an Army field hospital. Along with providing medical relief, the Army enforced strict sanitation rules, which controlled the outbreak of typhoid or other infectious diseases.