A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to President Joe Biden advocating increased wildfire mitigation efforts.
U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), and Joe Neguse (D-CO) spearheaded the correspondence that included signatures from 11 House of Representatives colleagues from wildfire impacted districts.
The correspondence scope, per officials, encourages the Biden administration to revisit the National Fire Plan and calls for the administration to better leverage the nation’s resources while ensuring the federal government, state and tribal governments, non-profit organizations, and private sector collaborate to provide comprehensive wildfire response.
“California has experienced some of the most devastating wildfires that our country has seen in recent years, with countless homes, businesses, and livelihoods destroyed,” Thompson said. “As climate change continues to put communities throughout the West at an elevated risk for wildfires, increased action to identify and combat these destructive events is imperative. My colleagues and I know that our constituents are depending on federal action, and we implore the administration to leverage our resources and ensure an effective response to wildfires.”
Neguse said there needs to be a whole-of-government approach to keep communities safe while reducing the threat of wildfire following catastrophic wildfire seasons becoming increasingly devastating.
Neguse represents Boulder County, Colo., which is the location of the Marshall Fire that destroyed more than 1,000 homes in less than 24 hours on Dec. 30, 2021.
“Across my district, communities are depending on the vital services provided by specialized crews and federal agencies to assist with wildfire suppression and recovery,” Neguse said. “I’m hopeful the Biden Administration will heed our request to bring the full force of federal support to equip our families and our communities.”