Lawmakers address shutdown, wildfire preparedness efforts

Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) are expressing concerns concerning the federal government shutdown’s impact on wildfire preparedness and prevention.

The legislators recently joined 10 of their colleagues in forwarding correspondence to President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, urging an end to the shutdown while highlighting wildfire preparedness impacts.

The legislators maintain the shutdown continues to delay funding critical to firefighter training and wildfire prevention programs.

“We write to urge you to cease the ongoing government shutdown and allow our nation’s forestry professionals and firefighters to continue forest restoration work and training certifications in advance of the coming fire season,” the senators wrote. “The failure to reopen the government puts peoples’ lives at risk by undermining their ability to respond to wildfires and will only serve to delay critical forest restoration and safety projects.”

Every day the shutdown continues, the more the fire risk for the 2019 season grows, the correspondence noted.

“Unless these firefighter trainings and forest health projects resume soon, the health and safety of our communities mostly in rural areas will be put at risk during this government shutdown. We strongly urge you to agree to reopen the government,” the senators concluded.

Officials said federal agencies use the winter months to hire and train firefighters in advance of the upcoming fire season, but said training and prevention programs are both currently on hold.