U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) noted his recent reintroduction of the Wildfire Emergency Act seeks to reduce American West wildfire risks and bolster preparedness via forest restoration, infrastructure investments and training.
“Despite this year’s severe storms, wildfire season will soon be upon us, once again threatening our forests, community, and residents,” Panetta, who joined seven original co-sponsors in touting the measure, said. “Through the Wildfire Emergency Act, we’re ensuring the federal government does its part to reduce the risk of wildfires and provide vulnerable communities the training and resources needed to combat these deadly blazes.”
According to Panetta, wildfires pose an immediate threat to the well being of the American West and the need exists to be proactive in protecting lives, land and livelihoods.
Bill provisions include providing up to $250 million to increase the pace and scale of forest restoration and wildfire resilience projects; expanding an existing Energy Department weatherization grant program to provide up to $13,000 to low-income households to make wildfire-hardening retrofits including ember-resistant roofs and gutters; and expediting the placement of wildfire detection equipment on the ground, including sensors and cameras, as well as the use of space-based observation to identify new fires faster and help firefighters
respond more effectively.
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) reintroduced companion legislation in the Senate.
“Wildfires throughout Western states, particularly California, are becoming deadlier and more destructive because of climate change,” Feinstein said. “This bill approaches the problem of wildfires from multiple directions: it accelerates forest restoration programs that reduce the threat of fire, it funds programs to help communities mitigate local fire risks and it invests in technology and firefighter workforce training to better equip us to battle these fires.”