WASHINGTON, D.C.—Reps. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) and Doug LaMalfa’s (R-CA) bipartisan Wildfire Response Improvement Act was unanimously passed out of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure this afternoon. It now heads to the House floor.
The bill would allow the federal government to better respond to the challenges of worsening wildfires in the American West. Today, federal support for fighting wildfires ends as soon as the fire is extinguished. But post-fire risks are immense: burn scars from the blazes can lead to life-threatening mudslides and flooding, which create serious public safety risks and can cause significant property damage. Currently, state and local governments must bear the entire cost of post-fire expenses.
“As we enter another dangerous fire season under historic drought conditions, it’s more important than ever that the federal government supports our communities as they respond to and recover from disasters,” Stanton said. “Our bipartisan bill will directly help state and local governments respond to wildfires, and I’m grateful for my colleagues’ strong support.”
“Northern California is no stranger to devastating wildfires. Many towns, businesses, and residents are still struggling to rebuild from wildfire destruction that happened years ago, and this bipartisan bill will greatly help improve the recovery process and help those impacted rebuild. Our rural counties struggle to get by financially already and adding disaster recovery to their long list of costs put basic services like police, fire, and roads at risk. I thank Congressman Stanton for working with me on this and for Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves for moving it quickly through the committee,” LaMalfa said.
Specifically, Stanton’s legislation directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency to update its regulations and guidance for the Fire Management Assistance Grant, Public Assistance, and mitigation programs to better respond to the unique challenges of wildfires and improve wildfire mitigation—including debris removal, emergency protective measures and impacts to drinking water resources. The bill would also improve FEMA’s benefit cost analysis for wildfire mitigation projects to help them be more competitive for federal funding.
The bill has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National League of Cities, and National Association of Counties, and earned praise from Northern and Central Arizona leaders.
It's also endorsed by several leading professional organizations including the American Council of Engineering Companies, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Landscape Architects, Big City Emergency Managers, BuildStrong America, Geos Institute, International Association of Emergency Managers, International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, National Emergency Management Association, National Recreation and Park Association, and the Nature Conservancy.