Congresswoman Torres Leads 30+ Members of Congress to Recognize April 30th – May 6th as Wildfire Preparedness Week
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35) led over 30 Members of Congress in introducing a resolution to designate April 30th – May 6th as Wildfire Preparedness Week. The resolution aims to increase public awareness about wildfires nationally and coincides with the State of California's initiatives to enhance fire safety and preparedness.
"No one should ever be forced to endure the financial, physical, and emotional consequences that come with losing a home. Having lost my own home to a fire, I empathize deeply with those who have been affected by wildfires," said Congresswoman Torres. "One of my main priorities in Congress is ensuring the public has the resources necessary to prepare for wildfires. Establishing a Wildfire Preparedness Week will promote education regarding wildfire preparedness and highlight the work of the firefighters who risk everything to keep us safe. As a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I will continue advocating for more funding to respond to and prepare for wildfires."
Congresswoman Torres' resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Katie Porter (CA-47), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), Adam Schiff (CA-30), Judy Chu (CA-28), Jim Costa (CA-21), Josh Harder (CA-09), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Ami Bera (CA-06), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Mike Levin (CA-49), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06). The resolution is endorsed by the National Wildfire Suppression Association, Humane Society Legislative Fund, Capitol Meteorologics, and National Fire Protection Association.
Wildfires are an ongoing threat in the western and now eastern United States and are only increasing in frequency and severity. In 2022 alone, there were 68,988 wildfires that burned 7,577,183 acres.
In the FY23 government funding bill, Congresswoman Torres secured investments in wildfire preparedness and mitigation as well as fire assistance. This included an additional $5 million for the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security and Emergency Response at the Department of Energy to evaluate innovative technologies for monitoring vegetation management to improve grid resiliency from wildfires, which was in line with the Congresswoman's Wildfire Grid Resiliency Act.
For the full text of the resolution, click here. Head to torres.house.gov/wildfire-preparedness for wildfire preparedness tips and resources.