WASHINGTON D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced the bipartisan Fire Information and Reaction Enhancement (FIRE) Act. This legislation allows the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to direct resources to wildlife forecasting and prevention by enhancing wildfire predictions and warnings. This bill will help Wyoming and other western states to better protect residents from forest fires.
“The people of Wyoming know firsthand the devastating effects of wildfires,” said Senator Lummis. “It is critical to provide our wildland firefighters and land managers the tools they need to actively track and combat potential wildfires before they get out of control. Focusing resources in NOAA, as this legislation directs, will do just that. I am proud to work with Senator Rosen on this bipartisan piece of legislation that will help make Wyoming, and the rest of the country, a safer place.”
“We’re seeing the increasingly harmful and destructive impact of wildfires in our communities all across the country, with 17 different large wildfires currently burning — particularly in the Western United States,” said Senator Rosen. “Firefighters and communities at risk in Nevada need better access to the most up-to-date and accurate wildfire forecast information. I’m grateful to Senator Lummis for partnering with me to introduce our bipartisan FIRE Act, which will ensure NOAA has the necessary resources to strengthen our wildfire tracking and prevention systems.”
Companion legislation to the FIRE Act (H.R. 5010) was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Mike Garcia (R-CA), Young Kim (R-CA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Judy Chu (D-CA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), and Salud O. Carbajal (D-CA).
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