DENVER — Colorado Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen co-introduced a package of 6 bipartisan bills today aimed at helping communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from destructive wildfires.
The legislation comes after the Aspen Acres and Willow fires burned more than 100,000 acres across Colorado, destroyed 300 homes, and disrupted the lives of families and small businesses across the state.
"The recent Aspen Acres and Willow fires were devastating to our communities and natural environment. Our Colorado families understand that wildfire season is no longer just a few months of the year. The threat is constant and increasing due to climate change, and we need an all-hands-on-deck approach," Pettersen said. "These bills will help us turn wildfire research into action, streamlines and removes partisanship from our processes, protect every firefighter exposed to dangerous conditions, combat the devastating mountain pine beetle outbreaks that make our forests more vulnerable to destructive fires, and ensure communities receive the disaster-mitigation resources they need on time, when it matters."
Since 2012, Colorado has experienced 17 of its top 20 wildfires in history. In total, nearly 2,800 homes in Colorado have been lost to fires in the past 14 years, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control.
"We need urgent action and it's really making sure we're streamlining the process with our agencies so we're coordinating, getting resources to people as quickly as possible but also looking at what we can do in the long term for prevention and mitigation and then recovery dollars," said Pettersen.
The 6 bills
Wildfire Research Coordination Act — Introduced by Pettersen and Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), this bill directs the Department of Defense's Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program to coordinate with the Department of Interior's Joint Fire Science Program when establishing fire-research priorities. The goal is to support increased collaboration among federal agencies to improve wildfire research and prevention strategies and to better ensure that recommendations are deployed in the field when wildfires strike.
Wildfire Responder Protection Act — Also introduced by Pettersen and Lawler, this bill expands the definition of "firefighter" to include all personnel who support fire activities and are exposed to fire-related hazards. It ensures all those who fight fires are entitled to proper health care coverage when exposed to hazardous conditions.
Emergency Mountain Pine Beetle Response Act — Introduced by Pettersen and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO), this bill would establish a Mountain Pine Beetle Emergency Response Program within the U.S. Forest Service. The program would provide grant opportunities to on-the-ground partners working in coordination with the Forest Service to mitigate mountain pine beetle threats on National Forest System land. Mountain pine beetle outbreaks can kill large numbers of trees, damage watersheds and outdoor recreation areas, and create dangerous conditions that can worsen the threat of wildfires.
Mountain Pine Beetle Coordination Act — Also introduced by Pettersen and Neguse, this bill would direct the Forest Service to enter into cooperative agreements with states to prevent, monitor, and respond to mountain pine beetle outbreaks. It would give localities additional resources and a stronger framework for responding to emerging outbreaks before they cause widespread and lasting damage.
The pine beetle bills are endorsed by Governor Jared Polis, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and the Colorado State Forest Service.
Guaranteed Disaster Assistance Act — Introduced by Pettersen, this bill would ensure that Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding is distributed to states following a major disaster or when Fire Management Assistance Grant funding is provided to respond to a wildfire. Currently, access to certain long-term hazard-mitigation resources can depend on whether the president issues a major disaster declaration. This legislation would make mitigation funding automatically available, allowing states and communities to begin recovering and reducing future risks without waiting for an additional presidential declaration.
HUD Disaster Information Improvements Act — Introduced by Pettersen and Rep. Tim Moore (R-NC), this bill would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development to coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration to support families and businesses when a disaster strikes. The increased coordination would allow federal support to reach communities affected by wildfires and natural disasters more efficiently.
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