Reps. Neguse and Curtis Re-Launch Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus to Confront Wildfire Crisis

Washington, D.C. — Today, co-chairs of the Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus, Representatives Joe Neguse (D-CO) and John Curtis (R-UT) announced the re-launch of the caucus in the 118th Congress. After record-breaking wildfires devastated communities across the western United States, this congressional caucus was created to elevate awareness and bipartisan consensus around wildfire management, mitigation, preparedness, and recovery. The Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus now has bicameral support, and is led in the U.S. Senate by Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Steve Daines (R-MT).

As their first joint action of the 118th Congress, Congressman Neguse and Congressman Curtis called on appropriators in Congress to provide robust funding to programs that will support improved wildfire preparedness, mitigation, and response across the United States. Read their letter HERE. 

“For communities across the country, we are no longer experiencing wildfire seasons, but instead wildfire years. These natural disasters don’t discriminate based on state or political affiliation, and pose threats that impact all of us in the West. I’m proud to once again be launching with my colleague and good friend, Congressman John Curtis, the Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus. Together, we will build on our work in the past two years, and take further action to prevent and recover from wildfires,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. 

“Utahns know the destruction that wildfires leave in their wake and the importance of common-sense forest management that can save lives and property. During my time in Congress, improving wildfire mitigation, response, and recovery efforts has been a top priority, and I am committed to creating a diverse coalition of stakeholders to work towards stopping preventable disasters. Congressman Neguse and I share the unfortunate experience of seeing firsthand how devastating wildfires are to the land and surrounding communities, and because of that, also share a commitment to working across the aisle to find ways to protect our communities and ensure they quickly bounce back after a fire,” said Rep. John Curtis. “I am excited to continue our work on the Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus and bring together Republicans and Democrats to find common ground and advocate for policies that will help communities recover and respond to catastrophic wildfires, as well as avoid them in the first place.”

“Wildfires regularly spread across state borders and the devastation they cause to our communities and forests touch us all. We must work together to fight this growing threat, which is why I am pleased to partner with Senator Daines and Representatives Neguse and Curtis to make the Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus a bicameral effort. The entire American West is at risk from increasingly destructive wildfires and I look forward to this caucus promoting necessary, commonsense solutions to protect our communities and the environment,” said Senator Feinstein. 

“Montanans are sick and tired of breathing in smoke. As Montana continues to face devastating wildfires season after season, we must work together to find common sense solutions that will protect our communities, first responders, forests and wildlife. If we don’t manage our forests, they’ll manage us—it’s time to get to work,” Senator Daines said.

The Caucus membership includes Reps. Carbajal (D-CA), Costa (D-CA), Garamendi (D-CA), Harder (D-CA), Huffman (D-CA), Issa (R-CA), Jacobs (D-CA), LaMalfa (R-CA), Obernolte (R-CA), Panetta (D-CA), Peters (D-CA), Porter (D-CA), Dunn (R-FL), Simpson (R-ID), Bentz (R-OR),  Moore (R-UT), Owens (R-UT), Stewart (R-UT), Newhouse (R-WA), and Schrier (D-WA); additional members are required to join in equal, bipartisan pairs.

The Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus: 

• Advocates for wildfire-related programs, including funding for disaster relief, prevention, and mitigation;

• Shares federal relief programs and resources with communities before, during, and after wildfire season; and

• Highlights balanced and bipartisan science-based wildfire management and mitigation proposals in Congress.

During the Caucus’s inaugural congressional session, Co-Chairs Neguse and Curtis worked side by side to champion several provisions to increase support for communities impacted by wildfires through the House of Representatives, including; introducing the Wildfire Recovery Act and REPLACE Act, requesting robust federal funding to tackle western wildfires, publishing the Wildfire Resource Guide, and more. 

###