Smoke is still present around the area and firefighters are working hard to contain fires in many parts of the state.

With wildfires becoming more prevalent, people need to dig deeper to combat the causes of the heat, coupled with the winds, that are making these fires so dangerous because the number and severity of them is only expected to rise in the years to come.

That’s why public health experts are calling for action to protect our families and communities, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan. With heat waves causing severe agricultural impacts, dirtier air and heat-related deaths, Gov. John Hickenlooper should continue to move forward with the plan without delay.

I’d like to see Colorado focus exclusively on energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy to meet the goals of this policy. If we work together, we can minimalize the fires for ourselves and for generations to come and lessen the impacts of global warming.

Rebecca Turner

Durango