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WASHINGTON \u2014 The Wildfire Prevention Act was introduced last week in the U.S. House of Representatives in an effort to reduce wildfire risks nationally.<\/p>\n
The legislation, co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, would elevate wildfires to the level of natural disasters under the Federal Emergency Management Agency.<\/p>\n
If passed, the legislation means FEMA will allocate additional funds to each state for fire-suppression efforts. States will receive an additional 15 percent of the funds they already receive.<\/p>\n
The legislation will help reform the way Colorado and other states deal with wildfires, Tipton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy making FEMA resources available for hazard mitigation in our forests, this legislation will help take a more proactive approach to restoring forests to a healthy natural state, and do so without increasing taxpayer spending,\u201d he said in a news release.<\/p>\n
Colorado experienced 14 wildfires in June alone. These fires accounted for the loss of 180 square miles of land, The Washington Post reported.<\/p>\n
Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo, introduced a similar bill in the Senate in July.<\/p>\n
Udall commended the introduction of the House bill, and he agreed that proactive fire-reduction efforts before wildfires start best serves Colorado residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cColorado communities and public-lands managers know that the cheapest fire to fight is one that never burns. This bipartisan, common-sense and deficit-neutral bill would allow Colorado to proactively work to prevent wildfires before they even begin,\u201d Udall said.<\/p>\n