Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona is spearheading a group of Western senators in a push for additional funding to aid the recovery of federal lands affected by this year's rampant wildfires. In a collective effort featuring senators from Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico, Colorado, California, and Nevada, Gallego and his colleagues addressed a letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee leaders Senator Susan Collins and Vice Chair Patty Murray. The need for extra funds is underscored by the devastating effects of wildfires that have scorched nearly a million acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land across the West just this year.
Not covered by FEMA funding, federal land agencies like the National Park Service and the BLM, which are often the first line of defense and response against wildfires, are compelled to shoulder the burdens of clean-up and restoration efforts. The harsh reality of these post-fire landscapes leaves a trail of destruction, implicating both the natural environments and the adjacent communities that thrive on them. In a statement obtained by the office of Senator Gallego, the assembly of senators argues for emergency disaster appropriations that include funding specifically for wildfire recovery on federal lands, which are essential for the country’s safety and economy.
The coalition, including Senators Jeff Merkley, Mark Kelly, Martin Heinrich, Ben Ray Lujan, John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet, Adam Schiff, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Ron Wyden, emphasized the inseparable nature of the well-being of federal lands and the surrounding counties. “Just as our forests and parks require restoration, so too do the surrounding counties and communities that bear the economic and infrastructure impacts of these disasters; their recovery is inseparable from that of the federal lands themselves,” the letter notes from the senators’ collective stance.
Highlighting the scale of devastation, the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires alone have consumed over 200,000 acres, including parts of the Grand Canyon and Kaibab National Forest. These fires have not only wreaked havoc on the environment but have also dealt a blow to local economies heavily dependent on tourism and recreation. In a shared sentiment with the senators, Coconino County Supervisor Lena Fowler expressed her gratitude for the leadership of Senators Gallego and Kelly, acknowledging the vital role of federal support in the area’s recovery efforts. “Coconino County deeply appreciates Senator Kelly and Senator Gallego for their leadership to make sure the federal government is with Coconino County every step of the way in our recovery from these wildfires,” Fowler said, underscoring the criticality of governmental intervention in their time of need.
