CONGRESSMAN GRAY, CONGRESSWOMAN KIM INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO ESTABLISH NATIONAL 30-MINUTE WILDFIRE RESPONSE TIME STANDARD

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Adam Gray (D-Merced) and Congresswoman Young Kim (R-Orange County) today introduced the Wildfire Response and Preparedness (WRAP) Act to establish a national 30-minute standard response time to wildfire emergencies on federal lands. If enacted, the bill would aid national fire suppression efforts by implementing a rapid response standard to quickly engage fire conditions as they emerge.

“Californians are far too familiar with wildfires tearing through our communities, threatening lives, public health and property,” said Congressman Gray. “The only way to counter increasingly dangerous wildfires is by responding to them as quickly as possible. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan, bicameral, commonsense legislation which would protect our firefighters, save federal lands and prevent catastrophic loss of life and property across the country.”

“Timely response to a wildfire can make the difference between life and death,” said Congresswoman Kim. “My community knows the devastation of wildfires firsthand as we still recover from last year’s Airport Fire that started in Trabuco Canyon and burned 23,000 acres in Orange and Riverside Counties. The WRAP Act will help equip our communities with the manpower and tools needed to contain wildfires and save lives.”

“The Western Fire Chiefs Association is proud to support the core mission of the Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act – ensuring a robust wildland fire response capability to stem the threat of catastrophic wildfires. Through effective partnerships and strategically leveraging local air and ground resources for fire response, we can give our brave first responders the clarity and tools they need to save lives and keep our communities safe,” said Bob Roper, CEO, Western Fire Chiefs Association.

 “The United Aerial Firefighters Association greatly supports this bill to develop aerial response standards. This will ensure there are aircraft available to respond to incidents and support the firefighters on the ground,” said Paul Petersen, Executive Director, United Aerial Firefighters Association.

The bill is the House companion to S. 902, the Wildfire Response and Preparedness Act, introduced by Senators Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Andy Kim (D-NJ), which would require the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to establish a national rapid response time for wildfires that emerge on federal lands. Upon implementation, the response time must be no more than 30 minutes where practicable and must facilitate deployment of fire suppression mechanisms in under three hours to ensure firefighters are able to counter wildfires as quickly as possible.

Read the full text of the bill here.

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