Wildfire Summit to be Hosted by U.S Congressman Joe Neguse

U.S. Congressman Joe Neguse will host a wildfire summit on Thursday, February 18, from 12 pm to 1 pm to hear from Coloradans about their experiences with last year’s wildfire season.

The state battled one of the most devastating wildfire seasons in its history last year, totaling three of the five largest wildfires ever, including the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires, which impacted communities within Congressman Neguse’s district. Joining Congressman Neguse for the public conversation regarding wildfire mitigation and future wildfire prevention are Governor Jared Polis, Senator Michael Bennet, and Senator John Hickenlooper.

Last year, the wildfires resulted in countless evacuations, threatened air and water quality, and destroyed homes and businesses. Congressman Neguse’s office has partnered with local firefighters, state and local officials over the past few months to help the communities navigate these fires and recover.

Objectives the Congressman’s office has been working on recently are as follows:

• Helped to ensure first responders and firefighters are prioritized for COVID-19 testing
• Helped secure a disaster declaration for Colorado’s wildfires to bring in needed federal resources for the state 
• Worked to bring in FEMA funding for the Cameron Peak, East Troublesome, and Calwood Fires and introduced the Wildfire Recovery Act to boost the federal cost-share so local communities carry less of the burden
• Introduced legislation to make major investments in wildfire mitigation and resiliency programs
• Launched the Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus in Congress to highlight these issues

For more information regarding the wildfire summit, including where to register, visit: http://neguse2021.com/