An amendment crafted by Rep. Katie Hill, D-Agua Dulce, seeking to increase funding for wildfire prevention and response efforts, passed the House of Representatives on a 377-55 vote.
Hill amended House Resolution 3055 to provide an additional $7 million for Department of Interior and Forest Service wildfire-related accounts and allocate $2.25 billion in fire cap adjusted funds, according to a news release from Hill’s office.
“2018 was the deadliest fire season in California’s history. According to Cal Fire and the National Interagency Fire Center, 8,527 fires burned a total of 1,893,913 acres,” which is the largest area on record, Hill said in the release. “The fires have destroyed communities and impacted our air quality and wildlife. They hurt our local economy and have killed dozens of people across the state … We have to do more.”
When it comes to wildfires, you cannot simply treat the effect, Hill said. “You have to treat the cause, but prevention takes funding. That’s why this bill and this amendment are so important.”
Hill added that she expects H.R. 3055 to pass the House sometime during the week of June 24.
