Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02) and Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-36) passed key provisions of the Wildfire Prevention Act of 2015, in the broader Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Assistance Reform Act.  The FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act of 2015 was a bipartisan piece of legislation that would authorize $947 million annually from fiscal 2016 through 2018 for all disasters. The Wildfire Prevention Act included in this comprehensive legislation, acknowledges wildfires as an eligible incident for ‘post-disaster’ mitigation resources.

“Under current law, wildfires are not considered natural disasters, which makes it impossible for communities to drawdown federal resources to control and respond to these devastating catastrophes,” said Polis. “I’m relieved to see this common-sense solution pass the House, and thankful that neighborhoods around Summit County, Boulder, and Fort Collins devastated by wildfires can now access the necessary funds they need to recover.”  

“Our desert and mountain communities understand that the threat a wildfire poses does not end when it is extinguished. My bipartisan bill addresses this threat by allowing our communities to secure post-fire mitigation funding to prevent dangerous mudslides and future fires,” said Dr. Ruiz. “This legislative success brings us one step closer to giving our communities the resources they need to prevent further damage following a severe wildfire. I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to see this pragmatic solution become law.”

While victims of hurricanes and tornadoes have qualified for “post-disaster” mitigation, communities suffering from wildfires lack eligibility. These resources are used to limit the severity of wildfires, such as post-fire flooding, and mudslides, as well as future fires. Access to funds for these purposes have shown to be tremendously effective – it’s estimated that every dollar spent on mitigation saves four dollars in future disaster costs.

With the passage of the FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act of 2015, states, tribes, and local communities will qualify to receive assistance grants for up to 15 percent of the total cost of fire suppression efforts. This extra amount for mitigation is cost-shared on a 75 percent federal, 25 percent state and local basis.