Causes.com
| 9.6.17

Massive Wildfires Ravage West: What Can You Do?

Join us and tell your reps how you feel!

What’s the story?

Firefighters Battling 23 Wildfires Across California

Smoky haze settles in Seattle area as wildfires rage in Washington, Oregon

‘Extreme' fire burning near Wyoming border

These are recent headlines, from local and national papers, about the dozens of wildfires burning in Western U.S. states.

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho, said 80 large fires were burning on 2,200 square miles in nine Western states. (JH-2)

On Tuesday, a wildfire in Oregon covered parts of Portland in ash. Air quality and visibility in Washington state "are the worst they have been in at least a generation." In California, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency, following L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti issuing a similar declaration for a massive wildfire that caused evacuations in L.A., Burbank and Glendale; it was the largest fire in L.A.’s history. Meanwhile, in Northern California, a fire destroyed 72 homes and forced the evacuation of about 2,000 people from their houses.

As the Associated Press reported, the fires have "sent smoke into cities from Seattle to Denver" and prompted “health warnings and cancellations of outdoor activities for children by many school districts.”

The national fire preparedness level is currently at 5, its highest level. The NIFC is mobilizing all active-duty military members to aid in firefighting efforts. Officials are also asking the Department of Defense for 200 military personnel to help battle the blazes.

While the causes for each of the fires are varied (both human and natural causes have been cited), government officials, and citizens, have been wondering what they can do to prevent further blazes and content the growing conflagration.

What can you do?

Hit the Take Action button and tell your reps to vote on The Resilient Federal Forests Act.

This bill, introduced on June 19th of this year, would seek to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and improve the health of federal forests by actively managing federal forests and expediting related environmental reviews. Its passage would also provide for streamlined reforestation after wildfires, allow the president to make disaster declarations for major wildfires and reform litigation practices involving forest management.

Currently, under the Stafford Act, the president is allowed to declare hurricanes a natural disaster. Passing this bill would let the president do the same with wildfires: making emergency funds available for wildfire suppression.

As Countable explained in our summary of the bill, those in favor of its passage argue that wildfires pose a significant threat to national forests, in part because they’re overgrown. Supporters believe that "active management, using tools already available to the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, would improve the health resilience of our nation’s forests."

Those opposed to the H.R. 2936 argue that it would "expose national forests to reckless logging practices and endanger treasured public lands. It would shortcut environmental reviews and public involvement that let communities weigh in on the process in some cases."

Whether you support the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017, or some other piece of firefighting legislation, hit Take Action and tell your reps to act on a fire management bill now.

Besides Telling My Reps, How Can I Help?

  • Donations for wildfire relief are always welcome at both national and local Red Crosses. In Oregon, the Red Cross is operating two shelters for evacuees of the Eagle Creek fire.

  • The Red Cross also operates the Safe and Well website where you can let "friends and family know you are safe and well."

  • The Salvation Army sets up mobile kitchens to serve evacuees and first responders; you can designate where you’d like your funds to go (for example, "Northern California Fires").

  • Sign up for your state’s volunteer registry.

  • Local Humane Societies accept donations to help animals affected by wildfires. Animal rescues are also taking up the cause. Example: Wigglin Home Boxer Rescue, based in Battle Ground, Washington, is offering up the homes of its member in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana so displaced "pets [can] get food, water, love, baths, vet care if needed," said the group’s president.

—Josh Herman

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(Photo Credit: milehightraveler / iStockphoto)