Wyden, Merkley Demand Enhanced Wildfire Prevention and Response Assistance from Trump Administration

Bend ORE. (KTVZ) --- After KTVZ reached out to the offices of Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley regarding the wildfires burning across Central Oregon, an update has been provided:

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today said they joined Senate colleagues in urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure all communities receive the federal resources they need to respond to and prevent wildfires in Oregon and across the nation.

States can request financial assistance from FEMA through fire management assistance grants to help cover costs relating to emergencies, firefighting activities, and administrative costs. After a grant is declared, states can request assistance to help affected communities rebuild and mitigate future wildfire disasters through FEMA’s hazard mitigation grant program post fire. However, many communities are still waiting for those post-fire funds from previous wildfire disasters, which has left them vulnerable to current and future wildfire disasters.

“Wildfires are one of the most frequently recurring disasters that, while once common only to western states, have recently become a major threat to communities across the country,” the senators wrote.

“2024 also proved to be the worst wildfire season in Oregon. These wildfires can be lethal and destroy critical infrastructure and entire residential communities, negatively affect public health through harmful smoke and air pollutants, and place large economic burdens on urban and rural communities,” the senators wrote.

“Given these recent fires, the persistent drought across multiple states, and the expected above normal wildfire activity, it is imperative that FEMA helps communities quickly respond to wildfires and increase their resilience to future wildfire disasters,” Wyden and the senators wrote.

The letter was led by U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo, Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Rev. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga.