WASHINGTON, D.C. – With wildfire season underway, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is helping New Mexicans prepare and stay safe with the Wildfire Preparedness & Prevention Resource Center that provides information on how to protect communities from the devastating effects of wildfires. The online resource center includes active wildfire information, prevention and safety tips, resources for businesses, and more.
Senator Heinrich also released a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) to help spread the word about how to stay safe throughout the fire season.
“We must all do our part to prevent unintended fires, and learning about wildfire danger and being prepared is the first step,” said Senator Heinrich. “These resources and tips aim to provide New Mexicans with the information they need to reduce the threat of fires to their homes, communities, and the surrounding forests.”
As a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Senator Heinrich is a leading advocate for wildfire funding reform and improvements to catastrophic wildfire prevention programs in New Mexico, including hazardous fuel reduction, stewardship contracting, and watershed restoration. Earlier this year, Senator Heinrich cosponsored the Stewardship End Result Contracting Improvement Act to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and make it easier for federal land managers and businesses to partner on long-term, large-scale forest treatment. Senator Heinrich also backs legislation that would treat the largest fires -- roughly 1 percent of annual fires -- as natural disasters and fund firefighting efforts from a disaster account similar to the one that funds hurricane and other natural disaster relief efforts.