Ill-informed wildfire comments by Trump administration merely fuel controversy
Damage from the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California
California National Guard, Flickr
Remarks from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue "a purely political move"
WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2018 ---- This afternoon, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke held a briefing on wildfires and forest management. The briefing follows ill-informed comments made by Secretary Zinke and President Trump regarding the California wildfires and forest management.
Comment from Chris Rackens, Senior Representative, Government Relations, The Wilderness Society:
“Today’s remarks from the administration only fan the flames of controversy. Using the California fires to call for more environmental rollbacks and limit public input in the farm bill is a purely political move that won’t make our communities safer. Several factors fuel large, destructive fires including climate change, which contributes to hotter and dryer conditions.
“Congress passed a historic wildfire funding package as part of the FY 2018 omnibus deal. Rather than calling for new management policies, the administration should focus on using the management tools provided in the omnibus as they prepare to deploy their new fire funding authority that will be available starting in October 2019.”
See myths and realities about wildfire.
The Wilderness Society, founded in 1935, is the leading conservation organization working to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. With more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the effort to permanently protect 109 million acres of wilderness and to ensure sound management of our shared national lands. www.wilderness.org.
CONTACTS:
Michael Reinemer, michael_reinemer@tws.org, 202.429.3949
Chris Rackens, chris_rackens@tws.org 202.429.2643
