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Five years ago today the Camp Fire ignited. … Ignited by a nearly 100-year-old PG&E power line, it took only four hours to rip through Paradise, spreading at a rate of 80 football fields a minute at its peak. …
… Recovery for the people and the town has been difficult, lengthy and uneven. The emotional trauma for survivors continues even as the physical restoration progresses. …
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We must prioritize spending for ongoing vegetation management programs and eliminate the entrenched environmental red tape that hinders, even blocks vegetation management efforts. Senate Republicans are committed to making these happen. For decades, legislative Republicans have worked to lower the risk of wildfires in California. While some of our legislative proposals, ideas and suggestions have been enacted, many have not.
We will never be 100% safe from the threat of wildfires, but we can do much more to protect people and communities. My Republican colleagues and I will continue working to ensure the state does better when it comes to wildfire preparedness, response and recovery. It’s been five years, but we haven’t forgotten and we never will.
Click here to read the entire Op-ed as published in the Sacramento Bee.