SW Arkansas Times

Today, a joint statement was issued by House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Western Caucus Chairman Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) regarding the ongoing fires in Los Angeles. The lawmakers expressed their concern for those affected by the wildfires and called for increased forest management to prevent future incidents.

"Our prayers are with the victims of the dangerous fires today in California," they stated. They emphasized the need to "aggressively increase the pace and scale of our forest management" as a preventative measure against such disasters.

The statement highlighted past legislative efforts aimed at addressing wildfire risks. The Fix Our Forests Act, which received bipartisan support last year, was mentioned as a key initiative that unfortunately did not advance in the Senate. Additionally, they referenced measures within the forestry title of the Farm Bill designed to proactively manage forests to reduce wildfire risk.

The lawmakers urged immediate action over political debate, stating: "Now is not the time for politics but the time for action, and House Republicans will work to pass these initiatives again in the new Congress."