Title: A resolution honoring the individuals fighting and the individuals who have fallen responding to wildland fires during the ongoing 2020 wildfire season.
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources

Summary:
This resolution recognizes the efforts and sacrifices of the wildland firefighters who have risked their lives to fight intense wildfires in 2020.
The resolution also honors the ultimate sacrifice of the wildland firefighters who lost their lives assisting in fighting wildfires in 2020 and extends deepest condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those wildland firefighters.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 766 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 766

 Honoring the individuals fighting and the individuals who have fallen 
 responding to wildland fires during the ongoing 2020 wildfire season.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

             October 26 (legislative day, October 19), 2020

Mr. Daines (for himself, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Cramer, Ms. McSally, Mr. Risch, 
Mr. Crapo, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Enzi, and Ms. 
 Murkowski) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
      the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Honoring the individuals fighting and the individuals who have fallen 
 responding to wildland fires during the ongoing 2020 wildfire season.

Whereas, since 8:00 p.m. on August 18, 2020, the National Preparedness Level has 
        been at 5, the highest level, indicative of above-normal wildfire 
        activity and a maximum commitment of wildfire suppression resources and 
        personnel;
Whereas, as of September 23, 2020, 43,917 large wildfires had burned 7,027,861 
        acres across the Western United States;
Whereas warmer and drier weather and mismanagement of the forests of the United 
        States are exacerbating the threat of wildfires and contributing to the 
        above-normal fire activity in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and 
        other western States in 2020;
Whereas Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies have mobilized wildland 
        handcrews, interagency hotshot crews, engine crews, smokejumpers, 
        helitack crews, pilots, rapellers, incident management teams, first 
        responders, and other wildland firefighters to help combat wildfires in 
        the West;
Whereas, as of September 23, 2020--

    (1) 534 crews and more than 30,000 wildland firefighters are mobilized 
to assist with efforts to contain wildfires that threaten communities 
throughout the West;

    (2) the Department of Defense had approved and mobilized more than 400 
United States Marines, sailors, and soldiers to assist with wildfire 
suppression efforts;

    (3) multiple State Governors had mobilized members and units of the 
National Guard to assist with wildfire suppression efforts; and

    (4) wildland firefighters from several countries, including Mexico and 
Canada, had been mobilized to respond to wildfires in the United States;

Whereas the private sector has made significant contributions to wildfire 
        response, providing crews, equipment, technology, expertise, and 
        aircraft to assist wildfire suppression efforts;
Whereas, as of September 23, 2020, many wildland firefighters, including 2 
        Montanans, had paid the ultimate price while preparing and training to 
        combat, protecting communities from, and combating wildfires in 2020;
Whereas the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exacerbated the 
        public health and public safety risks inherent in combatting wildfires;
Whereas, as of September 23, 2020, dozens of people in the United States had 
        lost their lives, and thousands of homes, approximately 30 of which were 
        in Montana, had been destroyed, in wildland fires;
Whereas, were it not for the efforts and bravery of wildland firefighters, those 
        numbers would have been much higher;
Whereas, during 2020, wildland firefighters in the United States have not only 
        risked their lives to fight wildfires in the United States, but have 
        also provided their services to combat the bushfires in Australia; and
Whereas wildland firefighters, first responders, sheriffs, and community leaders 
        have acted bravely and risked their lives to contain dangerous wildfires 
        across the Western United States to protect families and critical 
        infrastructure: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes--
                    (A) the efforts and sacrifices of the wildland 
                firefighters who have risked their lives to fight 
                intense wildfires in 2020; and
                    (B) the support, resources, and personnel mobilized 
                by the international partners of the United States;
            (2) honors the bravery and heroism of the men and women 
        assisting in responding to and combatting wildfires;
            (3) expresses appreciation and gratitude to firefighters 
        for protecting lives and property in the United States during 
        the ongoing 2020 wildfire season;
            (4)(A) honors the ultimate sacrifice of the wildland 
        firefighters who lost their lives assisting in fighting 
        wildfires in 2020; and
            (B) extends deepest condolences to the families, friends, 
        and colleagues of those wildland firefighters;
            (5) expresses full support for communities throughout the 
        West as those communities focus on recovery and rebuilding 
        affected areas and communities;
            (6) values the longstanding partnerships and collaboration 
        between Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies coordinating 
        wildfire response efforts; and
            (7) supports continued cooperation and collaboration 
        between Federal, State, local, and Tribal entities to mitigate 
        the underlying factors driving more intense wildfire activity.
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