WASHINGTON, D.C.-Rep. Kim Schrier joined a bipartisan group of legislators from across the West to send a letter calling for collaboration to address the threat of wildfire smoke and to call for an increase in prescribed burns on Jan. 25.
Rep. Schrier, from Washington’s 8th Congressional District, sent the letter with Representatives John Curtis (UT-03), Josh Harder (CA-09), David G. Valadao (CA-22), and Val Hoyle (OR-04).
“Here in Washington state, we’ve had to endure the impact of devastating wildfires on our forests, economy, and air quality,” said Representative Schrier.
The letter went to the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to a press release from Rep. Schrier’s Office, the letter urges the agencies to work together to coordinate and expand the use of prescribed fires to mitigate the health impacts of large fires that have become increasingly common across the west.
“I’m proud to lead this bipartisan letter urging further interagency collaboration so that tried and true solutions like prescribed fires can be utilized to help address this growing concern,” said Rep. Schrier.
