Haaland: Infrastructure Bill Will Help In Wildfire Fighting Efforts

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and USDA Forest Service chief Randy Moore met with fire fighters and fire management officials recently to get a briefing on the upcoming, or ongoing, fire season. But also, "to highlight our collective efforts to protect our communities from the threat of wildfires."

Haaland added the bi-partisan infrastructure bill has $14.5-million for those efforts and agriculture secretary.

"That's going to allow us to begin aggressively treating over 20 million acres of forest service lands and help treat another 30 million acres of non forest service lands to reduce the risk of wildfires," noted Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack. "That will provide an opportunity for folks to protect their communities and their homes and their lives."

And Vilsack said the infrastructure bill will allow the Forest Service to add, by the end of May, 1,500 additional full time firefighters.

"So that we're in a better position to be responsive to this very difficult fire year that's ahead of us."

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