Washington, D.C. – Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today praised the announcement by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack of a new wildfire preparedness and climate resiliency plan for public lands. Grijalva said the issue presents a clear imperative to hire people to manage land and fight wildfires on a more consistent, climate-conscious basis, and the Biden administration is right to put climate planning at the center of more aspects of federal policy.

“Working with communities and hiring people to manage wildfires and other climate impacts is exactly what Democrats on this Committee have urged for years, and the Biden administration is taking the right steps today,” Grijalva said. “This news and the American Jobs Plan offer a chance to build a more climate-conscious workforce and stop the cycle of wildfire destruction we’ve seen over the past several years. We can build trust in government and build healthy, diverse ecosystems at the same time if we continue to prioritize climate action, wildfire resilience and community collaboration in equal measure.”

Grijalva called the new plan a good chance to build on the bipartisan success of the Great American Outdoors Act, which is already funding proven investments and creating jobs by making public lands and communities more resilient to wildfire and other climate-driven disasters. The recently released America the Beautiful initiative offers ample opportunities for collaboration between states, communities and existing conservation networks to prioritize restoration work near vulnerable communities.

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