WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and John Barrasso (R-WY) designating May as “National Wildfire Preparedness Month” to encourage increased awareness and preparedness as wildfires across the country increase in scale, complexity, and severity. The introduction of this resolution comes as recovery efforts continue following the devastating Lahaina wildfires in 2023 and the Los Angeles fires earlier this year. A companion resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives was introduced by U.S. Representatives Norma Torres (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA), and Jay Obernolte (R-CA).
“As we enter wildfire season and these natural disasters increase in frequency and severity across the country, it is critical that our communities remain vigilant and proactive in reducing the risk of them occurring,” said Senator Hirono. “I am proud this resolution passed the Senate and will continue working to increase fire resilience, protect first responders, and bolster efforts to safeguard our communities from natural disasters.”
“Our nation’s wildland firefighters put their lives on the line to protect our forests and our communities,” said Senator Barrasso. “With the passage of our bipartisan resolution, the Senate rightfully honors our brave firefighters and first responders and highlights the important work we must do to reduce the risk and impact of future wildfires. I will continue to fight to make sure our firefighters have the resources and tools they need to help prevent catastrophic fires.”
From January 1 to May 2, 2025, over 22,000 wildfires burned more than 988,000 acres, which is above the 10-year average occurrence of wildfires and average 10-year burned area. As wildfires become growing threats in regions of the U.S. that have little to no history of wildfires and, in many parts of the country, fire seasons are lengthening to encompass the entire year, this resolution emphasizes the need for investment in planning, mitigation, and risk reduction efforts to counteract wildfire risk, damage, and loss. The resolution also supports expanding resources and educational initiatives that communicate how at-risk communities can take preventative measures to limit wildfire hazards.
This resolution is endorsed by the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization, the National Wildfire Suppression Association, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
The full text of the resolution is available here.
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