Jimmy Panetta: “In California, wildfires have become a year-round threat. Because of these fires, communities across our great State…”

“In California, wildfires have become a year-round threat. Because of these fires, communities across our great State have suffered devastating loss of life and property. Last year, in my district on the central coast of California, we had the most expensive fire in United States history, the Soberanes fire. This year, we have had some of the deadliest and costliest fires in California history in Napa and Sonoma. This week, we watch fires burn in the hills from Los Angeles and Santa Barbara to Oakland and Big Sur. Governor Jerry Brown calls this ``the new normal.'' We should call it unacceptable, and we must do something. We must fully fund the cost of fire suppression. We must include California fire relief in this year's disaster package. We must think outside the box when it comes to fire prevention and focus our efforts to better manage our forests in the future. ____________________”