Mike Thompson: “This year has been the worst fire season in California history. The October fires included 21 major fires that were…”

“This year has been the worst fire season in California history. The October fires included 21 major fires that were fought by over 11,000 firefighters. They were driven by powerful winds that reached speeds of over 80 miles an hour, and these fires moved, at times, as fast as 200 feet per second. That is 40 football fields in a minute. They burned nearly 300,000 acres. They forced over 100,000 people to evacuate their homes, and they destroyed over 9,000 homes and structures. And, most tragically, 44 people lost their lives. Our communities have been devastated, Mr. Speaker, but they have also come together and supported each other in inspiring ways, and now they begin the very long road to recovery. I am pleased to see this supplemental funding package will deliver much-needed funds for fire recovery. I want to specifically thank Congressmen Calvert, McCarthy, and Pelosi, who came out and saw this devastation and have been working with us to make sure we get the funds that we need. I want to thank the appropriators and the appropriations staff for all their help as well. With the support of the entire California House delegation, the State of California has requested $4.4 billion for fire-related disaster relief. These funds will be vital to helping families rebuild their homes and their lives and to supporting our community as they rebuild critical infrastructure and restore essential services.…”