On the recordJuly 24, 2017
as I speak, wildfires are blazing across Montana. In fact, as of this moment, we have 21 active fires, with just about 300,000 acres burned, which has turned our big sky into gray smoke. In fact, the Lodgepole fire in Eastern Montana alone has burned over 250,000 acres, and there are 300-plus heroes bravely working to tame those growing flames. I was on the phone a couple of times with our county commissioner from Garfield County, and we talked about how to get more resources for these devastating fires. I just got word an hour ago that the Sunrise fire on the western side of our State, near Superior, MT, was just elevated in the last couple of hours as the No. 2 national priority fire in the Nation. Montana is hot, Montana is dry, and there is a long way to go yet in this fire season. The status quo is simply unacceptable. With these fires blazing and the ground cracking beneath us, we are reminded of how fragile the way of life in Montana is. Our No. 1 economic driver in Montana is agriculture. Montana ag supports our economy in seasons of plenty, as well as in seasons of drought, including physical drought and unseasonable rains. We have seen both in Montana, and farmers and ranchers have risen to the occasion each time. As they have supported us, we must support them. The historic drought conditions in Eastern Montana warrant relief from regulations that limit the producers' abilities to use our land in the best ways possible.…
Source
govinfo.gov




