David Sampson

Wildfire events affecting communities have grown in severity and number over the last several years. The California wildfires earlier this year caused extreme devastation to heavily populated communities, killing dozens of residents and causing between $95 billion and $275 billion in economic losses…. Federal reforms are needed to harden the built environment … against fires and to better prepare the natural environment so that fires are less frequent and powerful. The Fix Our Forests Act, which has been introduced in the House and Senate, is a critical step to address these concerns and reduce wildfire risk, safeguard lives and protect communities.  …Adopting the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety’s Wildfire Prepared Home standards will help homeowners reduce their homes’ risk of wildfire. This includes fully implementing building codes, such as California’s Chapter 7A, which covers wildland urban interface spaces. Fire and smoke protection features should also be applied to all rebuilding.