Sen. Padilla visits Palisades Fire zone, pushes for wildfire prevention legislation
Progress in Palisades Fire zone
California Senator Alex Padilla toured the Palisades Fire zone Thursday and spoke out about working with the federal government to try to reduce fire risk.
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. - California State Senator Alex Padilla toured the Palisades Fire zone to assess recovery progress and discuss efforts to collaborate with the federal government on reducing fire risks and aiding victims.
Padilla emphasized bipartisan legislation aimed at wildfire prevention and recovery.
What we know:
During his visit, Padilla highlighted the scale of the fires that burned in January, which were approximately four times the size of Manhattan.
Padilla also surveyed ongoing construction efforts and discussed bipartisan legislation to address wildfire risks, including the creation of a National Wildfire Intelligence Center.
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The "Fix Our Forest Act" aims to foster collaboration between federal and state governments on wildfire prevention, as the federal government owns and manages nearly half of California's lands, particularly forests bordering communities.
Wade Crawfoot, California's Natural Resources Secretary, noted the gap in federal involvement in community defense and wildfire resilience.
What they're saying:
Senator Padilla stated, "The bill calls for the creation of a National Wildfire Intelligence Center. Imagine, centralizing the experience, expertise, and technologies to help better inform not just help respond to fires when they happen but how we could work to mitigate or prevent them in the first place."
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He also expressed hope for bipartisan solutions, emphasizing the importance of not wasting the opportunity.
"If in the middle of this political climate we find ourselves in, we can find a bipartisan solution, this is a huge opportunity we can't afford to waste," he said.
What's next:
Gov. Gavin Newsom's request for $40 billion in federal aid for fire zone recovery is still pending.
Padilla remains hopeful, stating, "We have never conditioned aid based on politics in the history of our country and we shouldn't start now."
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The focus remains on securing federal support without political conditions.