VIDEO: Harder Demands Emergency Wildfire Action to Speed Up Prevention, Firefighter Support
2.4 million acres already burned in 2026, western states on front lines of predicted severe fires in coming months
VIDEO from Harder’s remarks at Capitol press conference are available here
WASHINGTON – Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) joined wildland firefighters, advocates, and lawmakers in a press conference in front of the U.S. Capitol to demand emergency action to combat the growing megafire crisis and better support firefighters. Harder highlighted his legislation to modernize wildfire response and reduce firefighter shortages during the event.
California is on the front lines of a severe, yearslong megafire crisis:
- The 2024-25 fire season was the second most severe on record for North America, and the LA Fires in January of last year were the most disastrous wildfire event in modern U.S. history.
- 2.4 million acres have already burned across the U.S. in 2026, with western states like California facing significant wildfire potential in the coming months.
- We’re increasingly calling on wildland firefighters to respond to megafires, but this critical workforce is struggling with growing burnout and low morale alongside a persistent shortage.
“Our communities and our firefighters are not getting the support they desperately need from Washington, and that’s an outrage,” said Rep. Harder. “We need better tools, stronger mitigation efforts, and more personnel - we have to make it easier to hire, train, and retain firefighters now, not after the next megafire strikes. I’m going to fight tooth and nail to pass solutions that treat this crisis with the urgency it demands and keep our promise to those who stand between our families and disaster.”
Harder’s bills to tackle megafires in California:
- Modernized Response– Harder is leading landmark legislation to invest in modern tools, tech, and data to comprehensively upgrade interagency response to wildfires.
- Firefighter Benefits – New bills to fix rules that punish firefighters for taking time off, and to create a casualty assistance program at the Department of Interior to support firefighters and their families when tragedy strikes.
- Air Quality – Harder is championing legislation to declare public health “smoke emergencies” when wildfire smoke becomes severe, and to establish a new national air quality monitoring system.
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