,,iii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #bdg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #bb1 
#bjbe,ms4 ,hirono 7for herself and ,mr4 
,barrasso7 submitted the following      
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on the ,judiciary            
,,resolution  ,designating ,may #bjbe as
 ,national ,wildfire ,preparedness      
,month4  ,whereas wildfires across the  
contiguous ,united ,states1 ,alaska1    
,hawaii1 and the ,united ,states        
territories have increased in scale1    
complexity1 and severity1 fire seasons  
have lengthened in many parts of the    
,united ,states to encompass the entire 
year1 and wildfire has become a threat  
in regions of the ,united ,states that  
have little or no history of wildfire2  
,whereas1 in the ,united ,states from   
#bjae to #bjbd1 an average of #fb1dce   
wildfires burned1 consuming on average a
 total of #g1eec1gjd acres1 which is    
#gje1fab acres above the previous       
#aj-year average2 ,whereas1 in the      

,united ,states from ,january #a to ,may
 #b1 #bjbe1 #bb1gei wildfires burned    
#ihh1cai acres1 which is above both the 
#aj-year average occurrence of #ae1fci  
wildfires and the average #aj-year      
burned area of #iea1dfh acres2 ,whereas1
 from ,may #bjbe to ,august #bjbe1 over 
#fj percent of ,states in the ,united   
,states are predicted to be at risk for 
significant wildfire events1 and over   
#ej percent of ,states are expected to  
face above-normal risks for significant 
wildfire events2 ,whereas nearly #he    
percent of wildland fires in the ,united
 ,states are caused by humans2 ,whereas 
,federal wildfire suppression efforts   
cost over #b1ejj1jjj1jjj per year1 and  
the total cost of wildfire damage across
 the ,united ,states is estimated to be 
tens to hundreds of billions of dollars 
per year2 ,whereas significant          
investments in proactive planning1      
mitigation1 and risk reduction are      
necessary for the ,united ,states to    
counteract increasingly severe wildfire 

risk1 damage1 and loss2 ,whereas        
firefighters are on the front lines and 
are at an increased risk of developing  
cancer and respiratory diseases because 
they are exposed to smoke and hazardous 
chemicals in the line of duty2 ,whereas 
the effects of long-term exposure to    
wildfire smoke will harm more people1 as
 particulate pollution triggers asthma  
attacks1 heart attacks1 and strokes1 and
 can kill2 ,whereas preventative        
measures exist to help individuals and  
communities increase their fire         
resilience through-- 7#a7 reducing the  
risk of home ignition by using          
fire-resistant construction materials   
and maintaining yard vegetation2  7#b7  
community planning that reduces home    
wildfire exposure and increases access  
for firefighters2  7#c7 evacuation      
planning and assistance for people and  
their animals2  7#d7 vegetation and     
forest management2 and  7#e7 limited use
 of combustibles during high heat or    
drier seasons1 including fireworks1     

exhaust1 and open flames2 and ,whereas a
 nationally designated ,wildfire        
,preparedness ,month-- 7#a7 increases   
awareness of the threat of wildfires and
 knowledge of lifesaving and fire       
mitigation practices2 and  7#b7 promotes
 educational initiatives1 encourages    
community programming1 and increases    
overall knowledge and preparedness3     
,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that the       
,senate-- 7#a7 designates the month of  
,may #bjbe as ,national ,wildfire       
,preparedness ,month2  7#b7 encourages  
increased awareness of1 and preparedness
 for1 the threat of wildfires and       
subsequent suppression efforts at the   
,federal1 ,state1 local1 and ,tribal    
levels of government1 including ,alaska 
,native and ,native ,hawaiian           
communities1 and by nongovernmental     
organizations and communities2 and  7#c7
 supports resources and educational     
initiatives that communicate how        
communities at risk of exposure to      
wildfire hazards can take preventative  

measures1 including1 home hardening1    
land management practices that reduce or
 remove highly flammable grasses and    
shrubs1 instituting or enhancing early  
warning systems1 reducing unplanned     
human ignitions1 reducing adverse health
 impacts from smoke and fire exposure1  
and safely and efficiently evacuating   
people and their animals4