,,iii  #aaith ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #gda  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #bj1 
#bjbf,ms4 ,hirono submitted the         
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on the ,judiciary    
,,resolution  ,designating ,may #bjbf 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   
#bjaf to #bjbe1 #fcd1jeb wildfires      
burned1 consuming a total of #gj1edc1cfg
 acres2 ,whereas1 in the ,united ,states
 from ,january #a to ,may #a1 #bjbf1    
#a1hdh1baj acres have burned1 which is  
#id percent higher than the previous    

#aj-year average1 and #bd1jff wildfires 
have been reported1 which is #ej percent
 higher than the previous #aj-year      
average2 ,whereas1 from ,may #bjbf to   
,august #bjbf1 over #dj percent of      
,states in the ,united ,states are      
expected to face above normal risk 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 more than      
#c1jjj1jjj1jjj 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 can cause asthma 
attacks1 heart attacks1 strokes1 and    
even death2 ,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

 the 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 ,may
 #bjbf 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 including 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