Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40) spoke on the House floor in favor of the Fix our Forests Act (H.R. 8790).
This package includes the Wildfire Technology Demonstration, Evaluation, Modernization, and Optimization (DEMO) Act (H.R. 4235), a bipartisan bill led by Rep. Kim that aims to expand access to emerging technologies for first responders to combat wildfires.
The Wildfire Technology DEMO Act allows private entities to partner with federal land management agencies to test wildfire technologies alongside ongoing hazardous fuels mitigation activities and training. The 7-year pilot program would be developed jointly by the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior.
Watch her floor speech here and read her remarks below.
Thank you, Chairman Westerman, for yielding. I rise in strong support of H.R. 8790 – The Fix Our Forests Act.
The fear facing many of my constituents during California’s peak wildfire season, especially in the canyon communities close to the Cleveland National Forest, became a reality in recent weeks as multiple wildfires burn simultaneously in Southern California, including the Airport Fire in my district.
The Airport Fire has burned over 23,500 acres and counting in Orange and Riverside Counties.
I am grateful to the first responders who are working day and night to keep our community safe.
Times like these also show us that first responders need all tools available to protect our communities and respond to the ever-changing threat that wildfires pose.
The Fix Our Forests Act includes legislation I introduced called the Wildfire Technology Demonstration, Evaluation, Modernization, and Optimization, or DEMO, Act, that would address this need.
I introduced the DEMO Act after hearing from firefighting agencies and companies developing innovative technologies.
This bipartisan legislation aims to deploy more emerging technologies to fight wildfires by allowing private entities to partner with federal land management agencies to test wildfire technologies in a 7-year pilot program.
This is a win-win for private entities looking to test their technologies at-scale and federal land management agencies working to deploy emerging technologies to help combat wildfires.
I would like to thank my friend Representative Crow for his partnership on the DEMO Act, as well as Chairman Westerman and Representative Peters for including my legislation in this important and timely bill to keep our communities and forests safe from wildfires.
I urge my colleagues to vote YES on H.R. 8790. Thank you, and I yield back.
