Western lawmakers aim to confront wildfire crisis through joint legislation
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A wildfire burns through trees and ground cover on June 25, 2017 outside Panguitch, Utah. At the time, the blaze had burned more than 43,000 acres and destroyed 13 homes. Photo: George Frey/Getty Images
A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the West is introducing a bill to combat "catastrophic" wildfires and overhaul forest management.
Why it matters: Climate change and drought are causing wildfires to become more intense, widespread and harder to put out.
- The legislation comes after the Los Angeles County blazes in January were called one of the costliest wildfire events in U.S. history, with estimated damages reaching up to $131 billion.
State of play: Some highlights of the Fix Our Forests Act — sponsored by Sens. John Curtis (R-Utah), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) —are:
- Reducing wildfire risks in certain areas with more cross-boundary collaboration.
- Creating an interagency program to help communities build wildfire-resistant measures.
- Increasing research to test and utilize wildfire prevention technologies.
By the numbers: 1,244 wildfires were reported in Utah in 2024, up 54% from 2023, according to data provided by Curtis' office.
- In 2024, Utah saw the highest number of wildfire reports the state has seen since 2020.
Zoom out: Nationally, almost 9 million acres burned in 2024 due to wildfires, a 231% increase compared to 2.7 million acres burned in 2023.
- The northwestern U.S. led the nation in acres burned last year, according to wildfire statistics provided by the National Interagency Coordination Center.
What they're saying: "Utah and the American West are on the front lines of a growing wildfire crisis — and the longer we wait, the more acres will burn and more families will be impacted," Curtis said in a statement.
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who is backing the legislation, said the bill would "help us protect watersheds, enhance wildlife habitat, reduce wildfire risk and provide the timber we need to build strong homes and neighborhoods."
Yes, but: Despite Utah being prone to wildfires, attitudes toward climate change vary across the state.
The big picture: Climate anxiety is concentrated in big U.S. metros and some coastal communities, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes.
- Many major metro areas, like Salt Lake City, show a relatively higher climate concern compared to their surrounding areas, recent estimates find.
Zoom in: About 71% of adults in Salt Lake said they were "worried" about climate change, per Yale Program on Climate Change Communication estimates based on survey data.
- However, in Emery, Duchesne, Juab and Millard counties, less than 45% of adults expressed concern.