Wildland Commission Reforms Significant to Addressing Wildfires at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 13 (TNSres) -- The American Property Casualty Insurance Association issued the following statement on March 12, 2024:

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The American Property Casualty Insurance Association released the following statement in support of today's U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing to Examine the Findings and Recommendations of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. Congress established the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission in 2021 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. The Commission developed policy recommendations to better mitigate, manage, and recover from wildfires. The Commission completed its final report (https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/wfmmc-final-report-092023-508.pdf) to Congress last fall. The following statement may be attributed to David A. Sampson, APCIA's president and CEO and Wildland Commission member.

"APCIA commends the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee for holding a hearing today to examine the findings and recommendations of the Commission.

"The Texas Smokehouse Creek Fire is a stark reminder of the increasing risk to Americans from more frequent and damaging wildfire events. It is imperative that the approach to managing wildfire must change, and we need solutions that can shift the trajectory of the crisis from reactive to proactive actions.

"While there are many natural causes of wildfires, such as lightning strikes, humans caused 87 percent of wildfire ignitions in the U.S. over the last decade as more people live and recreate in areas prone to wildfires. The Smokehouse Creek Fire is another example of a man-made catastrophe. The Commission's report includes recommendations that encourage hardening of infrastructure and adoption of wildfire mitigation plans that could prevent utility-caused ignitions.

"Additionally, longer, hotter, and drier conditions due to climate change, along with significant fuel loads, are enabling fires to ignite more easily and spread more rapidly, with wildfire season now lasting year-round. Such environmental conditions, when coupled with continued population growth in risk-prone areas, are leading to more devastation in communities.

"The Wildland Commission's straightforward solutions could help communities become more resilient in the face of increasing wildfire activity. Investments in proactive planning, mitigation, risk reduction, and the workforce are essential to change the course of increasing severe wildfire risk, damage, and loss.

"It is critical that Congress take legislative action to implement the Commission's comprehensive recommendations that span the entire fire cycle."

APCIA's statement for the record can be found here (https://www.apci.org/attachment/static/9700).

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The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) is the primary national trade association for home, auto, and business insurers. APCIA promotes and protects the viability of private competition for the benefit of consumers and insurers, with a legacy dating back 150 years. APCIA members represent all sizes, structures, and regions--protecting families, communities, and businesses in the U.S. and across the globe.

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Original text here: https://www.apci.org/media/news-releases/release/79294/