Washington Lawmakers Hope Visit Highlights The Devastation Of Massive Wildfires

Washington Representatives Dan Newhouse, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Kim Schrier are reaching out to federal officials in an attempt to bring attention to the level of destruction caused by massive wildfires in the state.

“The three of us sent an invitation to the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, as well as the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland," Newhouse said. "We want them to come to see first hand the damage that is being caused, again, by these catastrophic wildfires that are happening in our state.”

Newhouse, who also chairs the Western Caucus, said the hope of this bipartisan group of lawmakers is to show D.C just how damaging these fires are.

“Is to see, firsthand, what happens when we don’t adequately manage our forests. The federal forests in our state are large, they’re huge. There’s a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done and I think it’s just tremendously important for them to see first-hand what happens when that work is not done.”

Newhouse said forest management has, at times, taken a back seat to climate change talking points. He added climate change can’t be used as a scape goat to poor forest management practices.

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