The tragic Camp Fire in the Sierra Nevada is another in a series of extreme wildfires that have taken lives and leave us looking for answers. In times like these, it's important to care for each other and do our best to prepare for the future.

The wrong way forward

Unfortunately, President Trump threatened to pull funding from California that might help fire victims and create safer conditions for those living in fire prone landscapes. This is the absolute wrong approach.

The unbecoming President says forests are responsible for the fires, yet California’s current wildfires aren’t forest fires. We need our leaders to be informed, to help fire victims, and bring people together to support one another, rather than using tragic events for political gain.

A better approach

First thing we need to do is help the victims. Leading experts have concluded that climate change in responsible for increasingly explosive fire conditions. Stay informed about fires and resources in your area with the KS Wild Fire Dashboard and our repository of fire science information.

What you can do?

There is much we can do to protect rural homes under high fire threat conditions - including creating defensible space. But under the most extreme conditions, people need to be ready to evacuate. Please sign up for your community’s warning system. Find out more by typing "The Name of Your Town" + community warning system into google. Learn how to stay ready at ready.gov/wildfires.

You can also make a donation to help communities recover from tragic fires using the following links:

Carr Fire Camp Fire

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