Elko, Nev. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez (D-Nev.) joined the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and local firefighters for a tour of Lamoille Canyon five years after a devastating fire burned 9,000 acres in the area in 2018. Cortez Masto discussed her efforts to support federal firefighters and fund wildfire prevention and recovery programs across the state, including restoring Lamoille Canyon. She recently secured $57 million in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help reduce wildfire risk and improve fuels management along approximately 3.4 million acres of the Sierra and Elko Fronts in Nevada.
“When I first saw the wildfire damage in Lamoille Canyon in 2018, I was heartbroken by the devastation. Five years later, it’s incredible to see the progress that’s been made,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Wildfires hit our rural communities especially hard, and I’ve made it my mission in the Senate to deliver more resources to our firefighters and the surrounding communities to prevent these disasters and support recovery efforts.”
Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts to support Nevada firefighters and combat the wildfire crisis in the West. She’s introduced comprehensive legislation to prevent wildfires and is pushing for permanent pay raises for federal firefighters. She secured billions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support wildfire risk reduction and recently delivered federal resources for wildfires fuels reduction in Northern Nevada. She’s also championed legislation to protect the Ruby Mountains from oil and gas development, and called on the Biden administration to safeguard the Rubies as well as the Ruby Marshes.
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