On Wednesday I sent an email update about the ongoing California wildfires with resources to help you and your family. Please click here to join my email updates so you don't miss any in the future!
Hi – Like so many folks in our community, I'm very concerned about the wildfires burning throughout California.
People have lost their lives and hundreds of homes have burned. Even under these terrible conditions, we've seen our heroic firefighters and first responders do an incredible job.
Perhaps you have friends or family who have been impacted as well. Thankfully, our district hasn't been directly hit by wildfires – but the risk is still there. As a doctor, I know that in addition to the visible destruction, wildfires can take a physical and emotional toll on residents.
I wanted to send an update with resources and information to help you.
Please feel free to forward this email along to anyone who may need it.
Smoke and air quality information: Our region continues to be impacted by smoke from wildfires, which can be especially harmful to older residents or those with health conditions like asthma. The two web pages below have up-to-date smoke and air quality information that may be helpful.
• California Air Resources Board: Information on Smoke & Current Wildfires
• Sacramento Region: Spare the Air
Get up-to-date information: The links below will help you sign-up for emergency alerts from Sacramento County, learn about the latest wildfire incidents throughout our state and more:
• Sacramento Ready: Emergency Alerts Notification System
• Cal-Fire: Incident Information
• Cal-Fire: Red Flag Warnings & Fire Weather Watches
• Cal-Fire: 2018 Statewide Incidents Map
Preparedness and prevention: We can take steps here in Sacramento Country to reduce the risk of wildfires, such as clearing brush and vegetation around homes and businesses. Please learn more by reviewing the links below.
• Cal-Fire: Prepare and Prevent Wildfires at readyforwildlife.org
• Ready.gov/wildfires
• Sacramento Ready: Wildfires
Recovery and relief: If you own property impacted by a wildfire, or know someone who does, the state of California and the federal government provide disaster assistance programs to help residents recover and rebuild. You can visit the links below to learn more.
• California Office of Emergency Services
• DisasterAssistance.gov
In Congress, I've consistently voted to provide disaster relief funding for those impacted by wildfires.
I also strongly supported a new bipartisan law, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, that helps fix the broken "fire borrowing" process, where federal firefighters were forced to take money away from other crucial priorities just to cover the cost of putting out wildfires – even programs that helped prevent fires in the first place. We need to dedicate resources to both fight and prevent wildfires, but we also have to understand how our changing climate continues to exacerbate these events.
If you have any questions or would like to share your views, you're always welcome to contact me.
It is an honor and privilege to serve you.
Be well,
Ami Bera, M.D.
Member of Congress
