Letter to the President Donald J. Trump - Bennet, Entire Colorado Congressional Delegation Urge Expedited Approval of Major Disaster Declaration for Wildfire Recovery

Letter

Dear Mr. President,
We write in strong support of Governor Polis' request for an expedited Major Disaster
declaration for the State of Colorado. Devastating wildfires have occurred across our state,
forcing evacuations, threatening air and water quality, and destroying homes and businesses.
Given the historic nature of these fires and their devastating impact on our communities, we urge
you to expedite the approval process so that Coloradans have access to the resources they need to
respond and recover quickly.
An unusual weather event combined with extreme drought led to the catastrophic growth of
several fires throughout the state. Three of the state's five largest fires have occurred in 2020.
The East Troublesome fire grew sixfold in size in a matter of 24 hours and is the second-largest
fire in state history. The Cameron Peak fire, which began burning in August, grew to over
200,000 acres -- the largest fire in Colorado history. Additionally, the Grizzley Creek fire closed
I-70, one of our state's major transportation corridors. These fires, in addition to the Middle Fork
fire, Williams Fork fire, the Lefthand Canyon fire, and the Calwood Fire, caused thousands of
Coloradans to evacuate and significant infrastructure damage.
These late-season fires are not normal. Typically, October marks the beginning of winter weather
patterns in Colorado. As fire seasons grow longer, the availability of resources to our local
communities gets stretched thinner. The unprecedented nature of this emergency merits a swift
and comprehensive response. Given the rapid escalation and urgent need for support, we request
an expeditious approval of the Governor's Major Disaster declaration request.
Thank you for your support in this urgent matter.
Sincerely,