Media Advisory: National Media Call: Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan to Discuss Impacts and Costs of California Wildfires

You are subscribed to USDA Office of Communications.

Media Advisory

 

Contact:
Stephanie Gomes, U.S. Forest Service, sgomes@fs.fed.us, (707) 562-9009
Mike Illenberg, USDA Press Office, mike.illenberg@oc.usda.gov, (202) 720-0494
Abdullah Hasan, OMB Communications, ahasan@omb.eop.gov, 202-815-7198

 

National Media Call: Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan to Discuss Impacts and Costs of California Wildfires

 

WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, October 4, at 10:30 AM PDT - White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shaun Donovan and U.S. Forest Service California leadership will host a national media call from the Angeles National Forest about the impacts of California’s severe wildfire season, and funding solutions to the chronic Forest Service wildfire suppression funding shortfalls. Director Donovan will announce updated data on the cost of this year’s fire season to date, and the Forest Service will brief media on the fire outlook for the remainder of the year.

 

Over the last several decades, suppression costs have soared due to impacts of climate change, fire seasons that are 78 days longer on average, and increased development in the Wildland Urban Interface, which makes fighting fires more complicated – and more expensive -- than ever. As a result, the Forest Service's firefighting budget is regularly exhausted before the end of the wildfire season, forcing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to abandon critical restoration and capital improvement projects in order to suppress extreme fires. In six of the last 10 years, the cost of fighting wildfires has exceeded the amount provided by Congress to the Forest Service for fighting wildfires.

 

#

 

WHAT:
Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan will discuss the costs of suppressing California wildfires, including an announcement of updated figures. Deputy Regional Forester Jeanne Wade Evans will join and brief the media on the most recent outlook and fire impacts.  Following brief remarks, Director Donovan and Deputy Regional Forester Evans will take questions.

 

WHEN: Tuesday October 4, 2016 10:30 AM (PDT)

 

Dial-in: 888-942-9035

Participant passcode: FOREST (367378)