Wildfire Relief and Recover Efforts in Bastrop

Statement

To date more than 20,000 wildfires have broken out in Texas this year. They've burned over 3.7 million acres, destroyed over 4,700 structures, forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes, and, most tragically, led to the deaths of at least four Texans. In places across our state these fires have been a feature of life for most of the year. In the past seven days alone, the Texas Forest Service has responded to more than 100 fires which have scorched more than 18,500 acres. It is currently estimated that more than 1,900 homes have been destroyed since the beginning of September, leaving a trail of debris and destruction. These events have brought hardship to countless residents and communities of Texas that must be eased.

On Saturday I visited Bastrop, touring the area, visiting with residents, and receiving a briefing on the situation from local, state and federal officials. The damage is devastating, but my spirits were lifted by the strength, resilience, and selflessness of the folks working day in and day out to see to it that their fellow Texans' needs are met. The outpouring of compassion from the local community and from people around the state is an inspiration, and it was a privilege to lend a hand distributing relief supplies with such remarkable people.

For my part, I'm going to keep doing everything I can to make sure Texans are getting all the assistance they need and deserve from the federal government. Senator Hutchison and I sent a letter to President Obama last Thursday urging an expedited review and consideration of our state's request to expand the current Federal Disaster Declaration so that counties can receive support for debris removal and rebuilding from FEMA. Local officials in Bastrop told me that, like other affected areas around the state, the damage there exceeds their ability to adequately address the situation. I assured the folks in Bastrop that I won't stop working on this until Texans across the state get the help they need.

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