U.S. Department of the Interior

Secretary Norton Strongly Endorses President Bush's
Call for Additional Funds to Fight Wildfires

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton today announced that the Interior Department may receive $189 million in additional emergency supplemental funds for wildfire suppression and rehabilitation of burned lands. Norton noted that the emergency funds are based on a request by President Bush to Congress for $825 million to extinguish the fires that have devastated much of the country's public and private lands in 41 states.

"This fire season has imperiled lives, homes and resources, and may very well be one of the worst seasons in history," Secretary Norton said. "President Bush's request for additional funding will help us get through the remainder of the season and provide the tools needed to restore forests and rangeland health damaged by wildfires."

The emergency funding will be used to cover the extraordinary damage caused by fires on public lands and to restore and rehabilitate areas by planting trees, native grasses, shrubs and some non-native species to ensure site stability and competition against invasive species.

This year alone, wildfires have claimed the lives of 20 firefighters and damaged or destroyed 2,000 homes and other structures. Close to 6 million acres of public and private lands have already burned, totaling more than the twice the 10-year national average.

The president has also made nearly $50 million in FEMA disaster assistance funds available in Colorado and Arizona in response to the devastating fires that occurred in these states earlier this summer.

The administration is also urging Congress to support the president's FY 2003 budget request for fire suppression, which is almost $200 million above the FY 2002 level.

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U.S. Department of the Interior