[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 126 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H7445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            FIRE PREVENTION

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Madam Speaker, 1 year ago, on July 23, the Carr fire 
broke out in Shasta County, California, near Reading, sometimes 
referred to as a ``firenado'' that burned nearly 230,000 acres and 
destroyed 1,600 structures. Most tragically of all, it took eight 
lives.
  It took over a month to fully extinguish what became one of the most 
destructive fires in California State history. For those impacted by 
it, it must have felt like the blink of an eye. Everything they owned 
went up in smoke.
  Now, a year later, everyone is still working the recovery process as 
best as can be done. It is still not easy.
  In the aftermath of this disaster, and even during it, our community 
showed just how strong and resilient our people are. Families, friends, 
and neighbors came together to help each other in any possible way, 
with water, food, clothes, everything they needed, and they have 
continued to do so for the whole year.
  Some of the first homes are now being completed as people are moving 
forward, a good sign.
  Preventing another fire like this is one of my top priorities. The 
Carr fire was started when a flat tire caused a wheel to scrape against 
the asphalt and create a spark in the nearby forested area; so I have 
introduced legislation called the CARR Act, Combustion Avoidance on 
Rural Roads Act, which helps avoid this sort of combustion on rural 
roads by allowing categorical exclusions to clear vegetation within 300 
feet of a roadway.
  We have got much to do, and for people who lost everything, this is 
prevention that will help keep it from happening again.

                          ____________________