[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11621]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      THE CARLTON COMPLEX WILDFIRE

  (Mr. NEWHOUSE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, roughly 1 year ago today, the Carlton 
Complex wildfire broke out in Okanogan County in my district. This fire 
was the most destructive in Washington State's history, burning over 
250,000 acres, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses, and 
devastating the environment.
  Communities in the Methow Valley continue to deal with the fire's 
long-term consequences and are still working to rebuild and recover. 
One year later, we recognize the heroic efforts of thousands of first 
responders, firefighters, and volunteers who worked around the clock at 
great personal risk to fight the blaze.
  Mr. Speaker, I saw firsthand how the community pulled together to 
help one another. Volunteers provided shelter to survivors, cooked 
meals, and unloaded trucks of relief supplies. The outpouring of 
support from volunteers from all over the State is a testament to the 
spirit and determination of Washingtonians.
  We must remember the losses caused by this catastrophic wildfire, and 
Congress must continue to push to improve forest health to ensure that 
this does not happen again.

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