According to neighbours and state officials, the US government is asking victims to share recovery costs on private land after starting the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s recorded history in April.
The fire was started by controlled fires set by the United States Forest Service (USFS) to reduce wildfire danger. After a series of blunders, the fires erupted, torching 432 homes and over 530 square miles (1373 square kilometres) of primarily privately owned forests and meadows, much of it controlled by members of centuries-old Indo-Hispano ranching families.
‘Today I’m announcing that the federal government will cover 100 percent of the cost,’ President Joe Biden stated in June during a visit to New Mexico. Biden was making an announcement on a disaster declaration that included debris clearance and emergency protective measures.
However, federal cost-sharing laws on other federal relief programmes limit Biden’s authority and expose gaps in the government safety net designed to assist survivors and restore landscapes.
‘The government is covering the entire cost,’ President Joe Biden stated during a visit to New Mexico in June. Biden was making an announcement on a disaster declaration that included debris clearance and emergency protective measures.
However, federal cost-sharing laws on other federal relief programmes limit Biden’s authority and expose gaps in the government safety net designed to assist survivors and restore landscapes.
As major fires and flooding become the norm as a result of climate change, more Americans will turn to this system.
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