Is your emergency go-bag ready? It should be.
As of July 2, 15 wildfires were burning across Colorado. Fortunately, FEMA is coordinating federal resources to provide financial aid and recovery assistance.
Unfortunately, after the 2025 Elk and Lee fires, FEMA denied Gov. Jared Polis’ request for disaster relief. The governor appealed the decision, and Rep. Jeff Hurd, whose district includes both fire areas, urged the Trump administration to issue disaster declarations. The administration issued a final denial in April 2026, leaving Colorado and local governments to shoulder the recovery costs.
In response, Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper introduced the Disaster Declaration Transparency Act of 2026, which would create a fast-track congressional process to override a president’s denial of federal disaster relief. A spokesperson for Hurd said he will continue advocating for disaster assistance but has not said whether he will co-sponsor the legislation.
Please contact Hurd and urge him to co-sponsor the Disaster Declaration Transparency Act. Disaster assistance should not depend on the whim of any one president.
And while you’re at it, prepare your own household. Pack that emergency go-bag and sign up for your county’s emergency notification system. Wildfires are a fact of life in Colorado. We should all be ready – and our federal government should be, too.
Nancy Peterson
Carbondale