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Biden, Western Governors Discuss Wildfire Response

VOA News

   U.S. President Joe Biden is holding talks Wednesday with a group of
   governors from eight Western states about wildfire preparedness as much
   of the region deals with drought.

   Biden and other administration officials are speaking from the White
   House with the governors joining by video.

   White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporterslast weekthe
   meeting will "focus on how the federal government can improve wildfire
   preparedness andresponse efforts, protect public safety, and deliver
   assistance to our people in times of urgent need."

   Those attending include Democratic governors Gavin Newsom of
   California, Jared Polis of Colorado, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New
   Mexico, Steve Sisolak of Nevada, Kate Brown of Oregon and Jay Inslee of
   Washington, along with Republican governors Spencer Cox of Utah and
   Mark Gordon of Wyoming.

   Not among the group are three other Republican governors from the
   region: Doug Ducey of Arizona, Brad Little ofIdahoand Greg Gianforte of
   Montana.

   Gianforte tweeted Friday that he was "disappointed to learn in news
   stories" that the president "didn't offer a seat at the table to
   Montana and other states facing a severe wildfire season."

     Disappointed to learn in news stories that [1]@POTUS didn't offer a
     seat at the table to Montana and other states facing a severe
     wildfire season.
     I hope his call for working together wasn't just lip service and
     Montana's invitation is just lost in the
     mail.[2]https://t.co/MLnCbeHBFw
     -- Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) [3]June 25, 2021

   The National Interagency Fire Center, which coordinates the
   mobilization of resources to battle wildfires in the United States, has
   warned that many Western states are facing a greater than usual
   likelihood that significant wildfires will occur in the next few
   months.

   The U.S. Drought Monitor reports wide areas of Arizona, California, New
   Mexico, Nevada and Utah are experiencing extreme or exceptional
   drought.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   2. https://t.co/MLnCbeHBFw
   3. https://twitter.com/GovGianforte/status/1408565074416091136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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