releases: https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A3464C12-5F78-4BC5-80CC-77FFD2738983
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A3464C12-5F78-4BC5-80CC-77FFD2738983 | Heitkamp Helps Senate Pass Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Unsafe U.S. Forest Service Burns | 2016-11-18 | 2016 | 2016-11 | Democrat | House | ND | Heidi Heitkamp | H001069 | www.heitkamp.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced that the U.S. Senate has unanimously passed a bipartisan bill that Senator John Thune of South Dakota introduced – and which Heitkamp strongly supported – to prevent the U.S. Forest Service from carrying out prescribed burns in extreme fire risk situations. The bill also requires the Forest Service to better coordinate with local officials. The bill was introduced in response to the Pautre wildfire in 2013, which began after the Forest Service went ahead with a controlled burn despite vocal concerns from local ranchers about the risk of the fire getting out of hand. The resulting wildfire burned thousands of acres and led to millions of dollars in damage. “When ranchers and first responders say conditions are unsafe for a burn, the Forest Service needs to listen. This bill, which passed unanimously, will help make sure that happens in the future,” said Heitkamp. “After the completely preventable Pautre wildfire in 2013, it was clear we needed to make sure the Forest Service listens to local communities before carrying out burns. Despite warnings from ranchers, the Forest Service went ahead with the Pautre burn in 2013, destroying ranchers’ property and scorching grassland they rely on to make a living. Our bipartisan bill aims to prevent that from happening again.” Heitkamp has long fought to protect ranchers, families and rural communities in North Dakota and beyond from harm that could result from unsafe prescribed burns performed by the Forest Service. At a July 2015 U.S. Senate hearing, Heitkamp held the Forest Service accountable for the 2013 Pautre wildfire and pressed U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Robert Bonnie – who oversees the Forest Service – to take responsibility. Heitkamp has been a leading voice in pressing the Forest Service to fully reimburse ranchers for documented losses, which totaled nearly $10 million in damage and 14,000 burned acres. Heitkamp first expressed her frustration with the controlled burn in April 2013, and has continued to advocate for North Dakota’s ranchers. In May 2014, a year after the Pautre fire, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell visited North Dakota and indicated that the Forest Service was in the process of reviewing claims made for losses from the fire. Heitkamp pressed Tidwell to reimburse ranchers, but Tidwell did not clearly concede that the Forest Service acted negligently in proceeding with the controlled burn that led to the Pautre fire. Less than a week after meeting with Tidwell in North Dakota, Heitkamp called on the Forest Service to clarify its responsibility for the fire and fairly compensate ranchers for their devastating losses. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |