The federal government struggles to respond effectively after wildfires rage through communities, the investigative arm of Congress said Thursday.
In testimony to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Government Accountability Office said recovering from wildfires is more complex than bouncing back from floods, hurricanes and other disasters, and that federal officials must rethink how they coordinate efforts on housing and other challenges.
The GAO’s director of homeland security and justice, Christopher Currie, said programs at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development fall short in part because wildfires are different from other disasters and need both immediate and long-term assistance.
“You can’t put a FEMA trailer on a burned-out house,” Currie said, adding that ground scorched in fires is often toxic and covered with debris that’s potentially hazardous. “Housing is one of the biggest things that I see as a challenge.”
