RSC Chairman Pfluger, Rep. Evans: “We Didn’t Start the Fire”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11) and Representative Gabe Evans (CO-08) co-authored a new op-ed in Fox News identifying House-passed legislation to support state efforts to mitigate, respond to, and recover from wildfires.

In the piece, RSC Chairman Pfluger and Rep. Evans write, “The Senate already has what it needs. The FIRE Act clears the way for states to manage their own forests, the best tool we have to address wildfires, without years of bureaucratic sign-off and fear of facing extreme economic sanctions. The FENCES Act makes sure no state foots a federal penalty for emissions it never created. Passing both isn't optional anymore.”

The lawmakers conclude, “The best way to improve air quality across the country is to prevent these catastrophic events from happening, and legislation like the FIRE Act and FENCES Act ensure that a future without these disasters and their lasting negative impact to our environment and communities is possible… Every day we wait is another day that preventable risks are allowed to grow. We can't control every wildfire, but we can make it easier to reduce their frequency, severity, protect our communities, and restore healthier forests.

We didn't start the fire. We're just done punishing American communities for our neighbors to the north's mess.”

Read the full op-ed here.

Background: RSC Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced the Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability (FENCES) Act in December 2025.The FENCES Act clarifies that all foreign emissions, whether natural or man-made, are excluded when determining whether a state meets national air quality standards or when reviewing new facility permits. The bill also allows states to account for foreign emissions earlier in the process, rather than waiting until all other requirements are complete. Read more about the bill here.

Rep. Gabe Evans (CO-08) introduced the Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events (FIRE) Act in December 2025. The FIRE Act ensures that states are not penalized for undertaking important wildfire mitigation activities, like prescribed burns. The bill also directs the EPA to conduct regional analyses when multiple states are affected by the same wildfire or event to reduce regulatory burden and streamline federal response. Read more about the bill here.