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Mr. SCHRADER. Mr. Speaker, over the last week, historic wildfires have ravaged my home State of Oregon. I have three major fires in my congressional district alone.
These fires continue to burn at an alarming rate. The extent of loss of life and property is still unknown.
However, without the heroic lifesaving work of our firefighters, police, and sheriffs' offices, the sheer magnitude of that loss would have been far greater.
First responders from Lincoln, Marion, Polk, Clackamas, and Tillamook Counties have been working around the clock to evacuate families while the winds have changed most rapidly and dangerously, putting their own lives in peril.
Currently, Oregon experiences the worst air quality in the world and has been enveloped in absolute dense smoke for 1 week.
Many of those battling these fires live in impacted communities and have continued their work as their families evacuate and their homes are lost.
There are not enough words of thanks to give to these heroes, but I know that I speak on behalf of all Oregonians when I say that we are forever grateful to you.
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