WATCH: Hickenlooper Calls for Immediate Federal Investigation into Knowles Fire and Urges Action to Prevent Wildfires

Hickenlooper: "We can't afford to wait months and months to learn lessons that could save lives right now."

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper took to the Senate floor to call on the Department of Interior to investigate the Knowles fire burnover incident that killed four firefighters and left another hospitalized with severe injuries. He demanded federal action to address the destructive wildfires across Colorado, which have already burned more than 240,000 acres.

Watch his full remarks HERE.

"These families deserve answers, and we need to understand what went wrong so we can prevent future tragedies," Hickenlooper emphasized.

"That's why I'm calling on the Department of the Interior to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into what happened, including whether the administration's recent shifts to the Wildland Fire Service played any role in this event.

"This isn't about playing politics or gotcha, trying to find blame," he continued. "With wildfires still raging across Colorado, we can't afford to wait months and months to learn lessons that could save lives right now."

During the speech, Hickenlooper urged Congress and the administration to work together to better prepare for increasingly frequent, destructive, and expensive wildfires.

"…We have a responsibility - all of us, regardless of politics - to prevent wildfires, to protect our communities, and to help people recover from disasters," Hickenlooper continued.

"…The Aspen Acres Fire will likely require a Major Disaster Declaration. If it does, we will push this administration with everything we have to make sure Colorado gets the resources it needs and deserves."

Senator Hickenlooper leads the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act in the Senate, which passed out of committee last year and is awaiting a final vote on the Senate floor. The bill would strengthen wildfire resilience by improving forest management, supporting fire-safe communities, and streamlining approvals for projects that protect communities and ecosystems from extreme wildfires.

Earlier this month, Hickenlooper met with firefighters at the Willow Fire Incident Command Center and visited the Aspen Acres burn site in Beulah to assess the damage from Colorado's wildfires and push for federal support. At the end of June, Hickenlooper traveled to Fruita to honor the firefighters injured and killed by the Snyder-Mesa fire, and receive a briefing from firefighters and law enforcement on damage from the fire.

For a full video of Hickenlooper's remarks, click HERE. A full transcript of his remarks as prepared for delivery is available below:

"Mr. President,

June 27th was one of the worst days in recent Colorado history.

As the Knowles fire roared along the Colorado-Utah border, the Rifle Helitack put on their uniforms and rushed toward danger.

While battling the blaze, one firefighter was badly injured, and four others - Nick Hutcherson, Emily Barker, Sydney Watson, and Nathan Matthews - ultimately lost their lives.

There's bravery - and then there's wildland firefighting. The word "hero" gets used a lot. Nick, Emily, Sydney, and Nathan embodied it.

They came from across the country to Colorado to form a unit united by one common mission: protecting lives, property, and the landscapes we all cherish.

Their commitment to our public lands wasn't a hobby - it was their life's work. Together, they collectively spent decades fighting fires. And as dedicated as they were to their vocation, they were equally as devoted to their friends and family - making this loss all the more devastating.

Our hearts break for these firefighters, for their families, and all who loved them.

These families deserve answers, and we need to understand what went wrong so we can prevent future tragedies. That's why I'm calling on the Department of the Interior to conduct a swift and thorough investigation into what happened, including whether the administration's recent shifts to the Wildland Fire Service played a role.

This isn't about politics or playing gotcha. With wildfires still raging across Colorado, we can't afford to wait months to learn the lessons that could save lives now.

Colorado's firefighting community is close-knit. The loss of one firefighter is felt by everyone. The loss of four is simply unimaginable. We have to get to the bottom of what happened.

As we do that, we're also mourning the loss of Nicholas Dale of British Columbia. Nicholas was a pilot who was tragically killed while battling a fire near Ouray. Our thoughts are with his family as well.

Last month, I traveled to the Snyder fire command post. I met with some of Nick, Emily, Sydney, and Nate's fellow firefighters. It brought me back to my time as governor, standing with crews after a tragedy. The heartbreak never gets easier. It gets worse every time.

And Colorado's wildfires keep getting worse, too. In the 1990s, Colorado averaged 13 wildfires a year. By the 2020s, that number climbed to 70 a year.

And that is why I am here today. Because we have a responsibility - all of us, regardless of your politics- to prevent wildfires, to protect our communities, and to help people recover from disasters.

We know we cannot stop every wildfire. But we also know many of the worst wildfires could have been less destructive if we'd taken common-sense steps sooner.

First, we need to treat climate change like the emergency it is.

On a visit outside of Leadville earlier this year, one official told our office that the annual snowpack averaged 240 inches. That's 20 feet! The smallest snowpack in the past century was 182 inches - roughly 15 feet. This winter, it was roughly 60 inches or 5 feet.

This is not an isolated incident. Colorado is facing its worst drought in 1,200 years, according to sediments in the Grand Canyon. Let me say that again, because it's hard to believe: Colorado is facing its worst drought in 1,200 years. You have to go back to the 9th century to find drought conditions this bad in Colorado.

Lake Mead and Lake Powell, two of our biggest reservoirs, have now fallen to their lowest levels on record. If the water in Lake Powell falls just 33 more feet, we'll hit power pool, meaning there won't be enough water to generate hydroelectric power.

Not every wildfire is caused by climate change. But scientists widely agree it's making the problem far worse.

Heat, drought, and a moisture-starved atmosphere all increase wildfire risk. Each of these factors can be connected to climate change.

Since joining the Senate, tackling wildfires and drought has been among my top priorities. That is why we helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which included the largest climate investment in American history. We won $4 billion for the Colorado River Basin and $8 billion for western water infrastructure. We've brought senators from seven states together to form the Colorado River Caucus, to build consensus on how to use our shared resources. And we've introduced legislation that would help manage our forests better.

Overgrown woodlands are tinderboxes that let wildfires spread faster and farther. But too often government bureaucracy blocks the projects we need to reduce that risk before disaster strikes.

Together with Senators Alex Padilla, John Curtis, and Tim Sheehy, we introduced the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act. The idea is simple: streamline forest management and speed up new technologies for wildfire prevention, detection, and response. Our bill has passed through committee. And it's waiting for a full vote in the Senate. It shouldn't take another tragedy for us to act.

We need to pass the Fix our Forests Act NOW.

Solving our drought and wildfire challenges requires cooperation across every level of government. But recently, that cooperation has been strained.

Last year, the Trump administration froze over $150 million in already-obligated funding for 17 Colorado water and drought resiliency projects. At a time of unprecedented drought, that is unconscionable. We refused to accept it and pushed the administration to release that money. So far, we have gotten two-thirds of those funds back. We will not stop pressing until Colorado communities get every dollar they are owed.

Colorado is also home to one of the world's great scientific resources: the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. For years, NCAR has given weather, climate, and wildfire forecasts that firefighters and emergency managers rely on to fight disasters. We have stood up to the Trump administration's attacks on this vital institution, and we will keep standing up for NCAR, and for science.

Finally, solving our wildfire problem - and responding to disasters - requires all of us to work together. So now, I want to speak directly to President Trump.

Last summer, one of the largest wildfires in Colorado history tore through Rio Blanco County. President Trump should know this county well. They love him. They voted for him. But there are now a lot less campaign signs than there were in 2024.

When Colorado filed a disaster declaration to help these people rebuild and prevent future tragedies, the Trump administration denied their request.

These are people who did everything right their whole lives, only to lose it all in a disaster. They paid their taxes, believing that if the worst ever happened, their government would be there for them. President Trump broke that promise.

Disasters should never be political. This administration has politicized them. If you're a Republican living in a blue state, you'd better hope disaster never strikes. Otherwise, relief could come late-or never.

President Trump has approved 80 percent of disaster requests from Republican governors, and closer to 60 percent from Democratic governors. That is not normal. Under prior administrations, the approval rate was roughly the same, no matter how a state voted.

That's the way it should be. Politics should never decide whether you can rebuild your house after a fire.

The Aspen Acres fire has already destroyed over 300 houses. Colorado is slowly getting that fire under control thanks to the brave firefighters who are working day and night. It is the 7th-largest wildfire in state history, and I'm grateful that FEMA has authorized Fire Management Assistance Grants for that fire - as well as the Gold Mountain Fire and Willow Fire.

The Aspen Acres Fire will likely require a Major Disaster Declaration. If it does, we will push this administration with everything we have to make sure Colorado gets the relief it needs.

We're also fighting to take politics out of disaster relief. Congress should pass our bipartisan Disaster Declaration Transparency Act. It gives Congress the power to review disaster relief denials driven by politics. Because disaster relief should never be political.

In the meantime, it's important that every single Coloradan do their part to help reduce wildfire risks: follow local restrictions, practice campfire safety, and create defensible space around your property.

On a recent trip to Beulah, I saw firsthand the devastation that wildfires leave behind. Block after block, all that remained was heavy smoke and heartbreak.

Bedrooms where parents tucked their children in at night had been reduced to ashes. Dining rooms where families once gathered were barely recognizable.

Drought and wildfires aren't going away. Unless we act, they'll only become more frequent, more destructive, and more expensive. That's why we need to work together on common-sense solutions that make every community safer.

That's what we're fighting for here in Washington.

I hope all my colleagues join me in this effort.

Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor."

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