November 18, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the Caughlin Fire in Reno. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Reno, Nevada, is a beautiful place. It's right below the great Lake Tahoe, the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains. It's really a picturesque, beautiful place.

This morning I heard the terrible news that a fire has destroyed homes and displaced many families in Reno and surrounding parts of Washoe County, Nevada.

My thoughts are with the families who have lost their homes, and the thousands of residents who have been evacuated.

The Pinehaven and Caughlin Ranch neighborhoods have been particularly affected.

But this terrible fire is raging across hundreds of acres of Reno and Washoe County, and fire crews from across the region are still trying to get it under control.

Unfortunately strong winds, including 60-mile-per-hour gusts, are working against them. Firefighters are calling the winds “a perfect storm.”

Winds are so strong, helicopters can’t take off to assist in containing the fire.

My son, Leif, can see the fire from his home.

My thanks go to all the brave firefighters who have been working around the clock to contain the blaze, and to the dedicated first responders who acted quickly to protect lives and assist in the evacuation.

It’s impossible to say how many lives they have saved.

Our hearts are with local firefighters as they carry on with their work to control the flames and protect the community.

I will continue to follow the progress of the fire. I am available to assist Reno Mayor Bob Cashell and members of the Reno City Council and Washoe County Commission with anything they need.

I support Governor Brian Sandoval’s decision to request a federal emergency declaration.

The residents of Reno and all of Washoe County can count on my help as they work to rebuild a devastated community in the weeks and months to come.

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