John,

As Commissioner of Public Lands, I have been on the frontline of forest fire response and fighting climate change for seven years. I am proud that Washington’s wildfire response has transformed under my leadership. We don’t just respond to wildfires. We work to prevent wildfires.

Unfortunately, even with the best wildfire response infrastructure we have ever had, climate change is making wildfire management harder than ever. This past week, fires in central Washington forced families to evacuate their homes. Even worse, wildfire season is becoming more intense, with fire expanding in the earliest parts of the season.

I won’t sugarcoat the reality: climate change is here. Climate change will affect everyone in the coming years but disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Washington needs a comprehensive plan to save lives and preserve the land we call home. More importantly, we need to put the plan into action with urgency and efficiency.

Unlike my opponents, I have experience executing massive climate disaster responses and making difficult decisions when the stakes are high. I know I am the best candidate to lead Washington in this time of climate crisis.

As we say in firefighting: all lands, all hands, all together –

Hilary