John,

Last year record-breaking heatwaves and toxic wildfires devastated U.S. cities and ecosystems. More than 2,300 people died heat-related deaths. Thousands more suffered from respiratory distress.

We've just entered a second record-breaking summer of dangerous heat and wildfire smoke events — but the government still doesn't classify these events as major disasters. To save lives and break the cycle of fossil-fueled climate disasters, the United States needs to take heat and smoke seriously.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is the country's premier disaster response agency. FEMA has the power to classify extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters, which would help unlock federal support — including financial support — for resource-strapped neighborhoods, cities, counties, and states. The resulting funds could help build life-saving cooling centers for people who can't keep their homes cool, install indoor air-filtration systems to keep out toxic smoke, and break the cycle of fossil-fueled disasters with rooftop and community solar systems.

Urge FEMA to act quickly and classify extreme heat and wildfire smoke as major disasters.