FEMA urged to add extreme heat, wildfire smoke to list of disasters

A coalition of organizations is calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency to add extreme heat and wildfire smoke to its list of scenarios worthy of being labeled a major disaster.

Dozens of environmental, health and labor groups on Monday filed a petition with FEMA in a bid to unleash FEMA funds that historically have been used to respond to disasters such as floods, earthquakes and hurricanes that damage infrastructure. 

The groups including AFL-CIO, Friends of the Earth and the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments argue that the step would help areas be prepared for heat waves and wildfire smoke by helping finance cooling centers or air filtration systems in schools.