FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Extreme Weather Emergency Tour Arrives in Flagstaff as Local Leaders Confront Wildfires, Flooding, and Federal Climate Rollbacks
- Southside Flagstaff
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
Speakers highlighted the Museum wildfire, devastating floods, and the threat posed by recent federal cuts to climate resilience programs
(Flagstaff, AZ) – Today, Mayor Becky Daggett, local experts, and residents affected by wildfires and floods gathered at the Murdoch Community Center for a press conference on the accelerating threats of extreme weather in Northern Arizona. The event underscored how climate-fueled wildfires and flooding are placing Flagstaff residents in harm’s way—and how recent federal rollbacks to clean energy and resilience funding will make it harder for the community to prepare and respond.
Speakers called on Arizona’s congressional delegation to oppose the Trump administration’s cuts to critical climate and health protections and to defend clean energy and disaster preparedness programs that protect lives and livelihoods.
Mayor Becky Daggett spoke about the economic toll of recent disasters, the strain on city services, and the need to plan ahead. “Extreme weather is no longer an occasional challenge in Flagstaff. It’s becoming a constant pressure on our firefighters, public works crews, and emergency responders,” said Mayor Daggett. ”Wildfires and flooding have damaged our infrastructure, strained city resources, and disrupted local businesses. Without long-term planning and strong federal support, we’ll be stuck in a costly and endless cycle of response and recovery. Our economy and public safety depend on preparing now for what’s coming.”
Dr. Stefan Sommer, an environmental scientist based in Flagstaff, connected recent events to broader climate trends. “What we’re seeing in Northern Arizona is not isolated. It’s part of a much larger pattern,” said Dr. Sommer. “Climate change is driving more frequent and more intense extreme weather, including dangerous heat and flooding, and without serious action, it will only get worse. We need science-based policies, reliable forecasting, and sustained investment in infrastructure to protect the places we call home. The facts of climate change won’t bend to political opinion. It’s up to us to decide whether our communities remain safe and livable.”
Sharon Tewksbury-Bloom, a longtime community advocate impacted by post-Museum Fire flooding, spoke about the lived experience of extreme weather: “Behind every flood and fire are real people, families who’ve lost homes, elders cut off from care, workers missing paychecks,” said Tewksbury-Bloom. “These are not abstract problems. With climate change accelerating, the number of people affected is growing all around us. We need to focus on solutions that protect people before disaster strikes, because if we don’t, our communities may not be able to keep up with the consequences.”
The Flagstaff stop is part of the Extreme Weather Emergency Tour, a multi-state campaign organized by the Climate Action Campaign (CAC) to spotlight how climate change is making extreme weather more frequent, more intense, more costly, and more deadly. This summer, the tour is making stops in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia to highlight how worsening heat, storms, wildfires, flooding, and other climate-fueled disasters are affecting communities across the country, especially the most vulnerable.
The tour also draws attention to how federal rollbacks of climate protections and attacks on agencies like FEMA and NOAA are undermining disaster preparedness and making recovery more difficult. Speakers are urging elected leaders to protect vital investments in clean energy, public health, and climate resilience, and to act on real solutions to the growing extreme weather crisis.
WHEN:
Wednesday, July 23
11:00 AM MT
WHERE:
203 E Brannen Ave
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
INTERVIEWS:
Media is encouraged to arrive by 10:45 AM. Speakers will be available for interviews following the event.
Media Contact:
Les Braswell
803.429.6260
Comments