One senator's idea to save forests and help the climate — and create jobs

More than 10.2 million acres of the United States burned last year from wildfires, killing 46 people and causing $16.6 billion in damages. Senator Michael Bennet said the country needs to be more proactive with fire prevention by putting people to work maintaining forests.

On Tuesday, the Colorado Democrat will introduce legislation focused on restoring and maintaining forests, watersheds and rangelands across the West to protect those areas from the threats of climate change, and in turn create jobs.  As global temperatures rise, certain regions of the world — including the American West — are getting drier, making it easier for fires to burn faster and more intensely. Burned, dry forests are primed for a feedback loop: Dry vegetation ignites easily, releasing carbon dioxide into the air, making the atmosphere more flammable and toxic.