Rob Zerban is running against Paul Ryan in Wisconsin. Here’s an interesting press release from the Zerban campaign, regarding the wildfires currently burning down Colorado and New Mexico:

Paul Ryan’s Budget: Its Own Natural Disaster

KENOSHA, Wis. – Upon word that firefighters in the western part of America are using firefighting equipment leased from Canada because of Paul Ryan’s reckless budget cuts, his challenger, Rob Zerban, released the following statement:

“Just as with Paul Ryan’s slashing of the National Weather Service’s ability to accurately predict major weather disasters like hurricanes and, here in Wisconsin, tornadoes, his budget is also leaving our nation’s first responders without adequate equipment to fight out-of-control wildfires, like those burning in Colorado, New Mexico and across the West.

“These cuts prevent those in charge of fire evacuations from understanding shifting wind patterns which lead to last-minute evacuations instead of giving residents and responders ample time to prepare. His cuts make targeted evacuation orders given by local officials more difficult, resulting in larger and less accurate evacuations regardless of the type of natural disaster.

“Paul Ryan refuses to accept any responsibility for the destruction of property and life because of his dangerous budgetary gimmicks. He’d rather ensure his wealthy campaign contributors receive yet another budget-busting tax cut instead of providing necessary tools and equipment to our brave first responders and to those who, behind the scenes, work just as hard for the public’s safety.”

Members of the media are encouraged to join the Rob Zerban campaign online at our campaign website,  www.RobZerban.com, as well as on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter at @RobZerban.

Remember this when Ryan and Romney want more tax cuts for the wealthy — you never know where the austerity cuts to pay for them will come from.

Herald Times: Massive wildfires in drought-parched Colorado and New Mexico tested the resources of state and federal crews Monday and underscored the need to replenish an aging aerial firefighting fleet needed to combat a year-round fire season. Wyoming diverted personnel and aircraft from two fires there to help with a 60-square-mile wildfire in northern Colorado. Canada also loaned two aerial bombers to fight the blaze following the recent crash of a U.S. tanker in Utah. And an elite federal firefighting crew arrived to try to begin containing a fire that destroyed at least 118 structures…

Charles P. Pierce: I’m not sure about the rest of the country, but, contra Willard Romney, I think both Colorado and New Mexico could use some more firefighters right now. That is certainly the opinion of the Colorado congressional delegation, which has dispatched a letter to the federal government appealing for more help. The delegation includes Rep. Scott Tipton (R -3d CD), Rep. Cory Gardner (R-4th CD), Rep, Mike (Stuck In A Groove) Coffman (R-6th CD). (As it happens, Gardner’s district is the one most directly affected by the wildfires.) Needless to say, but we’ll say it anyway, all three of these folks voted for the Paul Ryan budget, which would cut the daylights out of things like federal firefighting programs, which already are pretty imperiled…