With each passing year, we see how a changing climate can affect our lives. In the Truckee/North Tahoe region, one thing stands out above everything else: wildfires are more intense and more damaging, and wildfire smoke is more frequent and more oppressive.

The longer we wait to act, the more severe the consequences will be and the more it will cost taxpayers to confront them.

That is why it is essential that Californians vote YES on Proposition 4 on the November 5 ballot. This far sighted initiative would make investments now to stave off disaster in the years ahead. It would front-load projects such as brush-clearing, forest restoration, and controlled burns that can help contain future wildfires before they explode into uncontrolled disasters.

In Truckee and North Lake Tahoe, we have watched closely in recent years as fires to the north, south, east, and west have threatened neighboring towns, forced residents to evacuate, and even destroyed their homes. This summer alone, our Donner Summit community members were scared by the Royal Fire, our Reno neighbors suffered damage in the Davis Fire, our power was shut off by Verdi’s Gold Ranch Fire, and our Loyalton friends were threatened by the Bear Fire. And in a moment that was far too close for comfort, we watched the Pass Fire behind the Truckee Safeway force some of us to evacuate.

The lesson is clear: in an era of climate-driven wildfires, we have been lucky, but we are not immune. The best protection moving forward is to reduce the excessive fuels that feed extreme wildfires, restore the health of our beloved forests, and improve the defenses of our neighborhoods and homes. Again, Proposition 4 would make funds available to tackle this problem now rather than put off action until the crisis worsens.

Acting now has significant payoffs. In addition to reducing the chance of large, damaging wildfires, we also have the opportunity to protect our clean mountain air against weeks of toxic smoke and to address the root cause of the issue that is making homeowners insurance more expensive and more difficult to obtain.

Beyond wildfire, Prop 4 contains a host of other benefits. It would help preserve our rivers and streams by reducing and treating contaminants in degraded groundwater and otherwise protect our water supply. Across the state, it would enable communities to address the effects of extreme heat and sea level rise, and it would help farmers adapt to a new normal.

For all investments, Prop 4 would require a detailed public report of spending to be posted at least once a year. All spending would be subjected to an independent audit.

In the end, the choice is clear: the proven fire prevention and mitigation strategies in Prop 4 make us safer. Prop 4 investments will help protect us from future harm. Californians must aggressively put those strategies in place by voting Yes on Proposition 4.