With multiple fires raging across Lake County and Northern California, it’s clear that climate change isn’t a distant threat. Climate change is here now.

Fortunately, California is already showing that we can take serious steps to fight climate change while improving public health and the economy.

In 2006, the legislature set a goal to reduce statewide greenhouse gas pollution to 1990 levels by 2020. Just under 10 years later, we are more than halfway toward meeting that goal.

In the process, California has attracted billions of dollars in private investment in clean energy businesses, which now employ over 400,000 people.

We are also on track to cut billions in health costs. And our state’s GDP has steadily increased as emissions have fallen.

This year, our state representatives will vote on even more ambitious emission reduction targets and investments in the clean energy economy.

Two bills, already passed in the State Senate, would continue California’s leadership in fighting climate change.

SB 32 sets a greenhouse gas reduction target of 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050; SB 350 sets goals of reaching a 50% reduction in petroleum use from motor vehicles; generating 50 percent of our electricity from renewable power sources; and doubling energy efficiency in existing buildings, all by 2030.

Let’s take these fires as the wakeup call they are and act boldly on climate change.

You can help by calling Lake County's  Assemblymember Bill Dodd at 707-576-0400 and asking him to vote  “yes” on SB 32 and SB 350.

Rebecca Curry lives in Kelseyville, Calif.