Fire Funding Short-Coming

As we get closer to fire season there has been some disappointing news for the folks that help get those fires under control or prevented. Sandra Kiser with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources explains.

KISER: Commissioner of Public Lands, Peter Goldmark, after two record wildfire seasons had asked our state legislature to really invest some money in preparing the state for what we seem to be experiencing over the last several years which is dryer, hotter weather and increased fore danger. So he had asked for about $24-million dollars to basically help local fire districts improve their capacity to fight fire, meaning more training and equipment, to add some additional sort of mid-level and senior fire commanders on the landscape who would coordinate with National Guard and potentially with tribal folks as well as local contractors to increase capacity.

That request would also upgrade communications and do some forest health work to help reduce fires.

KISER: And then finally there was money in there earmarked for communities to participate in the Firewise program, which is a program where homeowners can clear brush from their homes and do some work on their roofs. So after all that the Legislature decided to give the agency about $6.7 million of that $24 million dollar request. The sad thing about it is of course with a little bit of preparation you might be able to avoid the kind of bills that we've been seeing. Last year, the state paid about $160-million dollars.

And that's Washington Ag Today. I'm Greg Martin, thanks for listening on the Ag Information Network of the West.