Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., expressed concern Monday that a number of local fire departments may no longer be able to serve as partners to the federal government in fighting wildfires.
The three Oregon lawmakers' letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt follows the recent determination that Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service will allow existing cooperative agreements between local fire departments and the federal government to remain in place for the 2019 wildfire season.
The lawmakers cite, however, concerns from a number of local fire departments that the Forest Service and BLM will not enter into new cooperative agreements or renew recently expired cooperative agreements, which will prevent a number of highly qualified fire professionals from helping to battle inevitable fires.