After several years of devastating wildfires across Washington, lawmakers this year agreed to make a major investment in wildfire prevention and forest health.
It was a fight Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz had been fighting since she first came into office in 2017.
And the money – $500 million over the next five years – can’t come soon enough. As the state braces for dry fire season that already set a record for spring fires, officials are calling on homeowners to do their part to keep their communities safe.
“Unfortunately, while the investment is significant, we will not see much of that being able to help us this fire season,” Franz said.
The bill, which passed unanimously in the Legislature, provides $125 million every two years for wildfire response, forest restoration and community resilience. It would fund 100 more firefighters and two more airplanes that could help the state contain fires more quickly.