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April Ehrlich/OPBBut there is a glimmer of hope: Federal firefighting managers said their workforce is about where it needs to be for the fire season ahead, despite the Trump administration’s efforts. -
Courtesy of Northwest Interagency Coordination Center
Republicans say Democrats are using the bill as a bargaining chip to get Republicans to vote on redirecting $1 billion of kicker tax to fund wildfire mitigation work.
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The surprising development dredges up debate on a topic that once inspired multiple Republican walkouts. -
Even if Democrats agree on such a move, a vote to suspend the kicker would require two Republican votes in the 30-member Senate and four in the 60-member House. -
Trump administration funding cuts and a loss of federal workers who help support wildland firefighting continues to make planning for the upcoming wildfire season a challenge, according to forest and fire officials in Washington state and Oregon. -
Earlier this year, Oregon lawmakers seemed driven to pass wildfire funding legislation. But a lot has changed in the first few months of the session, particularly with regard to federal policy. -
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill Monday that puts over $170 million into wildfire prevention and response work. -
Lawmakers in Salem have yet to tackle the biggest items — such as passing a budget and debating a major transportation package -
Budget woes, combined with cuts to the federal wildfire-fighting workforce and President Donald Trump’s tariff and sovereignty threats against Canada, have made it more difficult for state officials to plan for the upcoming wildfire season. -
House Bill 3940 is a mash of options proposed by a wildfire funding work group that looked into the challenges of paying to mitigate, suppress and fight fires. -
The governor has proposed spending climate bond money dedicated to wildfire mitigation in various ways. Some lawmakers think a focused strategy would be more effective. -
The termination letters that ended the careers of thousands of U.S. Forest Service employees mean fewer people and less resources will be available to help prevent and fight wildfires, raising the specter of even more destructive blazes across the American West, fired workers and officials said. -
Pauses in funding are shutting down wildfire prevention and education programs. -
Oregon could have far fewer firefighters ready to battle blazes on federal lands next fire season — and may do less advance work aimed at mitigating the risk of large fires — due to the Trump administration’s hiring freeze and funding cuts, according to U.S. lawmakers.
