But 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.

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.

In fire-prone Southern Oregon, residents of the Greensprings joined forces to carry out a 12-acre prescribed burn—lighting controlled fire to reduce wildfire risk and restore forest health. The effort reflects a growing movement to use“good fire” to reshape landscapes and build community resilience.

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.

Electric utilities are preparing for another wildfire season. The area’s largest power company is upgrading its system to reduce the number of power outages.

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.

State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant outlines how Cal Fire is preparing for the peak of California’s increasingly long and unpredictable wildfire season, as millions of residents find themselves living in higher-hazard areas.

Oregon is expected to have an extremely hot and dry summer, setting the state up for a potentially devastating wildfire season ahead.

A new partnership between the Oregon State Fire Marshal and a wildfire nonprofit could help Oregonians harden their homes and keep insurance.

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.

In its appeal filed Tuesday, PacifiCorp argued that thousands of people and businesses across the state should have never been grouped together into a class-action certification. The company also contends there is no proof showing it is at fault for causing fires across multiple regions, including in Santiam Canyon, Southern Oregon and the coast.