SEATTLE – Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz is urging state lawmakers in this legislative session to address the cuts made to the agency’s wildfire preparedness and response programs. Lawmakers approved a reduction in funding of $36 million through 2025 last year.
According to Franz and other Department of Natural Resources officials, the potential consequence of not restoring the funding could be a reduction or elimination of community assistance programs, a decrease in the amount of land treated with prescribed burns or thinning, and the possibility of staff layoffs.
DNR depends on federal grants to support their efforts in preventing and mitigating the impacts of increasingly frequent and severe wildfires caused by climate change.
In just under two days, the Gray and Oregon Road fires wreaked havoc on Spokane County, scorching 20,000 acres of grassland, timber, and homes.
Tragically, two lives were lost in the process. Similarly, the Bolt Creek fire of 2022 engulfed nearly 15,000 acres of forest in Western Washington, leading to the closure of Highway 2 and the evacuation of mountain towns that were unaccustomed to wildfires.
“Failing to restore this funding would have a catastrophic impact on fire districts, forest health programs, and the counties that depend on the Wildfire Ready Neighbors program,” wrote Franz in an email to The Seattle Times.
She emphasized that this decision would disproportionately affect rural and underserved communities. Franz urged the Legislature to fulfill the unanimous promise made to both current and future residents of Washington, stating that without it, there would be an increased reliance on luck in future fire seasons.”
In 2021, the Legislature made a commitment of $500 million until 2029 to enhance wildfire preparedness and response efforts. As a result of this funding, DNR was able to provide assistance to property owners in reducing fuel sources for fires on their lands. Additionally, thousands of acres were treated with prescribed burns as part of the proactive measures taken to mitigate the risk of wildfires.
The fund also covered the costs of acquiring advanced technology, like cameras and aircraft, to enhance the detection and response capabilities for fires in remote locations. It provided support to rural fire districts, which are usually the initial responders to wildfires, by replacing outdated fire trucks and enabling the state to employ additional full-time firefighters.
According to officials from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), their funding was reduced because the money allocated from the previous budget was specifically designated for contracts that had not yet been utilized.
The agency has presented records to demonstrate that they have largely fulfilled, and in certain instances even surpassed, the objectives established by lawmakers, such as the recruitment of 60 full-time firefighters. Franz expressed his pride in stating that they have fulfilled their part of the agreement.
During this short legislative session, Governor Jay Inslee has put forth a proposal to increase the funding for these programs to $108.9 million, which is a significant increase from the $89.8 million that was approved by lawmakers in the previous session. There are already some lawmakers who are advocating for the full restoration of funding for these programs.
Rep. Larry Springer, a Democrat, expressed his intention to request a return of approximately $25 million for this year’s budget. He emphasized the need to capitalize on the remarkable achievements resulting from this legislation.
Kelly Finnell noticed the billowing smoke outside her front door in August. She and her wife, Mary, were almost done packing up their motorhome to leave town when they received an urgent evacuation notice.
After enduring scorching temperatures, strong winds, and dry conditions for nearly four days, the residents of the neighborhood found themselves in the path of the menacing Gray fire. This relentless inferno, along with the destructive Oregon Road fire, left a devastating trail in its wake, reducing approximately 369 homes to ashes and causing significant damage to another 447 residences.
Fortunately, the Finnell family’s home was not affected. In 2021, Kelly Finnell made the decision to return to the east side of the state, fully aware that the occurrence of fires was not a question of “if,” but rather “when.”
The homes located in this area, categorized by fire officials as the wildland urban interface, are particularly susceptible to fire due to the blending of human development with wilderness that is abundant in fire fuels.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, the number of homes in these areas has increased by approximately 50% from 1990 to 2020. A 2018 study revealed that in Washington, the wildland urban interface experienced one of the most rapid growth rates among land types from 1990 to 2010.
Thanks to funding from the Legislature, the DNR was able to enhance its current community programs. As a result, the Finnells were able to take advantage of a cost-sharing program that provided them with a comprehensive plan for thinning and clearing their property. This included the removal of low-hanging limbs, brush, and crowded saplings.
The Finnells firmly believe that the work done in the beginning of last year was the saving grace for their home. Over the past year, approximately 2,100 homeowners have enrolled in California’s Wildfire Ready Neighbors program.
“The landowners we collaborate with have a personal investment in these projects, which I like to refer to as sweat equity,” explained Steve Harris, the regulation and resilience assistant manager for DNR’s northeast region.
According to Harris, the state collaborates with various individuals, ranging from families seeking to safeguard their homes to landowners responsible for managing a significant expanse of land.
Reducing fuels is a crucial step in enabling fire crews to better protect structures such as homes and outbuildings from fire. However, it is important to note that fuel reduction alone is not sufficient to ensure the safety of communities.
According to Representative Springer, the 2021 bill acknowledges that addressing wildfires requires the collective effort of everyone involved. It goes beyond simply creating defensible space and includes measures such as fuel reduction through thinning and prescribed burns.
Burning, in addition to thinning, offers ecological benefits that thinning alone cannot provide. It creates growing space and receptive seedbeds, which promote the germination of seeds stored in the soil. Furthermore, burning increases nutrient availability, offering a holistic approach to fuel reduction and ecological restoration.
Prescribed burning has a deep-rooted history in Indigenous ecological knowledge, but a recent study conducted by the University of Idaho reveals that there has been no significant increase in the amount of prescribed fire acreage in the Western U.S. between 1998 and 2018. This is particularly concerning given the rising frequency and intensity of wildfires during this period.
In 2022, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) made the decision to resume prescribed burning on state trust lands after a 15-year hiatus. Since then, over 4,000 acres of land have been intentionally burned, including the controlled burning of forest debris piles. This initiative has been made possible, in part, through state funding.
DNR was able to expand its fire-prevention programs into Western Washington, thanks to the funding. Interestingly, last season marked the first time in history that Western Washington witnessed more fires than the areas east of the Cascades.
According to state forester George Geissler, the legislation has given us the chance to take control of our own destiny when it comes to wildland fire and forest health.
Small rural fire districts have also been able to benefit from state funding by gaining access to refurbished trucks that are capable of navigating through rough terrains and have a larger water capacity.
Dan Boyle, a fire district assistance specialist for DNR, emphasized the crucial role played by local districts in responding to fires in Washington state. He highlighted the importance of investing in these districts, particularly those with limited funding, to provide them with the necessary resources to fulfill their responsibilities effectively.
Before the Legislature allocated funds, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had the ability to offer 50% matching grants to districts in need of newer vehicles or equipment. However, with the recent bill, they now have the flexibility to require a reduced 10% match or even no match at all in certain cases.
According to Geissler, a seasoned firefighter, the occurrence of extreme fire behavior, similar to what was witnessed in the two Spokane County fires last year, has become increasingly frequent in recent years. It is now rare to find any piece of land in Washington that is not constantly experiencing drought conditions.
Commissioner Franz attributes the state’s relatively mild fire season in 2023 to her agency’s swift detection and response to fires, as well as the implementation of new forest health treatments.
“Don’t abandon us now,” urged Representative Springer, appealing to his colleagues responsible for budget allocation. “People are making significant progress, so let’s not impede their momentum.”
