Senate passes bill to prevent and fight wildfires
By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOSApril 10, 2021 GMT
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) The state Senate has unanimously passed a bill to create a dedicated fund to prevent and fight wildfires in Washington.
The bill, promoted by Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, passed Friday in Olympia. House Bill 1168 now heads back to the House, which will accept or reject the changes made in the Senate. The 105-day legislative session is slated to adjourn April 25.
The bill is sponsored by state Rep. Larry Springer, D-Kirkland, and state Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda. It would provide $125 million every two years to boost wildfire response, accelerate forest restoration and support community resilience.
Senate passes bill to prevent and fight wildfires
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Senate passes bill to prevent and fight wildfires
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Wash State Department of Natural Resources: Commissioner Franz Applauds Senate, House Budget Proposals
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March 17, 2021
While it’s hard to envision raging forest fires while the Cascade Mountains are covered in deep snow, this year’s wet, warm winter could contribute to yet another round of destructive wildfires.
Washington State University Extension foresters say now is the last chance of the season to prevent and prepare for wildfires, which burned hundreds of thousands of acres, devastated the town of Malden, and caused some of the worst air quality on earth in 2020. WSU experts are helping rural residents get ready for fire season through virtual education sessions on Zoom.
The winter of 2020-2021 has been above average for temperatures. After one of the snowiest Februaries in decades, Washington currently has above average snowpack across most of the region. However, those wet conditions can spur growth of smaller plants in the forest’s understory, which act as tinder in the Northwest’s dry, hot summers. Warmer weather also brings the bark beetle season, in which tiny in