State Department of Natural Resources awaits new wildfire funds; residents can help State officials urge homeowners to take steps to cut fire risk By Laurel Demkovich, The Spokesman-Review Published: May 16, 2021, 6:03am Share: A Fire Boss plane - a fixed-wing aircraft used in wild land fire suppression - battles a wildfire in Eastern Washington in 2018. (Eastern Area IMT) OLYMPIA — 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.