LEAVENWORTH — The discussion around wildfires has "changed dramatically" in recent years, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) said Thursday morning, and now includes increased preventative measures instead of just efforts to fight already blazing fires.
"Over my time in office I've really seen the conversation change," Murray said.
Murray was in Leavenworth for an update on wildfire activity in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. During the roundtable Murray said several recent bills provide additional resources to firefighters.
"Firefighters are on the frontline protecting Washington state families from wildfires, and I am determined to make sure they have everything they need for that important job," Murray said at the roundtable. "The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act I helped to pass included billions in funding for a range of activities for wildfire risk reduction—but as you all know, our work is far from done."
The 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure included $600 million for firefighter salary increases and $3.5 billion for homeowners to fireproof their homes.
In March, Murray announced nearly $330,000 for the Chelan County Natural Resource Department's Stemilt-Squilchuck Forest Resilience Project, part of almost $25 million in funding to reduce wildfire risks across the state.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure included $14 billion for wildfire suppression and mitigation efforts.
"More of our resources are going to that, and that's going to make an incredible difference," Murray said.
During the roundtable Murray said the mitigation efforts would take "sustained funding."
The U.S. Forest Service is currently preparing a 10-Year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill.
According to Murray, the Inflation Reduction Act included $5 billion in grants to support healthy, fire resilient forests, forest conservation, and drought and fire resilient agricultural practices.
Efforts to combat wildfire severity and frequency will also help combat the smoke and poor air quality that has stretched much of the country at times in recent years.
"I think everybody has seen the impact of smoke here in Washington over the past number of years, in to November almost last year," Murray said. "The work that we are doing on our forest, on our private lands, to both mitigate, prevent and help make sure that we are putting out fires as fast as we can, the resources from the federal government are critically important to that."
The attendees of the roundtable included Mike Kaputa, director of Chelan County natural resources, former Chelan County Commissioner Bob Bugert and representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, among others.
So far this year, Washington has experienced 986 fires and 85,043 acres burned.
On Wednesday, Murray heard from agricultural leaders as congress prepares to pass a new farm bill.
