Dear House Appropriations Committee Leaders and Senate Ways and Means Committee Operating Budget Leaders,

To protect Washington’s communities and forests, we urge the legislature to fulfill its established commitment by fully funding the Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration, and Community Resilience Account (“Wildfire Account”) at $125 million, in line with the intent of 2HSB-1168 (2021).

Since 2021, the Wildfire Account has enabled the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington State Conservation Commission, Tribes, and communities to make substantial progress and deliver measurable results in community resilience, forest restoration, and wildfire response (see 2023-2025 Dashboard). However, our state faces increasing wildfire threats intensified by a warming climate, demanding sustained investments to protect lives, property, natural resources, and critical infrastructure. 

Over the past decade, Washington has experienced increasingly severe wildfires with devastating impacts. In 2024, 308,000 acres burned, forcing evacuations in Stehekin and Wenatchee. Fires in Yakima County destroyed 20 homes and damaged the Yakima Tieton Canal, which supports $700 million in annual crop production. In 2023, the Grey and Oregon Road Fires claimed two lives and destroyed 366 homes in Spokane County. The 2022 Bolt Creek Fire burned 14,000 acres and closed Highway 2 for weeks, demonstrating that Western Washington is also increasingly vulnerable.

With wildfire risks projected to increase, Washington must keep funding programs that work to ensure public safety and our economic security. The Wildfire Ready Neighbors program now serves homeowners in 20 counties with vital wildfire risk services, while innovative local initiatives like the Equitable Mitigation Wildfire Programs in Okanogan County demonstrate how community-led approaches reduce risks to vulnerable populations. Without full funding of the account, these programs and their positive impacts are at risk. The Account supports an essential local workforce across state agencies, fire districts, conservation districts, local nonprofits, and contractors. This workforce implements targeted risk reduction strategies, protects critical infrastructure like power and water, and ensures residents have the tools they need to prepare for wildfires–all vital to safeguarding lives, reducing emergency response and suppression costs, preventing catastrophic losses, and helping individuals and communities recover from devastating fires.

Forest restoration is equally as critical as community protection, with 3 million acres in Eastern Washington needing mechanical treatments and/or beneficial fire to improve ecological resilience to fire, drought, and other stressors. Prescribed burning, especially when combined with thinning, is one of our most effective tools, but annual burning must increase five-fold to 100,000 acres to meet current needs. The Wildfire Account has helped restart DNR’s prescribed fire program; supported agency, Tribal, local government, and private burning; and provided essential workforce development through prescribed fire training, including the Certified Burn Manager Program.  

Any cuts to funding would undermine forest health and community resilience initiatives while making the work of fire response more difficult. To maintain momentum, meet the objectives of state-mandated strategic plans, and significantly reduce the costs of wildfire suppression, landscape recovery, and rebuilding infrastructure, we respectfully request the legislature's full $125 million investment in the Wildfire Account. This funding is critical to ensuring Washington can meet the growing challenges of wildfire risk while protecting our communities, infrastructure, and natural resources.

Thank you for your service and leadership in protecting Washington’s communities, unique and unparalleled environment, and economic vitality.