Vestal: Better prep for wildfires would help in fighting them

Last year, lawmakers rejected most of a $4.5 million request to add equipment and firefighters.And coming up with money to reduce the load of dead or dying timber in the forest has been similarly tough, said Peter Goldmark, state commissioner of public lands.

“The Legislature has been good about paying the bill after the fire bell rings, but it’s been very hard to get them to put money into preparedness,” Goldmark said in an interview Wednesday. “We desperately need to have more resources to protect the public.”

Agree or disagree with Vestal’s premise?