Washington wildfire fighting efforts ‘finally’ get $20 million after delays

The state of Washington will get about $20 million for wildfire fighting effortsafter a months-long delay, a Washington congresswoman confirmed Thursday.

The Trump administration distributed $280 million in federal funding to forestry agencies across the country, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington.

The money will help fund the Washington State Department of Natural Resources’ efforts to train and equip wildland firefighters across the state.

“The state of Washington is in the middle of an active and dangerous wildfire season,” Cantwell said in a news release. “After questioning the Chief of the Forest Service and the Secretary of Agriculture, I am pleased that Washington — and all states — are finally receiving the funding they need to prepare for and respond to wildfires this summer and in the future.” How does federal funding impact WA wildfire season?

Funding for the Washington Department of Natural Resources and other agencies had already been allocated to the State, Private and Tribal Forestry program in the federal budget, but was being held back by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

According to Cantwell, the funds are typically distributed well before the start of wildfire season.

Washington is in the midst of its wildfire season.

As of Thursday, wildfires had burned around 37,000 acres across Washington state, and six blazes were actively burning, according to Cantwell’s office.

Robyn Whitney, strategic advisor to State Forester George Geissler, previously told McClatchy that the state National Resources Department would have been able to operate at full capacity this summer without the funding.

Had the funding not been distributed, the agency’s wildfire preparedness efforts next summer would likely have been impacted.

Whitney said that Washington Department of Natural Resources needs the funding to operate wildland firefighting academies and provide equipment to fire departments in sparsely populated areas.

The state Natural Resources Department typically operated three training sessions a year, with around 200 firefighters attending each, Whitney said.

Without the federal funding, he said, the agency would have to make “tough decisions” on the program and could have to cut two of the three sessions.

According to Cantwell, funds from the State, Private and Forestry program can also be used for landscape management and forest restoration.