More than $218 million was approved by Oregon lawmakers on Thursday to pay for the staggering expenses that the state’s fire departments spent during this summer and fall’s record-breaking fires.
During a special session that lasted little over three hours on Thursday afternoon, they approved the funds.
Lawmakers emphasized that the funds are a temporary solution put together to allow the state to compensate contractors who assisted in putting out flames this year. During the 2025 session, the Legislature will focus on finding long-term ways to pay for wildfire seasons that are becoming more severe and costly.
About $82 million will be given to the Oregon Department of Forestry to compensate firefighters and support personnel who helped extinguish over 1.9 million acres of fire throughout the state. In order to pay its overdue debts, the State Fire Marshal Department, which assists in protecting towns in the path of wildfires, will get $8.4 million. The majority of the remaining funds will be used to pay expenditures that must be paid immediately but that the two agencies eventually anticipate receiving reimbursement from the federal government.
With only two no votes from Senators Dennis Linthicum, R-Beatty, and Brian Boquist, R-Dallas, the bill cleared the Senate. With only Reps. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, and James Hieb, R-Canby, voting against it, it also easily passed the House.
Before the vote, Portland Democrat and firefighter Dacia Grayber told the House, “We talk about this as a historic wildfire season, and I think we run the risk of this being our new normal.” In the near future, we should consider that obligation and that immediacy as we fervently support and hope to support the approval of this payment.
The state’s emergency fund will contribute around $108 million, while the remaining $110 million will come from general fund funds that remain, which state analysts estimate to be more than $2.8 billion.
Fire departments in Oregon frequently use their operating funds to cover wildfire expenses while they await reimbursement from the federal government. Legislators and government organizations have declared the system unsustainable.
a legislative workgroup that is now debating almost two dozen longer-term funding options, such as raising lodging or timber taxes or using lottery funds. Before presenting its suggestions to lawmakers, the panel is anticipated to polish its ideas in January.
Sen. Fred Girod of Lyons, who lost his home to a wildfire in 2020, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that it is just embarrassing that the state has found ourselves in this predicament where we haven’t paid our contractors. We anticipated all of this. We were aware that the model we had been using for decades was failing. It’s time for us to take action.
According to Oregon Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple, the state fire marshal’s office has managed to pay its bills thus far by using the funds allocated for personnel expenses, fire safety initiatives, and education programs to cover wildfire obligations. In order to cover its wildfire expenses, the Department of Forestry has also taken out loans from agency funds, but it hasn’t been able to keep up. The Legislative Fiscal Office found that by the end of November, invoices totaling over $102 million were still unpaid. The majority of those were 45 days or older.
During a committee hearing Thursday, Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, criticized the Department of Forestry for failing to communicate how far underwater it would be after the record fire costs. He said that until last month, he was unaware of the department’s terrible financial predicament. He demanded the resignation of Cal Mukumoto, the State forester.
This is a complete failure and a lack of confidence in that organization to keep this body informed of what s going on. Findley declared, “This behavior is unacceptable.” That being said, I am in favor of this policy. The bills must be paid.
Joy Krawczyk, a forestry department spokesperson, said there has been clear recognition by the department, governor s office and the Legislature that Oregon s current wildfire funding response hasn t kept up with the growing complexity and cost of fire seasons over the past decade.
This wildfire season has been especially expensive due to the length and magnitude of the season, with multiple weeks of high fire activity, Krawczyk said.
Uniformed fire chiefs from around the state accompanied Ruiz-Temple, the state fire marshal, to the Capitol Thursday and watched as lawmakers considered the funding bill.
David Jensen, chief of Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue in The Dalles, said his department didn t send firefighters out of their jurisdiction to fight fires around the state this year, so he isn t wrestling with state reimbursement. But it s important to his department that third-party fire crews contracted by his agency and the forestry department want to come back each year to help protect his jurisdiction.
Reputation is a big thing in the fire service, he said. Paying in a timely manner, paying what you say you re going to pay is a big deal that complement of private contractors being available to fight our fires is important. That system should not, cannot erode.
Sami Edge covers higher education and politics for The Oregonian. You can reach her [email protected] (503) 260-3430.
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