"Wildfires burned more than 1.9 million acres in Oregon in 2024. By the time they finally died down at the end of October, the state had spent more than $350 million fighting them, greatly exceeding the $10 million it had allocated."
"Contractors weren't promptly paid for services they'd already provided, from digging fuel breaks to supplying meals, and the state had to hold an emergency legislative session to allocate the money."
"States across the West are dealing with outdated funding systems in the face of skyrocketing wildfire costs. 'Every state is grappling with this,' Williams said. 'I don't blame anybody for not having the perfect solution.'"
Oregon introduced a 65-cent tax on nicotine pouches to support wildfire reduction funding after spending over $350 million on firefighting in 2024. Wildfires burned more than 1.9 million acres, exceeding the state's budget. Contractors faced payment delays, prompting an emergency legislative session. As drought conditions persist, officials anticipate a challenging fire season. States in the West are struggling with outdated funding systems amid rising wildfire costs, highlighting the need for reform in wildfire management funding.
Read at High Country News
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]