This spring, the Washington state Legislature passed HB 1168, legislation that will give state agencies and local communities a fighting chance to get ahead of the growing threat of wildfire to communities across the state.
HB 1168 will fund preventative measures, like this controlled burn near the town of Roslyn. © Nikolaj Lasbo / TNC
HB 1168 creates a first-of-its-kind Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration, and Community Resilience funding in the state budget. This bill, requested by the state Department of Natural Resources, supports proactive wildfire resilience across Washington —including community preparedness, forest health and fire response capacity—and will move us to a more sustainable and fire resilient landscape.
“Communities in every corner of Washington have been taking the initiative to prepare for wildfire, but the scale of the problem demands significant proactive, statewide investments,” said Mike Stevens, Washington state director for The Nature Conservancy. “We’re happy to see the Legislature unanimously support the health of our forests and resilience of our communities.”
Reps. Larry Springer, D-Kirkland and Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, co-sponsored the legislation in the House and showed critical leadership in its passage. We’d like to give a BIG thanks to all the state legislators who helped see this critical piece of legislation across the finish line:
Sen. Andy Billig
Rep. Laurie Jinkins
Rep. Joel Kretz
Sen. Mark Mullet
Rep. Timm Ormsby
Rep. Bill Ramos
Rep. Marcus Riccelli
Sen. Christine Rolfes
Sen. Shelly Short
Rep. Larry Springer
Why This Matters
Just six months ago, the entire state of Washington was blanketed with hazardous, barely breathable air and smoke, while fires ripped through communities on both sides of the Cascades, destroying homes and businesses and harming people.
A broad coalition including local governments, tribes, community organizations, environmentalists, forestry interests and more have been working for years for dedicated funding to prepare communities and get ahead of the growing threat of fire.
“It’s extremely important that this work be led by our communities who are tremendously impacted by wildfires. We see our Latinx and central Washington communities continuously not receiving access to the resources and information to ensure the health of our families,” said Lilliane Ballesteros, executive director for the Latino Community Fund. “By taking action today, we are providing a much-needed safe haven for our communities across Washington state.”
“Private forest landowners, who represent about 20% of the forested landscape, actively manage lands to increase fire resiliency, as well as fight fires on their lands. We cannot do it alone however, and are encouraged by the passage of HB 1168 which sets up a whole state approach to getting ahead of the curve in restoring healthy, resilient landscapes,” said Mark Doumit, Washington Forest Protection Associations Executive Director.
Banner photo © Nikolaj Lasbo / TNC
