[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6522426,"mediaKeyId","5070951-d62e2ba99dbddee1de37f33b3a474ed0","parentId",5070951,"title","Pew urges states to 'measure, manage, mitigate' rising disaster costs including wildfires","audioSeconds",433,"startMs",9185000,"endMs",9618000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5070951-d62e2ba99dbddee1de37f33b3a474ed0&start=9185&end=9618","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5070951-d62e2ba99dbddee1de37f33b3a474ed0/thumbnail_9185000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6522426/Wyoming/Pew-urges-states-to-measure-manage-mitigate-rising-disaster-costs-including-wildfires","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522426-e674ec28c6ec8ceaf26cbb588364aa2c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156965&Signature=l8jtPZ2hxyNGcdcqee9W8ZClGoel0Cr8iaIEJND~YGYhtfJkNXRoX~othTP9LTVPy3aGdpXfra-d1MK5RLAfC532bKtBFRq2gWwJJAwNWcE9u4FZmmPwiRALFzvz6dqYuwy49SZrY7zejI0gY-n~PR6tQCjN565nH-9Xz6oLDb6jpwypEiDcPq5QY7bqIcCgIRgAw~GuzaXH-4YStB0is~JVv~bvTRcYrbH0iSwZry4~RPmxiNeCTZuzv4DIY0axjo0b0BDRTZX1UO1rCbW0mfwSx-GuVJLMleqXplROh3dz6vJzUI-c1BnaP93M~U9pk1KrkqjI3qjJJxwMT1KfDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Hampshire Legislature","date","2025-06-24T19:25:29.84Z","article","Rona Joy Sen of the Pew Charitable Trusts told the committee that across the country disaster costs are rising and state budgeting practices are lagging. Pew recommended a three‑part framework — “measure, manage and mitigate” — to improve state fiscal resilience.

Measure: Sen said states should track full disaster spending across prevention, response and recovery to understand total fiscal exposure. She pointed to research showing large increases in state suppression spending over recent years in some states.

Manage: Pew recommended fiscal tools for sustainable funding, including establishing dedicated suppression funds that can be drawn quickly during emergency periods rather than relying on supplemental appropriations. She said Pew has worked with other states on legislation to create wildfire suppression funds that include suppression, training and equipment replacement.

Mitigate: Sen urged investments that reduce future costs, including mitigation projects, land‑use planning and resilient infrastructure, and noted that mitigation reduces future suppression demand and long‑term fiscal exposure.

Pew offered to support the committee with technical assistance and pointed to examples where states enacted new funds and reporting practices; the organization emphasized that budgeting reform and mitigation together produce the best fiscal and public‑safety outcomes.

Ending: Pew’s representative offered to provide further assistance to Wyoming as staff craft fund designs and budgetary reporting mechanisms.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Appropriations Committee, June 23, 2025 - PM","oneSentenceSummary","Pew Charitable Trusts told Wyoming legislators states should track total disaster spending, adopt sustainable funding mechanisms and invest in mitigation to reduce long‑term costs; Pew offered technical assistance examples from other states.","taxTitle","Appropriations, Joint & Standing, Committees, Legislative, Wyoming","taxId",18090,"location","Wyoming","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6522430,"Arizona forester describes growth in staff, inmate crews and mitigation acres",1484,2766000,4250000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5070951-d62e2ba99dbddee1de37f33b3a474ed0&start=2766&end=4250","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5070951-d62e2ba99dbddee1de37f33b3a474ed0/thumbnail_2766000.jpg","/articles/6522430/Wyoming/Arizona-forester-describes-growth-in-staff-inmate-crews-and-mitigation-acres","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522430-2607dc6e19bdc5f2bf4ba7b5152d8008/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156965&Signature=eGMhtAVdKFPu7K55H4lh63AXmC2nQAgtYZiftMIg2GiqyLpvpPIUO3E1IhVGcO~fV1GWfzsaVC5enNbGJL9w~ub9oxNRlcHPW85e8DqoYTvps-1wF53L34XboJEubnOSANztegzmTJKfRd-npv4hkdPXzIRaoutv8P6D22d~1ZBEI2-RsTcm3iIlyfX32148dUVCO10vTRnSUo-lGjBXZqtSbXD9lQckce0GqGIE6HIq0YLviyZOYwwvyLKmjZvFOx60lDF8LyVANoSqGQejvk3abelGDjyDwV4T1pACC3QrCtS0t3ezUn3n6wDCIThW9uj4~PYRbF7y2nxar4ZxPQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tom Torres, director of the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, told the Wyoming committee Arizona manages wildfire across complex ownerships and has expanded staff and mitigation capacity through state investment, inmate crews and contracts.

Torres said the state forester’s office has grown from 88 employees in 2020 to an authorized ~286 positions — roughly 260 currently on the payroll — after several years of state investment. He said Arizona is statutorily responsible for vegetation management and wildland fire suppression on roughly 22 million acres of state trust and unincorporated private lands, with the U.S. Forest Service and tribal lands comprising most of the remaining at‑risk acreage.

Torres described a wide set of tools: 12 inmate crews of 20 people for firefighting, plus 8 additional 20‑person inmate crews for mitigation; air attack, single‑engine air tankers on exclusive‑use leases, and arrangements with federal partners for VLATs and helicopters. He reported about 2,160 fires in 2024 that burned roughly 280,000 acres and cost Arizona about $21 million in state spend that year; he also emphasized the year‑to‑year variability that complicates budgeting.

On mitigation, Torres said Arizona treated more than 30,000 acres in the most recent year and aims for 40,000 acres in 2026 and sustained multi‑year capacity thereafter. He highlighted the Good Neighbor Authority and contractor partnerships as essential to scaling mitigation work on federal and non‑state lands.

Ending: Torres said Arizona is expanding contracting capacity with private industry to meet mitigation goals and is exploring code and Firewise outreach to improve preparedness in the wildland‑urban interface.
","Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management Director Tom Torres told Wyoming legislators Arizona has rapidly expanded staff and mitigation work, using inmate crews and a mix of contracted and federal aviation resources to fight and reduce wildfire risk.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6522436,"Montana forester outlines county co‑op, direct staffing and revised suppression fund approach",1365,257000,1622000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5070951-d62e2ba99dbddee1de37f33b3a474ed0&start=257&end=1622","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5070951-d62e2ba99dbddee1de37f33b3a474ed0/thumbnail_257000.jpg","/articles/6522436/Wyoming/Montana-forester-outlines-county-coop-direct-staffing-and-revised-suppression-fund-approach","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522436-a7c0ce7f2f8b73097d5b404bd07334f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156965&Signature=hXG9Duqml8csXSHEmfOvxmA~CKRE5ReubND7WOPMKZ7z4Rh9T-SDgHCSPfE6nybrJ-i0gUP5kya4Q4REJwlnL2vwvuYHzLhF~ghkC~Czq35QLDqt0IVQ-qESwHc0ZiOFsUthRZsRK05TETse~5Sv5Cm6tur4zzzAhlXkkCMzzwXz0RD4jTSD~-g3JK3MQ-nz0do8ZPRO-1ugOLqqxIifoAIPilC28koqCZxKCqpAzXLw33oYoh6GLCwEeOO6lTV0QY1VNayZSu7iuerP-QEetFCV1M7CkM45JppHWQJPiact7nqQ-mUeEc3~9iamMwDKJc5WcFU4LGczDzimWnWzEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wyatt Frampton, deputy state forester for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, gave the Joint Appropriations Committee an overview of Montana’s fire protection model and its financing.

Frampton described two primary response models. The county cooperative program is the state’s primary mechanism for protecting most acres: Montana has formal coop agreements with each of its 56 counties under which local governments provide initial attack and the state supplies training, equipment and financial backing when incidents exceed local capacity. Frampton said Montana’s co‑op supports more than 400 local government and volunteer fire organizations.

The department also uses a direct‑protection model on roughly 5 million acres, primarily on the state’s west side, where Montana staffs 55 wildland fire engines, five modified Huey helicopters (operated under a federal access property program but maintained and flown by the state), three fixed‑wing detection aircraft, and more than 150 frontline wildfire positions.

On funding, Frampton said Montana’s preparedness budget is about $14 million annually; statute requires the state to recover one‑third of that through a wildfire assessment charged to owners of forested parcels. Suppression spending is more volatile: Frampton gave a 10‑year average suppression cost of about $29 million and described the legislature’s 2013 and later actions to make the suppression fund more regenerative. He summarized the 2023 House Bill 883 change that increased the fund balance and authorized biennial withdrawals — up to $60 million — divided as $30 million for risk reduction/forest health and $30 million for preparedness. Frampton said that HB 883 allowed Montana to secure aviation contracts and to expand mitigation contracts, noting the state now has over 60,000 contracted acres of fuels work in priority areas.

Frampton cautioned that workforce change and volunteer declines remain a challenge but said the state’s layered approach — local initial attack, county co‑op support, and state‑owned resources — has generally kept fires small and costs lower. He emphasized data‑driven prioritization for mitigation, giving the City of Butte watershed project as an example of Good Neighbor Authority–enabled treatments to protect drinking water.

Ending: Frampton told committee members he welcomed follow‑up questions and said Montana is available to coordinate interstate support in high‑need periods.","Wyoming committee heard Montana Deputy State Forester Wyatt Frampton describe Montana’s county cooperative protection program, direct staffing model, and changes to a state fire suppression fund enacted by House Bill 883.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6522441,"Wyoming forester proposes expanding suppression account and four regional firefighting modules",597,6838000,7435000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5070951-d62e2ba99dbddee1de37f33b3a474ed0&start=6838&end=7435","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5070951-d62e2ba99dbddee1de37f33b3a474ed0/thumbnail_6838000.jpg","/articles/6522441/Wyoming/Wyoming-forester-proposes-expanding-suppression-account-and-four-regional-firefighting-modules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6522441-013d4eee0ff1931f36eef182bb461dc7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771156965&Signature=QcqpcO1XXF3oHYxqeaz6vkS7mkyRe3Ed9OCnla~cLA9Y0f7ck2Z5IC9~SoiL2uCINbSoZWqvGcv8jD4qTPvAypJGunlT6C7mTa6C5NZ4fU-SIAM3bOUkoWu9fkccBXqQ3tVpedZLdC9~9JIK~ihUFr3YcCHPufuIMM8KKDHyvBCyfmFwm0xh6lsqdd8Oct07wSfToZPy7aVOB6~GMEEuhn6AknzRBbqAzNRKN2XcpN3MLmo5Efl5oU0AvXs~b4k2DDAXuRuQLu2qlirqw~Kv3IAw7mwARqBbYIrhWpYIRQsvn8zuMLPdHEZg3Wxo8w~JcuySEcLLnMMtP1Z0uNtCAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wyoming State Forester Kelly Norris told the Joint Appropriations Committee that she is recommending a change to the Emergency Fire Suppression Account (EFSA) so the account can pay suppression costs for “all state administered lands.” She said the edit would “help prompt and clean up and really marry up what the state forester now has an authority and and then to marry up that EFSA account.”

Norris described a practical problem the change is meant to fix: some state lands other than trust lands (for example state park or Game and Fish holdings) do not clearly fit the EFSA definition now, creating operational confusion when fires occur on those properties. She said the change is proposed to align the statute with recent changes to the state forester’s duties enacted last year.

Campbell County Fire Warden JR Fox and Sublette County Fire Warden Shad Cooper presented a Wyoming Fire Service recommendation to create four regional “modules” of seasonal firefighters to improve post‑initial‑attack capacity statewide. Their plan calls for each region to have a module composed of ten seasonal wildland firefighters supervised by a crew supervisor and a module leader, supported by regional leadership — a model intended to be flexible so crews can be combined or split depending on incident needs.

Fox said the modules would fill the gap that opens after volunteer and local initial attack forces are reassigned or must return to regular duties; the modules, he said, would allow the state to maintain a sustained presence on larger incidents without immediately ordering out‑of‑state resources. Chief Cooper said the modular approach allows the state to “use the right resource at the right time, the right place in the state.”

Committee members asked for cost estimates and operational detail. The committee directed staff to produce budget scenarios showing the cost of the proposed positions (full‑time supervisors and seasonal hires), and to model several EFSA fund scenarios, including a suggested floor and cap. Norris and chiefs asked that any new pay scales be competitive with federal rates to reduce staff turnover.

Public and elected officials who spoke during the hearing emphasized local cost exposure and the economic strain on counties that repeatedly spend on multiple smaller fires. Johnson County Commissioner Bill Novotny told the committee his county spent millions to respond to last year’s large fire and recommended a separate mitigation funding stream.

The committee did not vote on statutory language; members asked staff to prepare fiscal analyses, and said they will review proposed statute changes and cost scenarios at the next meeting. The forester also said she will bring suggested statutory language to the Board of Land Commissioners for review before legislation is drafted.

Ending: Committee leaders asked staff to return with cost estimates for the proposed staffing model and EFSA scenarios and to include inflation and multi‑year averages in the analysis. Further meetings will include the Department of Corrections for consideration of inmate crew logistics and the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust for mitigation funding coordination.","Wyoming State Forester Kelly Norris asked the Joint Appropriations Committee to expand the Emergency Fire Suppression Account to cover all state‑administered lands and lawmakers heard a Wyoming Fire Service proposal to create four regional modular firefighting teams and a small mitigation fund.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Pew urges states to 'measure, manage, mitigate' rising disaster costs including wildfires

Arizona forester describes growth in staff, inmate crews and mitigation acres

Montana forester outlines county co‑op, direct staffing and revised suppression fund approach

Wyoming forester proposes expanding suppression account and four regional firefighting modules