Senate Resources Committee forwards House joint resolution on wildfire preparedness after brief presentation

Representative Kai Holland, House District 9, told the Senate Resources Committee on May 2 that House Joint Resolution 15 is intended to raise awareness of wildfire risk and to coordinate preparedness across agencies and communities for the 2025 season.

The resolution, Holland said, grew from four months of community work to inform residents about home protection, evacuation readiness and access to timely information. “This has been identified across the hillside as a critical area for that area of the state to be able to have a more rapid response,” Holland said, noting the work helped identify an additional helicopter to be stationed in Anchorage for 100 days beginning May 15.

HJR 15, Holland said, also aims to highlight fire danger in areas that historically have seen little wildfire activity, including parts of rural tundra and regions of Southeast Alaska. Committee members discussed the geographic scope; Senator Hughes noted surprise that the Aleutian Chain and Southeast appear on recent risk maps and described the state’s dry winter as a reason to remain vigilant. Holland and members referenced recent large fires elsewhere, including Lahaina, Hawaii, as a reminder that wildfire risk can emerge in unexpected places.

No members of the public testified on the resolution at the committee hearing. With no amendments offered, Senator Dunbar moved to report a committee substitute for HJR 15 out of committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes; there was no objection and the motion passed. The resolution was transmitted out of committee for further legislative consideration.

Committee members asked that transmittal paperwork be signed after the hearing. The committee did not adopt binding operational directives or appropriate funds in this session; the measure as reported is a resolution to raise awareness and encourage preparedness.