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Committee hears DNRC-backed bill to make wildfire preparedness funding permanent
Summary
Sponsors and DNRC officials urged the committee to pass HB 127 to keep the fast-attack wildfire preparedness program created by HB 883 in place, citing 2024 operational successes and a new reporting requirement. Proponents stressed aggressive initial attack and continued mitigation funding.
Representative Lou Jones introduced House Bill 127 to maintain a program created in last year’s session (House Bill 883) that funds contracted aviation, crews and other rapid-response resources for wildfire initial attack.
The sponsor said the program, funded at roughly 0.5 percent of a referenced revenue stream (about $15 million in the prior year), paid for assets that “put on 1,300,000 gallons of water” during the 2024 season and helped protect private property. He asked the committee to make the program ongoing and add a reporting requirement to ensure transparency.
Wyatt Frampton, deputy division…
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