Department of Lands seeks staff and one‑time spending for wildfire work; governor proposes large transfers to suppression fund

The Idaho Department of Lands told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Thursday it is requesting a mix of ongoing positions and one‑time funding to support fire suppression, prevention and forestry programs statewide. Department officials and Legislative Services staff briefed the committee on the agency’s consolidated funds, the fire suppression deficiency warrant (a continuously appropriated fund) and multiple line‑item enhancement requests.

Why it matters: The Department of Lands oversees trust lands and coordinates wildfire response and forest‑management programs across Idaho. Funding decisions affect preparedness, suppression capacity and programs that contract for restoration on federal lands.

Janet Jessup, budget and policy analyst, described the agency's fund structure and noted that the fire suppression deficiency warrant is continuously appropriated and historically has been prefunded by the legislature since 2015 to cover anticipated fire costs. She said the governor recommended a $40 million transfer from the general fund to the fire suppression deficiency fund and a $60 million supplemental transfer for the current year.

Director Dustin Miller described operational needs and the effects of current balances. “That account dropping down to 13,000,000 is going to provide us some challenges,” Miller told the committee, citing a projected FY2026 low‑point of about $13 million in the suppression account if the governor’s recommendations are not enacted. Miller said invoices and cost shares from federal partners remain in process, and reimbursement timing can extend across years.

Good Neighbor Authority and federal partnerships: Jessup explained that Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) activity moved off budget this year and will be treated as continuously appropriated going forward; Director Miller described the program as largely self‑funding through timber receipts generated from federal lands under GNA agreements. Miller said GNA has generated roughly $40 million to date, with about $18 million available for department costs and other portions funding restoration contracts and Forest Service receipts. He said the department has agreements with six of seven national forests in Idaho and that GNA is delivering significant timber volume for federal partners.

Timber Protective Associations and compensation: The Department of Lands collects annual assessments and liens from timberland owners to fund firefighting responsibilities. Jessup described the Timber Protective Associations (TPAs) — Southern Idaho TPA and Clearwater Potlatch TPA — as quasi‑state partners that receive funds through the Department of Lands. The department requested a “CEC‑equivalent” salary adjustment for TPA employees to provide parity with a 5% cost‑of‑employment change provided to state employees; because TPA personnel are not state employees, the CEC the committee approved for state employees does not apply to them. The governor’s recommendation increased the TPA CEC compared with the agency’s maintenance placeholder, and recommended $1,000,000 in firefighter bonuses for Department of Lands employees; the TPAs asked the committee for an additional $250,000 for bonuses to ensure parity for TPA firefighters.

Staffing and enhancements: The department requested several ongoing positions tied to fire‑program modernization, including a fire emergency support program manager, a fire aviation section manager, a statewide forest assessment program manager, an assistant fire warden for the Ponderosa area, a fiscal/financial specialist and a forest program position. Jessup told the committee 79% of the agency’s enhancement requests for 2026 were one‑time in nature. Director Miller said some of the requested positions are intended to improve coordination during large fire seasons and to expand the department’s capacity to collect assessments, manage aviation assets and support preparedness.

Abandoned mines: Committee members raised the abandoned mine lands fund; Miller said Idaho faces nearly 9,000 abandoned mines and the fund — which receives a portion of license taxes — is not large enough to address the full scope of closures. He said the department prioritizes projects and relies on the Idaho Geological Survey, and welcomed industry partnership to increase capacity.

No formal committee votes were recorded during the hearing. Agency and legislative members said they would continue to work on funding details during the budget process.