Department of Lands seeks new fire positions and steady Good Neighbor Authority funding as governor trims some requests

The Idaho Department of Lands told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Monday that it is seeking additional personnel for its fire program, steady funding for Good Neighbor Authority projects on federal lands and parity for Timber Protective Association firefighters, while the governor's recommendation included large transfers to the fire suppression deficiency fund but did not approve all of the agency's one-time requests.

Janet Jessup of the Legislative Services Office explained the department's budgeting framework and noted the department receives revenue from many dedicated funds. She told the committee the fire suppression deficiency fund is a continuously appropriated account the agency may draw from when suppression costs exceed appropriated levels and that the legislature has increasingly pre-funded the account in recent years.

Director Dustin Miller, who appeared with senior agency staff, described several proposed FY2026 personnel additions tied to fire-management modernization. "These recommendations' for positions such as a fire…