Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Budgeting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Department of Lands seeks staffing, one‑time funds and protections for fire suppression fund; governor backs transfers and firefighter bonuses
Summary
The Idaho Department of Lands told the JFAC it needs new fire‑program staff and greater fire suppression reserves; the governor recommended substantial transfers to the fire suppression deficiency fund and firefighter bonuses, and the department and Timber Protective Associations sought parity for private‑lands firefighters.
The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) presented its FY 2026 budget requests to the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee, emphasizing fire suppression funding, new fire‑program staff, and continuing investments in forest management and the Good Neighbor Authority program.
Dustin Miller, director of the Idaho Department of Lands, described ongoing program growth tied to wildfire response, abandonment‑mine remediation and the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA), the federal partnership that allows state management and restoration work on national forest lands. Director Miller said GNA is now self‑funded from timber receipts and will move off the regular appropriations schedule into a continuously appropriated fund, which will still be visible to the committee.
Department staff asked for six new full‑time positions tied to the fire program modernization effort, including a fire emergency support program manager, fire aviation section manager, statewide forest assessment program manager, assistant fire warden for the Ponderosa area, a fiscal financial specialist and a forest program position. Miller said those roles align with long‑term planning and the governor’s wildfire roundtable recommendations aimed at coordinating resources, improving aviation oversight and increasing the department’s ability to collect assessments from timberland owners.
The department also described the fire suppression deficiency warrant fund — the continuously appropriated account used for suppression spending — and the legislature’s recent practice of prefunding it. Janet Jessup, the Legislative Services Office analyst, noted the governor recommended a $60 million supplemental transfer into the fire suppression deficiency fund for the current year and a separate $40 million transfer from the general fund into that fund. Miller warned that without the governor’s recommended transfers and other budget adjustments, the department projects the suppression account could fall to about $13 million in FY 2026 after outstanding invoices and partner cost shares are factored in.
Timber Protective Associations (TPAs), which are quasi‑state entities that contract with IDL to protect private forest lands, also featured in the hearing. The department requested a line‑item CEC (cost‑of‑living/compensation) equivalent for TPA employees; TPAs are not state employees and thus do not automatically receive the state CEC. The governor’s recommendation increased the TPA CEC compared with the agency request, and IDL said it had received an amended TPA request for $250,000 in firefighter bonuses to match a broader $1 million firefighter bonus the governor recommended for Department of Lands employees. The department said the $5.7 million in budget enhancements it requested are largely one‑time (about 79 percent one‑time) and include equipment buys and east Idaho district build‑out costs.
Committee members probed timing of reimbursements from federal partners and variability in annual suppression costs. Miller said reimbursement timing is sometimes slow and can span multiple years, and that fire seasons vary widely — some years approaching $100 million in suppression spending, others nearer $30 million, depending on conditions. He told the committee the department has improved its billing with a recently adopted electronic fire business system and is working on systems integration to speed invoicing and reimbursements.
Members also asked about the abandoned mine land (AML) fund. Miller said Idaho faces roughly 9,000 abandoned mines that require closure or remediation and that AML funds (sourced from a portion of mine license tax receipts) do not keep pace with the need. He said the department relies on the Idaho Geological Survey and industry partnerships to prioritize closures.
No formal vote or committee action on the Department of Lands budget occurred during the presentation; committee members asked for follow‑up materials such as multi‑year suppression spending history and further details on revenue/reimbursement timing.
