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Oregon Department of Forestry outlines 2025 fire season, seeks $57.3M net and staffing for federal grants
Summary
Oregon Department of Forestry reported on a busy 2025 season with 1,160 fires on ODF lands and 63 primary residences lost on private lands; it asked the committee to approve $57.3M in general fund for net large fire costs, $73.6M in other‑funds processing authority, and authorization for 39 federally funded seasonal positions for Community Wildfire Defense grants.
The Oregon Department of Forestry told the Ways and Means subcommittee on Jan. 13 that while many ODF‑protected fires were kept small, the 2025 season still caused significant private‑property loss and costs.
Deputy Director Kyle Williams said ODF recorded roughly 1,160 fires on its protected lands — about 220 above the 10‑year average — but only about 25,000 acres burned on those lands, far below the decade average because many fires were held to under 10 acres. Still, the season included 63 primary residences lost on private lands and gross season costs of about $129.9 million, the department said.
ODF requested $57,295,007.87 in general fund for net large fire costs (the agency’s share after FEMA and other recoveries), $12,167,370 in general fund for severity costs (offset by a corresponding special purpose appropriation change), and $73,600,000 in other funds expenditure limitation to process payments tied to the 2025 fire season. Williams said the department will cash‑flow the delta while awaiting reimbursements.
Separately, James Short (ODF CFO) presented requests tied to federal grants and administration: a $5.7M increase in federal funds expenditure limitation to correctly record federal indirect charges (including a one‑time $3.2M recoding of prior biennia cost allocations and a $2.5M ongoing adjustment) and an authorization for 39 permanent seasonal positions (14.03 FTE) to deliver Community Wildfire Defense Grant work in Lane and Josephine counties. The two CWD projects total just under $5 million, the department said.
Legislative Fiscal Office and DAS staff recommended the LFO package; the subcommittee moved the recommendations and approved them. Committee members asked about changing weather patterns, vendor costs and mitigation strategies; Williams said higher vendor and contractor costs and more frequent extreme events are increasing suppression costs and stressed mitigation and resilience work as cost containment strategies.
The subcommittee acknowledged ODF’s 2025 fire season report and approved LFO recommendations to include the funding and positions in the 2026 budget reconciliation bill. ODF said the requested positions will be federally funded for the duration of the grants and are expected to phase out once grant funds are expended.
