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Forestry Commission asks for $27.7 million to shore up wildfire response, conservation and education
Summary
State Forester Phillips told the subcommittee the Forestry Commission seeks roughly $27.7 million to sustain wildfire response (including SEAT contracts and hand crews), modernize dispatch IT, preserve conservation lands and fund forest education programs; he also requested raising an emergency proviso from $3 million to $5 million.
State Forester Phillips told the Ways and Means subcommittee the Forestry Commission is seeking $27,685,000 in combined recurring, nonrecurring and capital funding to strengthen wildfire response, modernize information systems, bolster conservation education and expand land‑conservation capacity.
Why it matters: Phillips said the agency faces heightened wildfire complexity after an unusually severe 2024–25 season and needs both surge capacity and long‑term investments to protect lives, property and the timber economy.
Phillips opened by noting an equipment milestone: "we're on track to have 100% of our frontline firefighter units be the new much safer enclosed cab tractors," and said those units will be maintained on a 15‑year replacement cycle. He credited prior funding by the subcommittee with helping reach that point.
On wildfire response, Phillips described the first priority as a mix of recurring and one‑time funds (he listed recurring $420,000 and nonrecurring $5,500,000) to sustain single‑engine airtanker (SEAT) capacity, contract hand crews and hire one FTE meteorologist with fire‑behavior expertise to improve prepositioning of resources. He said the SEAT contract is structured as a five‑year agreement allowing aircraft in‑state for up to 75 days per year under prearranged calls, with additional days available at extra cost.
Phillips recounted the 2024–25 season as especially severe: according to his presentation there were more than 1,600 wildfires that burned more than 32,000 acres, two burning bans, and two governor‑declared wildfire emergencies. He also highlighted a recent conservation milestone: closing a 62,000‑acre PD Basin conservation easement supported by a $50,000,000 USDA Forest Service Forest Legacy grant.
Other requests included technology modernization (recurring $260,000, nonrecurring $560,000) to replace aging dispatch and phone‑recording systems and add automatic vehicle location tracking, a $75,000 recurring ask to sustain forestry education programs for K–12 students, and a large conservation ask (recurring $370,000 and $20,000,000 capital) to provide staff capacity and matching funds for fee‑simple and easement acquisitions.
Phillips also asked the committee to raise a one‑time emergency proviso from $3,000,000 to $5,000,000, saying carryforward balances have been exhausted and recent fires have produced more than $11,000,000 in costs.
What's next: Committee members probed details about SEAT timing (Phillips said aircraft are planned to be in‑state Feb. 13) and the Forestry Commission's role as a holder of certain federal easements. The agency will provide follow‑up material and may be contacted individually by members with additional questions.
