House adds second wildland fire module to forestry bill, citing readiness and cost savings

The Wyoming House on Feb. 16 adopted a committee-of-the-whole amendment to House Bill 36 to add a second wildland fire module, after members cited recent fires and concerns about out-of-state crews and leadership gaps.

Representative Connolly, who moved the amendment, told the House the second module would “fill that fire leadership gap” and perform mitigation work year-round. "If you just have one of these modules... you built one half of the bridge," Connolly said, urging members to "get the bridge built so we can go somewhere." He framed the addition as an investment that could save the state money compared with repeatedly contracting out-of-state crews.

Members who had fought fires or represented affected districts described recent local incidents and supported adding capacity. Representative Erickson cited the Willow Creek fire and questioned decisions made by outside crews; Representative Byron and others emphasized current red-flag warnings and the state's risk this season. Some members urged caution and incremental rollout so problems could be worked out before scaling up.

The amendment was adopted on a recorded roll call (37 ayes, 24 no, 1 excused). House Bill 36 was later read three times and passed the House by a 61-1 vote.

Supporters said the modules would improve local leadership, reduce reliance on out-of-state resources and expand mitigation. Opponents asked for phased implementation to ensure the approach works before expanding further. The House scheduled further business and committee activity following passage.

What's next: House Bill 36 passed the House and moves onward in the legislative process; floor debate emphasized operational details and the state’s wildfire-readiness needs.