Ron gets firefighting briefings that reinforce the need to fix wildfire funding
Oregon’s record-breaking fire season this year is being worsened by severe drought and the current system of wildfire funding that shortchanges fire prevention and suppression work. To combat this problem, Ron has introduced a bipartisan bill to make sure there are enough resources to fight fires like the natural disasters they are by fixing the nation’s broken system of wildfire funding.
In addition to working with the U.S. Forest Service and the state to ensure all available firefighting resources are deployed as quickly as possible, Ron will make his wildfire funding bill his top priority when Congress reconvenes in September.
“These infernos are threatening lives and burning up Oregon’s forests and homes,” Ron said after recent briefings in Medford and Boise about the wildfires ravaging southern Oregon and eastern Oregon.
“My first order of business is to finally end the terrible trifecta that makes these fires worse,” he said, “underfunding firefighting budgets, stealing money from fire prevention to make up the shortfall and letting hazardous fuels build up as a result.”
Ron received his first fire briefing of the year in March, which was the earliest fire briefing he’d ever had to receive.The most recent fire briefings in Medford and Boise follow updates firefighting officials gave Ron last month in Portland and Bend. The bottom line in all those briefings was that firefighters are doing extraordinary work under extraordinary circumstances and that it’s imperative they get the resources they need.
To read more about Ron’s bipartisan bill with Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo to reform the system of wildfire funding, go here.
And to keep up with all the incredible work firefighters are doing across Oregon, go here.
