Wildfires

What might weather look like where you are at at this month and the summer months? USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey offers an outlook, including:   “We are watching the western and central U.S. for the possibility of drought expansion or intensification. We do exp...

The Oregon Legislature is looking at how homeowners can maintain their insurance in high fire risk areas.  Kenton Brine, with the Northwest Insurance Council, said disaster losses have skyrocketed for insurance companies.   "Losses related to natural disasters, just natural disasters, were $168 billion in 2023 and $182 billion in 2024."   In C...

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said recently she'd consider using part of the kicker refund on wildfire suppression and mitigation.  The state’s kicker refund will be nearly $2 billion and Kotek said half of that money could be useful for fire season.   "The o...

On Thursday, Idaho senator Mike Crapo and Oregon’s Jeff Merkley announced the introduction of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) Program Reauthorization Act of 2025.  They say this bipartisan legislation would reauthorize and expand the CFLR program, which helps fund collaborative and community-based forest management.  The lawmakers said...

USDA announced $23 million in grants to support transporting hazardous fuels, such as dead or downed trees, from national forests to processing facilities.  Through the USDA Forest Service’s Hazardous Fuels Transportation Program, these grants will reduce the hazardous fuels that pose wildfire threats to communities, critical infrastructure and recreation areas.  Unlike high-v...

A rural Oregon fire district has a Hollywood celebrity to thank for new safety equipment.  Southwest Polk Fire, in Dallas, just received a sizable grant from the Gary Sinise Foundation, allowing the fire district west of Salem to buy ten full sets of turnouts for firefighters.   ...

Oregon lawmakers are trying to find a regular source of funding to pay for fighting wildfires.  Fighting wildfires across the state costs around $300 million annually.  The Legislature is trying to find a regular source to pay that bill, instead of relying only on the general fund.  State Senator Fre...

State lawmakers are looking for new ways to fund wildland firefighting efforts in Oregon.  2024 was a record year for the size and cost of wildfires across the Beaver State.  Doug Graf, Governor Tina Kotek’s advisor on wildfire prevention, told lawmakers last week they can't keep going to the general fund.   "The sustainable...

The Trump Administration says it's reviewing federal spending, in an effort to cut waste, and that has some Oregon lawmakers concerned about what MIGHT be deemed wasteful.  With the ongoing threat of cuts to federal programs and funding, Oregon stands to lose millions in anticipated payments.  U....

On Tuesday, Governor Tina Kotek called a special session of the Oregon Legislature.  Slated to start Thursday December 12th, the session will allow lawmakers to appropriate funds to pay for the historic 2024 wildfire season.  A record 1.9 million acres bur...