Home » Environment » Hundreds of firefighters. 20 bulldozers. Intentional burns: Inside Washington’s $328M push to break cycle of disastrous fires
Legislature unites in support of massive cash infusion to step up firefighting, improve forests and secure communities near the fire lines
After a devastating wildfire season that saw a baby boy die and 1,200 square miles of the state burn, Washington lawmakers are poised to fight fire with money. A lot of money.
Legislation that’s received unanimous support would see Washington spend an additional $125 million over the next two years to extinguish, prevent and live with fires. Both legislative houses have passed House Bill 1168 and Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign the bill, which would see the state spend $328 million on the efforts by 2027.
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The Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday supporting county-level public health management, prevention, and response regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a press release from the BOCC, the resolution also called on state officials to shift current policy away from broad statewide restrictions to supporting strategic local government measures, as well as calling for amendment to state law limiting executive powers during an extended state of emergency without legislative approval.
The resolution was approved shortly after Governor Jay Inslee announced a three-week extension of current restrictions on restaurants, bars, gyms, and other businesses, and was drafted by commissioners in conjunction with the Kittitas County Prosecutorâs Office and Kittitas County Public Health Department staff after exploration of potential legal challenges to current restrictions did not prove hopeful.