Washington has underfunded efforts to control wildfire burning, despite smothering smoke
Since 2015, the legislature has given the
Out of the
Funding of the agencies "doesn't really scratch the surface,"
Despite the shortfall, state lawmakers have significantly boosted spending to combat wildfires, according to Sen.
"The legislature is recognizing that it needs to be more proactive and ramp up funding to address forest health," Hawkins said in a phone interview. While "harvesting and thinning forests in a responsible way" reduces the risk of fires spreading, long-term investment in firefighting is also important, he added.
"Right now, we're doing both and it's really costly," Hawkins said. Lawmakers haven't fully funded
The 20-year plan -- the one that's being underfunded -- calls for the restoration of forest health of 1.25 million acres, according to Davis. It targets drier forests in eastern
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