Wildfire prevention funding
Washington state has fallen behind on an eight-year plan for funding wildfire prevention and response programs at the Department of Natural Resources. Both the House and Senate in the 2026 session incorporated Climate Commitment Act funding to help close this gap, but the overall funding level for wildfire preparedness remains a key budget issue as climate-driven fire risk intensifies across the state.
Should Washington state significantly increase funding for wildfire prevention and response?
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Sources
Jake Goldstein-Street and Bill Lucia, Washington State Standard — https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/02/22/budget-bills-in-wa-legislature-would-tap-rainy-day-fund-spend-heavily-on-legal-payouts
Both the House and Senate use Climate Commitment Act funding for Department of Natural Resources programs to prevent and respond to wildfires. The department has pressed for that money after lawmakers fell behind on an eight-year plan for funding wildfire programs.
Sierra Club Washington — https://www.sierraclub.org/washington/legislative/2026legislativeagenda
The Washington State Legislature is facing another multibillion-dollar budget shortfall for the upcoming 2026 legislative session, caused primarily by Trump
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
- Dramatically increase wildfire prevention funding with dedicated revenue and treat it as a top budget priority.
- Fully fund the eight-year wildfire plan and use CCA revenue as a consistent, protected funding source.
- Increase wildfire funding incrementally each year, using a mix of CCA funds and general fund dollars.
- Maintain current wildfire funding levels and rely on federal assistance for major fire events.
- Cut wildfire program spending to help balance the budget and rely more on private landowners to manage fire risk.