ICYMI: Senator Murray Announces Nearly $25 Million in Funding to Reduce Wildfire Risks Across Washington State – MORE HERE
Senator Murray: “As we prepare for this year’s fire season, I won’t stop fighting for federal funding to support firefighters across Washington state”
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, voted to pass the bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act, legislation that will reauthorize critical firefighting programs, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program, and the United States Fire Administration (USFA). These programs—which are set to expire September 30, 2023—are used by local fire departments to hire staff, purchase vital equipment, develop fire training and education programs, and improve emergency medical services. The legislation passed the Senate today by a vote of 95-2.
“Our state has seen firsthand how wildfires have become more frequent and more devastating every year, posing critical risks to our communities, public health, and natural habitats. We need to be doing everything we can to support our local fire departments and ensure they have the resources they need to fight fires and keep us safe — that’s why I was proud to vote for the Fire Grants and Safety Act today,” said Senator Murray. “As we prepare for this year’s fire season, fighting for federal funding to support firefighters across Washington state is going to be a top priority for me.”
The Fire Grants and Safety Act increases funding for the U.S. Fire Administration by nearly $20 million—authorizing $95 million for the agency—and reauthorizes SAFER, AFG, and USFA through 2030. Fire departments rely on these federal programs to recruit and retain additional personnel, fund safety and rescue trainings and health screenings, and purchase vehicles and vital equipment including breathing air compressors, hoses, and nozzles.
As Chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray is hard at work to deliver much-needed funds for wildfire prevention and mitigation. Last month, Senator Murray announced $25 million in funding for projects across Washington state aimed at mitigating wildfire risks, and underscored the need for federal investments to strengthen wildfire mitigation and suppression efforts at a Budget Committee hearing.
In the Fiscal Year 2023 spending package passed last year, Senator Murray helped secured sizable increases in critical funding for firefighters and firefighting programs, including: $4.4 billion for wildfire suppression and other wildland firefighting needs, a $550 million increase over Fiscal Year 2022; $7 million for an EPA wildfire grant program support local efforts to prepare for and protect against wildfire smoke hazards, a $3 million increase over FY22 levels; $454 million for hazardous fuels reduction, a $40 million increase over FY22 levels; and $32 million for the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) program, a $4 million increase from FY22. As catastrophic wildfires grow in size and frequency, Senator Murray is fighting to ensure that funding for wildfire mitigation, detection, and suppression keeps pace.
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