Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Bill reimburses fire districts for use of helicopters to fight fires
COLFAX — Gov. Jay Inslee signed Rep. Mary Dye’s aerial suppression bill into law Monday, May 15, culminating a seven-year effort to get the state to reimburse local fire districts for their costs of using helicopters and airplanes to attack a wildland fire when it initially breaks out.
“It would be really beneficial for us to have that asset before we need that,” said Whitman County Director of Emergency Management, Bill Tensfeld. “It gives responders an extra tool while they are making access to the fire.”
Tensfeld has held his position for ten years and believes this new law will help communities.
“I think it’s truly a benefit for the community and for our rural areas,” he said.
Mary Dye of Pomeroy reported the cost of contracted helicopters to be as much as $2,500 per hour, and calling in local aviation suppression can quickly break the budgets of local fire districts.
“It simply recognizes that local fire districts are their front line against risks,” said Dye. “The funding will help because rural fire districts have a low population base and do not have a lot of help. Volunteers run them, and they are capable, but their funding source runs out very quickly when they are faced with aircraft suppression.”
In addition, waiting for the State Fire Marshal to authorize state mobilization involving aerial suppression can take hours. Time in which a small fire can grow into a massive and destructive one.
Dye reports that suppressing a small fire can cost as much as $5,000.
“It is important to have the assurance that they will have the funds to make that call immediately,” she said. “These large fires and huge events that we have had for decades, those fires will burn for months. It’s a loss of air quality, and it impacts our people and global warming.”
House Bill (HB) 1498 directs the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to use wildfire suppression funding to assist local fire departments with aerial fire response capabilities during the initial attack phase of fighting a wildland fire.
DNR has been awarded over $125 million in relief with the program when the initial asking fund from Dye and others was set at $1 million.
The program development process is set to begin on July 1, 2023, and the new law takes effect on July 22, 2023.
“It’s an idea that has been timely and is way overdue. We can save and reduce natural resources, habitat, air quality, and CO2. It will empower the front line at the local level, and that’s what it’s about. I am really happy that this went through,” said Dye.
Olivia Harnack is a Journalist at the Whitman County Gazette. Olivia is enrolled at University of Idaho and is majoring in digital film studies. She serves in the United States Army National Guard and is proud to serve Whitman County.
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