Oregon lawmakers approve $218M in emergency wildfire funding

Oregon lawmakers approve $218M in emergency wildfire funding in special session
Oregon lawmakers are convening for a special session to discuss emergency wildfire funding after a record wildfire season in the state.
Gov. Kotek signs $218 million wildfire funding bill, passed by Oregon lawmakers in one-day special session
Gov. Tina Kotek on Friday signed Senate Bill 5801, passed in Thursday’s legislative special session, that allocates $218 million to the Department of Forestry and the Oregon State Fire Marshal to pay for costs associated with the 2024 wildfire season.
Oregon lawmakers approve rush of wildfire funds in speedy emergency session
The emergency spending will free up the Oregon Department of Forestry and Office of State Fire Marshal — the two state agencies that predominantly tackle wildfires — to pay contractors who sent machinery and manpower to battle this year’s blazes and support firefighting teams, but have sat unpaid for months.
Oregon looks to special session to pay 100s of vendors millions of $$$ for wildfire costs
The Oregon Department of Forestry still owes hundreds of vendors more than $98 million for costs incurred during this year's wildfire season.
Oregon lawmakers approve $218 million to fund bill from record-breaking wildfire season
Last summer's historic wildfire season brought record-high costs upwards of $350 million, placing Oregon agencies in a deep financial hole.
Oregon Legislature approves spending $218 million to cover unpaid wildfire bills
Gov. Kotek called the special session to free up money to pay hundreds of contractors involved in the wildfire season that burned 1.9 million acres.
Oregon approves $218M in emergency wildfire funding
The state spent more than $350 million responding to more than 2,000 wildfires in 2024, far exceeding projected costs and leaving some contractors unpaid.
Oregon lawmakers pass funding to cover costs of 2024 wildfire season
On Thursday, during a special session, Oregon lawmakers passed the funding to cover the high cost of this year’s wildfire season.
Oregon Legislature overwhelmingly approves wildfire funding
The Oregon Legislature overwhelmingly approved $218 in additional funding on Dec. 12 to cover the 2024 fire season, including to pay firefighting crews waiting months for compensation after keeping communities safe.
Oregon Legislature approves $218 million in additional wildfire funding in emergency session
The Capital Chronicle has launched a $10,000 end-of-year fundraising campaign to help us continue our first-class coverage next year. A lot is at stake, and there’s a long legislative session in 2025.
Lawmakers approve hundreds of millions to pay Oregon wildfire bills
Lawmakers stressed that the money is a stopgap cobbled together so the state can pay contractors who helped fight fires this year. Finding long-term solutions to pay for increasingly severe and expensive wildfire seasons will be among the priorities that the Legislature tackles during the 2025 session.
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