Washington DNR asking state to keep funding wildfire prevention in 2026 budget push

SPOKANE, Wash. — After the Washington legislature cut wildfire prevention and response funding last year, the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is setting its sights on next year's budget

DNR Commissioner Dave Upthegrove says fighting wildfires needs to be focused on being proactive versus reactive, and pointed to two large wildfires still burning in western Washington.

He says those fires cost about $1 million a day to fight, with about $500,000 of those dollars coming right from taxpayers' wallets.

Commissioner Upthegrove says 11 major wildfires burned nearly 237,000 acres of land, and while firefighters across the state responded quickly and DNR was properly staffed, efforts should refocus.

And amid a federal government shutdown, Upthegrove says if the government does