Oregon Legislature Boosts Wildfire Funding by $271M Amid Escalating Fires

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon lawmakers in the 2025 legislative session allocated $271 million over the biennium for wildfire programs, marking a significant escalation in the state's battle against intensifying fires. House Bill 3940, passed with bipartisan support despite a Republican boycott, taps interest from the $1.9 billion rainy day fund and taxes on oral nicotine products to create the first permanent funding source dedicated to wildfire prevention and mitigation. The measure complements one-time allocations in House Bill 5006 and agency budgets, advancing recommendations from the Fire 35 Report by the wildfire funding workgroup.

This funding surge follows the 2021 passage of Senate Bill 762, which injected nearly $200 million — precisely $195 million across 11 state agencies — to coordinate response, recovery and mitigation efforts. SB 762 established the Wildfire Programs Advisory Council (WPAC) and a Wildfire Programs Director in the governor's office, focusing on community preparedness, public health and forest restoration. Key investments included firefighter capacity, smoke filtration grants, defensible space standards and a statewide wildfire risk map, all aimed at reducing severity in high-risk areas like Southern Jackson County, Rep. Pam Marsh's district.

Oregon's wildfire crisis has demanded urgent action, with 2024 costs hitting $352 million — $212 million above the 2020 record — prompting Gov. Tina Kotek's November special session for $218 million in emergency aid to the Oregon Department of Forestry and State Fire Marshal's Office via SB 5801. Earlier 2021 investments topped $600 million for recovery from the devastating September 2020 fires, funding youth workforce training, utility planning and ignition-resistant building materials in fire-prone zones. WPAC continues to guide implementation, ensuring local input from stakeholders statewide.