Legislators Visit Chelan County to See Wildfire Resilience in Action
Washington State’s Wildfire Resilience Account is only four years old, but it’s already helping prepare forests and communities for catastrophic wildfire
In 2021, the Washington State legislature passed the Wildfire Response, Forest Restoration, and Community Resilience Account (Wildfire Resilience Account, House Bill 1168) with unanimous bipartisan support. It was momentous for Washington, committing $500 million over eight years, $125M per biennium.
The overall goal of the Wildfire Resilience Account is to protect communities, strengthen local wildfire response, and restore Washington’s forests to a healthier state. Since 2021, millions of dollars has been passed through local organizations (County governments, conservation districts, fire districts, community groups, etc.) to implement forest restoration projects and build capacity. Land managers, local economies, and partners have been able to plan and implement projects at the appropriate scale with this robust funding. But after four years, the State has broken its commitment – for the 2025-27 biennium, the Wildfire Resilience Account has been funded at $60 million, less than half of its promised $125 million.
To showcase the difference this funding has made and why it is so critical, Sustainable Northwest and The Nature Conservancy led the Chelan County Wildfire Resiliency Tour in central Washington.
With the Lower Sugarloaf and Labor Mountain fires burning nearby, the day began with Chelan County Commissioner Shon Smith, who emphasized the urgency and opportunity before the state:
“Fire is a fact of life here,” said Smith. “We’ve seen how devastating it can be, but we’ve also seen how investment and collaboration can make our communities stronger and more resilient. The state’s Wildfire Resilience Account has truly been a game-changer for Chelan County.”
Stop #1: The role of strategic fuel breaks
At the first field stop off Chiwawa Loop Road, Mike Kaputa and Erin McKay from the Chelan County Natural Resources Department showcased how $750,000 from the Wildfire Resilience Account helped design a network of strategic fuel breaks. These projects are designed to slow wildfire spread, protect nearby communities, provide a strategic anchor point for first responders, and restore forest health. The funding from the Wildfire Resilience Account not only accelerated this project, but it also unlocked additional federal and private investments to reduce wildfire risk, showcasing how it’s part of a much larger strategic investment plan.
Stop #2: 20 years of improving forest health at Stellerwood
The second stop brought the group to the Stellerwood Community, where residents have spent more than 20 years managing their forests and preparing for fire. Longtime resident Wally Prestbo shared how local organizations have provided essential support and technical assistance to help private landowners take action. Prestbo shared the work his family has done to manage wildfire risk on their property and in the Stellerwood Community.
“We have forest fires here… but we feel much safer because of all the forest health work within Stellerwood and the surrounding area. We believe we have an obligation to our neighbors, both private and government, to contribute to a more fire-resilient community,” Presbo said. His home is surrounded by county and federally-owned land, making his property a piece of the larger puzzle. He expressed sincere gratitude to the local partners, WDNR, and state legislators for past, current, and future support, knowing that forest health work is not a ‘one & done’ deal.
Together, entities such as Chelan County Natural Resources, Lake Wenatchee Fire & Rescue, and Cascadia Conservation District use funding from the Wildfire Resilience Account to implement forest restoration projects, conduct home risk assessments, and help landowners create defensible space around their homes. They coordinate projects, offering technical assistance and funding to reduce wildfire risk in communities. This all-lands, all hands approach was emphasized by all three organizations, noting that it isn’t just one organization or person doing the work, it takes everyone, from landowners and local partners to state and federal agencies.
The need for consistent funding
Despite the clear need for the program and success around the state, the legislature did not meet its commitment of $125 million for the Wildfire Resilience Account for the 2025–27 biennium. That reduction means fewer dollars for proactive, on-the-ground work that keeps communities safe, and with longer, more intense wildfire seasons, this funding continues to be more crucial than ever.
“This isn’t just an east side issue,” said Gia Landis, Central Washington Program Manager for Sustainable Northwest. “Wildfires affect everyone in Washington. During the 2025 wildfire season, large, catastrophic wildfires burned across the state. Here in Chelan County, two 40,000+ acre fires closed in on several communities. In western Washington, the Bear Gulch Fire burned thousands of acres in one of the least fire-prone landscapes. And it’s not just the damage from wildfire, smoke from these large fires impact communities near and far. Funding for the Wildfire Resilience Account is crucial to ensuring we are proactively reducing wildfire risk in Washington, while also protecting communities.”
Speakers on the tour delivered a clear message to the Legislature: Washington promised consistent, reliable, and robust funding to implement and support wildfire resilience and response via the Wildfire Resilience Account. Failing to uphold that promise risks the safety and progress of communities across the state.
Cody Desautel, Executive Director of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and President of the Intertribal Timber Council, underscored the long-term importance of this investment:
“It is time to right the mistakes of the last hundred years and keep up the commitment to learning how to live with fire. Wildfire has a cost. The only question is will the state experience those costs through suppression and fire rehabilitation, or through proactive management and suppression response capability?” Desautel said.
Collaboration + Commitment: A recipe for success
The Chelan County Wildfire Resiliency Tour showcased what’s possible when Tribes, local partners, and county, state, and federal governments work together. Wildfire resilience takes all partners working towards a shared objective – and consistent, long-term investment is necessary to build local capacity, protect communities, and restore forests to a healthier state. That’s why the state legislature must continue to fund the Wildfire Resilience Account if Washington is going to restore forest health, protect communities, and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
Defensible space: Before & after removal of fuel around a private residence in Plain.
Home hardening: Reducing home ignitability by removing flammable landscaping material and vegetation and installing gravel in the immediate surroundings of the home.
Thinning hazardous fuels: Swipe to see the difference on this dry forest floor. Notice the risk of ladder fuels that could drive fires up into the tree crown is significantly reduced after treatment.
Prescribed burning: A local volunteer-led organization, Cascadia Prescribed Burn Association, leads small-scale prescribed fire efforts on private lands in Chelan County. They have also received funding from HB 1168 for equipment and writing burn plans for implementation. Prescribed burns reduce hazardous fuels and the likely severity of future wildfires.
Thank you to everyone who came and made this tour possible!
For more about the tour, check out TNC’s story map.
All photos courtesy of SNW, TNC, and partner organizations.
