OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has kicked off a new initiative designed to improve access to wildland fire training for enrolled members of state tribes.
According to the department of resources, the $800,000 in funding from the Legislature, the program aims to cover essential costs like travel, course fees, and daily expenses for tribal participants.
“Wildfire has an outsized impact on many Native American communities, which is why it is critical we are training state, local and tribal firefighters side by side so we’re all ready to work side by side when we fight fires,” Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said. “I’m proud to provide the training to support tribal response to wildfires, strengthening our tribal communities and increasing our long-standing government-to-government cooperation on emergency response.”
As part of the initiative, half of the funding will go toward a partnership with Washington State University Extension Service, which will offer workshops on fire suppression and prescribed fire management.
“This is a fantastic chance to enhance DNR support for tribes by facilitating delivery of wildfire training,” said Russ Lane, DNR’s Wildland Fire Management Division Manager.
