July 24, 2019 3:30 a.m.
Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Congressman Greg Walden expressed concern Tuesday that a number of local fire departments may no longer be able to serve as partners to the federal government in fighting wildfires.
The lawmakers sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt following a recent determination that the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service will allow existing cooperative agreements between local fire departments and the federal government to remain in place for the 2019 wildfire season. The letter however cited concerns from a number of local fire departments that both agencies will not enter into new cooperative agreements or renew recently expired cooperative agreements. The lawmakers said that means a number of highly qualified fire professionals will be prevented from helping to battle inevitable fires.
The trio said they have not heard any compelling reason why the agencies cannot renew these longstanding agreements through this fire season. They said the states and local fire departments are ready to help and are interested in a “fair and equitable long-term solution”.
A copy of the letter is available with this link:
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/072219%20Wildfire%20Agreements%20Wyden%20Merkley%20Walden%20Follow%20Up%20Letter.pdf.