February 24, 2022 3:30 a.m.

Oregon Senate Republicans say their vote Wednesday would have protected Oregonians from catastrophic wildfire.

The vote would have appropriated $50 million to bolster forest thinning on public lands. The release said under Senate Bill 1573, 10 of the most wildfire impacted counties would receive $5 million each to fund thinning operations to decrease fuel loads. That includes Douglas County.

State Senator Fred Girod of Lyons said, “We have failed to responsibly manage our forests for decades. We can expect catastrophic fires, like the one that burnt down my home, to get worse until we make management a priority. We must also put out fires, instead of just letting them burn”. Girod said the bill would have been a significant step in accelerating the race against the clock. Girod said “It is disappointing this bill can’t even get a debate on the Senate floor”.

The release said its estimated that the bill could have thinned as much as 100,000 acres across the state. The Republican effort died as Senate Democrats voted along party lines, 18 to 8, to oppose the bill.