Pew Recommends Improved Accounting of Wildfire Spending and Enhanced Mitigation Efforts

Better data collection and additional funding would support federal, state efforts to manage the fiscal impact of wildfires

Improving Accounting of Wildfire Spending and Mitigation

The  federal government established the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission in late 2021 to develop policy recommendations and strategies for Congress “on ways to better prevent, manage, suppress and recover from wildfires.” In response to the commission’s call for policy recommendations related to science, data, and technology and appropriations, The Pew Charitable Trusts recently submitted two letters based on its 2022 report “Wildfires: Burning Through State Budgets.”

The first letter offers recommendations on ways to better track wildfire spending data, while the second recommends additional federal investment in mitigation strategies.

The responses, dated Feb. 22, 2023, and March 9, 2023, respectively, note that government spending on wildfires is on the rise: Combined funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service nearly doubled from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal 2020. Although comprehensive information on state and local spending does not exist, some available data indicates that state and local spending is likewise increasing.

Overall, however, information about expenditures is limited and fragmented. The lack of good data leaves gaps that obscure the complete picture of government spending. And such gaps make it difficult for policymakers at all levels of government to make informed decisions about how best to mitigate and manage the cost of wildfires.

Pew’s recommendations include steps that Congress can take to improve tracking of both federal and state expenditures. Better tracking of wildfire spending would benefit lawmakers in their oversight capacity and could inform state and federal investments in cost-saving mitigation efforts.

Related to mitigation, Pew’s research found a growing consensus within the wildfire management community that more investment in these activities is necessary to reduce the severity and impact of wildfires in the long term. Despite this consensus and recent investments, the Pew report found that states face persistent barriers to allocating sufficient funds to advance mitigation projects and activities that could reduce fire risk. Pew highlighted concerns about prioritizing suppression funding over mitigation funds, and difficulties navigating the complicated process for accessing and implementing federal funds. Additionally, the scope and scale of the problem are massive: An estimated 24.2 million homes face moderate or higher risk from wildfires.

In its recommendations, Pew focused on steps Congress can take to increase and facilitate investments in mitigation at all levels of government. Policymakers should commit to ongoing funding, provide incentives for states to invest their own funds, and increase funding for improved coordination.

Report

Wildfires: Burning Through State Budgets

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Report

Wildfires in the United States have become more catastrophic and expensive in recent years, with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service nearly doubling their combined spending on wildfire management in the last decade. Wildfire management consists of preparing for, fighting, recovering from, and reducing the risk of fires. To execute these activities, states, localities, the federal government, and Tribes, as well as nongovernment entities such as nonprofit organizations and private property owners, participate in a complex system of responsibilities and funding dictated by land ownership and an interconnected set of cooperative agreements.

From a bushfire in 2007 where 2000 Hectares were burnt out.
From a bushfire in 2007 where 2000 Hectares were burnt out.
Fact Sheet

How States Can Manage the Growing Price of Wildfires

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Fact Sheet

Wildfires in the United States have been getting bigger and more frequent for decades, with a startling shift in recent years: In the period from 2017 to 2021, the average annual acreage burned was 68% larger than the annual average from 1983 to 2016.

American Flag in rubble
American Flag in rubble
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How States Pay for Natural Disasters in an Era of Rising Costs

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Although catastrophes with large federal government responses capture the most public attention, state governments play an oft-overlooked role in paying for natural disasters. When the costs from natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes, and wildfires exceed a local government’s capacity to respond, states must be ready to step in with resources, personnel, and financial support for affected areas. And for larger disasters, states can request a presidential declaration, which makes federal funds available to supplement state and local resources.