Smoke column from the Little Yamsay Fire in the Fremont-Winema National Forest on May 11.

What should Oregon do to pay to prevent and fight wildfires? Legislators take up a small piece of that question this week.

Increasing funding to prevent and fight wildfires flopped in the 2024 session. A proposal to increase the timber harvest tax and slash the per-acre fees paid on ranchlands and timberlands died. Two bills that would have asked Oregonians to vote on increasing their property taxes for wildfire protection also died.

The Legislature was looking for solutions because there are worries fire seasons are going to get worse. And there are competing interests for every dollar that legislators have to spend. The Legislature also trimmed funding to state firefighting efforts, which led to an increase in fees for some landowners by some 40%, OPB reported.

The question for legislators this week is simple: Should they approve $157,000 for a facilitator to work with groups to find funding solutions and make recommendations to the Legislature?

Oregon seems to be in a place where the only answer to that question is yes.