A proposed budget to fund the U.S. government carves out an additional $2 billion annually toward wildfire disaster response after a series of record-breaking wildfire seasons have plagued the West. The bipartisan measure would allow for an additional $20 billion in wildfire disaster funding over 10 years to prevent “fire borrowing,” which occurs when officials from the Forest Service and other federal agencies use money set aside for fire prevention and reforestation programs to fight wildfires. The eight worst wildfire seasons on record have all occurred in the past 15 years, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Environmental groups praised the additional wildfire disaster funding as a major step for conservation efforts. “The comprehensive solution to the wildfire funding problem included in the bill is a tremendous victory,” Lynn Scarlett, co-chief external affairs officer for the Nature Conservancy, said in a statement Thursday.

Source: Huffington Post March 22, 2018 22:30 UTC