Idaho Budget Committee Rejects Proposals to Partially Restore Wildfire Funding Cuts

Concerns raised about impact on fire preparedness and increased costs

Mar. 5, 2026 at 8:38pm

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The Idaho Legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) rejected proposals to partially restore funding cuts for the Idaho Department of Lands' Forest and Range Fire Protection Fund. The cuts would mean fewer seasonal firefighters, increased risk of uncontrolled fires, and reduced fire prevention work across the state. Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller warned the cuts will hurt the state's ability to respond to wildfires and lead to higher costs.

Why it matters

Idaho has faced increasingly severe and frequent wildfires in recent years, and the proposed budget cuts threaten the state's ability to adequately prepare for and respond to these threats. The decision to reject funding restoration could have significant public safety and financial implications for the state.

The details

The JFAC committee considered two proposals to partially restore funding cuts for the Idaho Department of Lands' fire protection programs. The first proposal would have restored $125,000 in funding for the current fiscal year 2026, while the second would have restored $140,500 for fiscal year 2027. Both proposals were ultimately rejected. Rep. James Petzke, R-Meridian, cited concerns over how the department awarded $1 million in bonuses to firefighters and other staff last year as a reason for removing the second proposal.

  • On Feb. 10, Idaho Division of Financial Management Administrator Lori Wolff wrote to JFAC asking them to restore some of the additional budget cuts.
  • On Feb. 12, Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller told the Sun the wildfire suppression fund had a balance of about $1.2 million, which is not enough to pay the wildfire bills for a year.
  • On Wednesday, JFAC considered and rejected the two proposals to partially restore funding cuts.

The players

Dustin Miller

The director of the Idaho Department of Lands, who warned that the budget cuts will hurt the state's ability to respond to wildfires and lead to higher costs.

James Petzke

A Republican state representative from Meridian who cited concerns over how the Idaho Department of Lands awarded $1 million in bonuses to firefighters and other staff last year as a reason for removing one of the funding restoration proposals.

Lori Wolff

The administrator of the Idaho Division of Financial Management, who wrote to JFAC asking them to restore some of the additional budget cuts.

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What they’re saying

“It's unfortunate that we are looking at these further reductions to the fire program when the fire threat and fire severity in the state is only getting worse.”

— Dustin Miller, Idaho Department of Lands Director

“There are just all kinds of other positions in there that, to me, don't seem like they're in the spirit of what we gave them this money for. And so for them to then come in this year again and say, 'Hey, we need more money for fire in the current fiscal year, in fiscal year 2026,' when we gave them $1 million for fire and they used it on other staff, and now they're saying they don't have any money for fire, that's a disconnect for me, right?”

— James Petzke, Republican State Representative

“Without our militia firefighters and our militia crew and everybody involved in fire, we would not have the program that we have today. ... the majority of the funds went to our primary fire staff, the larger portions especially (went to) our engine captains. But we did want to make sure that those that are fireline (qualified) and those that have other qualifications that participate in fire are incentivized to keep participating in fires, so we believe those bonuses were applied appropriately.”

— Dustin Miller, Idaho Department of Lands Director

What’s next

Although JFAC members rejected proposals to restore funding for wildfire protections on Wednesday, committee members could still reconsider proposals to restore budget cuts before the 2026 legislative session adjourns for the year. JFAC is scheduled to reconvene at 8 a.m. Thursday at the State Capitol to continue working on the state budget.

The takeaway

The Idaho Legislature's decision to reject proposals to restore wildfire funding cuts raises serious concerns about the state's ability to adequately prepare for and respond to increasingly severe wildfires. This move could have significant public safety and financial implications, underscoring the need for policymakers to prioritize wildfire prevention and mitigation efforts in the face of a changing climate.