The U.S. Forest Service is predicting it may have to borrow money for the upcoming fire season.
The Funny River Fire alone cost Alaska over $10 million to fight in 2014 and this year’s forecast could be well over $1 billion nationally.
The U.S. Forest Service might have to borrow from the programs designed to help prevent big fires.
Chief Tom Tidwell with the service testified before a Senate committee about California and other Western states battling drought.
He said that with average fire seasons climbing in numbers each year, this season’s estimate is between $800 million to $1.7 billion.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski recently visited Fairbanks and commented that she couldn’t remember a May with no snow on the ground.
Lawmakers stated that the federal government needs to make some changes to the budget for the upcoming fire season.
