Kevin Van De Wege

Environment / Energy Smoke from wildfires is a direct threat to public health, deadlier than other air pollution, especially to older adults, children and people with lung conditions. I call for legislation that recognizes the urgency of this threat – to public health, to education funding, and to our climate – and increases wildfire funding to DNR. Economy DNR can boost morale, improve retention, and build experience among its firefighting force by upgrading pay, working conditions, and support. DNR can use increased employment opportunities to develop a more professional firefighting force and to attract applicants from larger, more diverse pool. We can expand firefighting opportunities for people in corrections programs, providing training and job skills that will help them transition more successfully from incarceration back into the community, reducing recidivism. Environment / Energy The Washington Geological Survey provided by DNR identifies hazard zones all over our state. These zones are typically sites of ancient landslides where the ground has never completely settled; the materials beneath continue to move, even if only by millimeters at a time, and at some point will give way. This information could be used to avoid development on unstable land, but too few people know about it. DNR provides the data to county officials, to enable them to help the public avoid building in potential landslide areas, but the information never seems to get to those who need it. More can, and must, be done to make sure this critical information is shared with anyone who seeks a building permit for new development. I would make this an agency priority – a life-and-death priority. Environment / Energy The lands commissioner must push for more funding for equipment to local governments, and improve coordination with local governments so that they are prepared to respond in the critical early stages of a wildfire. DNR can better contain wildfires by repositioning resources around the state and by improving its choices of when to deploy ground crews, helicopters, and other resources.