Oregon Department of Forestry officials will report to a legislative committee on Thursday about the costs of the wildfire season, asking for money to balance the books.

This happens every year, but this time the numbers are historic. “This was the most costly season in history,” said Dan Postrel, ODF spokesman.

The season cost ODF a record $122 million and burned more than 100,000 acres of land under the department’s responsibility. That’s the most acreage scorched in one season in 60 years, Postrel said.

State forester Doug Decker and the agency’s chief of its fire protection division, Nancy Hirsch, will make that point before the Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee. They plan to ask lawmakers for $2 million in special funds, authorization to obtain $134 million in federal reimbursement money and $40 million from the general fund.

The wildfire season started early this year – in May – and was fueled by lightning, with more than 150,000 strikes igniting more than 510 fires on ODF land. That compares with a 10-year average of about 260 lightning-caused fires each season. In all, the agency battled nearly 1,140 fires, compared with about 920 on average in the past 10 years.

From Oregon Live: https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/11/oregon_department_of_forestry_1.html