Oregon lawmakers are convening Thursday for a special session to discuss emergency funding to pay out millions in unpaid bills stemming from the state’s 2024 record wildfire season.
As wildfires still rage in California, Oregon is among several states grappling with steep costs related to fighting wildfires this year. New Mexico lawmakers in a July special session approved millions in emergency aid for wildfire victims, and states including North Dakota and Wyoming have requested federal disaster declarations to help with recovery costs.
Fighting the blazes that scorched a record 1.9 million acres (769,000 hectares), or nearly 2,970 square miles (7,692 square kilometers), largely in eastern Oregon, cost the state over $350 million, according to Gov. Tina Kotek. The sum has made it the most expensive wildfire season in state history, her office said.
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