Capital Press

OKANOGAN, Wash. — Rep. Glenn Thompson, chairman of the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, will discuss land management and wildfire preparedness with Okanogan County residents on March 31.

Thompson, R-Pa., is the guest of Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., at a public roundtable discussion hosted by Newhouse from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Okanogan County Fairgrounds in Okanogan.

“I am deeply concerned about the increasing frequency and severity of wildfires in our community,” Newhouse said. “I am committed to ensuring our public lands are managed properly and that the federal government meets its obligations in the Pacific Northwest.”

Panelists include Mike Williams, supervisor of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, and T.J. Dargan, regional coordinating office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Jon Wyss, chairman of the Okanogan County Long Term Recovery Group, said he hopes Thompson learns about management of the forest and the mutual benefits of recreation, grazing and other uses of the forest.

He said a bill to end the borrowing of non-firefighting funds within the U.S. Forest Service budget to fight fires has enjoyed bipartisan support and needs to be pursued despite failing last year.