BOISE, ID – The Idaho Legislature’s budget committee voted Monday to restore some of the state funding for wildfire protection and prevention that state legislators cut earlier in this year.

The funding, which is split between the current fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027, will go toward hiring seasonal firefighters to gear up for the upcoming wildfire season, standing up a new fire protection district in eastern Idaho and fire prevention.

On Feb. 6 and Feb. 13, JFAC voted to cut budgets for most state agencies and departments in FY26 and FY27 in order to make room to pay for tax cuts championed by President Donald Trump and avoid a state budget shortfall.

It took multiple attempts to restore the funding for wildfire preparedness.

On March 4, JFAC voted down proposals to restore the funding in this year’s budget and next year’s budget.

JFAC also voted down a proposal to restore wildfire funding in the fiscal year 2027 budget on Monday before Rep. Chris Bruce, R-Kuna, pushed to reconsider the budget and approve the funding.

JFAC’s action on Monday restores most of the funding cut by the additional 1% and additional 2% state budget cuts that the Idaho Legislature added to the 3% state budget cuts that Gov. Brad Little approved last year.

The restored funding for the Idaho Department of Lands’ wildfire programs breaks down as follows:

• $124,900 for fiscal year 2026
• $140,300 for fiscal year 2027

Idaho Department of Lands Director Dustin Miller told legislators that if they don’t restore the funding, it could lead to the state hiring fewer seasonal firefighters, reducing the amount of wildfire prevention work and jeopardizing the new eastern Idaho fire protection district.

After JFAC voted down the first proposal to restore funding on March 4, Miller said that wildfires will still be fought aggressively in Idaho this year, but the state may have to rely more on its federal partners to fight those wildfires, which could increase costs in the long run.

The restored funding for wildfire protection in fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027 still must head to the full Idaho House of Representatives and Idaho Senate for a vote before it is approved.

This story first appeared on Idaho Capital Sun.