Gov. Ducey signs $100 million wildfire bill

Measure approved during special legislative session

PHOENIX, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill providing $100 million in funding to battle wildfires, and to respond to the damage they cause. The measure also creates a new force of more than 700 inmates to clear brush. Gov. Ducey called the measure an important step in bringing relief to rural communities already impacted by fire this y ear.

"Many Arizona communities have already felt the impacts of this year’s wildfire season — people and pets have been displaced, homes have burned down, swaths of land have been decimated. I’m grateful that we were able to quickly come together in a bipartisan manner for the safety and protection of our communities," said Ducey. "My thanks goes to our first responders working tirelessly to combat these fires, local and state agency leaders for their leadership during this time, and the legislators who worked across the aisle to get this bill passed.”

Ducey called for a special session in the face of wildfires already burning across the state. The measure allocates $25 million to pay for inmate crews, and $75 million for firefighting, flood prevention, and other recovery efforts.

The wildfire relief package was created by a bipartisan group of legislators from both rural and urban Arizona, including House Speaker Rusty Bowers, Representative Gail Griffin, Representative David Cook, House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding, Senate President Karen Fann, Senate President Pro Tem Vince Leach, Senator Sine Kerr and Senate Minority Leader Rebecca Rios. 

Earlier this month the Gov. Ducey issued two declarations of emergency in response to the Telegraph and Mescal Fires in Pinal and Gila Counties. The declarations free up $400,000 for response efforts.