OROVILLE, CA (MPG) – The Butte County Board of Supervisors last week approved a letter encouraging the U.S. Senate to pass the bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act of 2025, introduced by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Curtis (R-UT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT).
The legislation targets escalating wildfire threats across the West, with provisions tailored specifically to vulnerable regions in California.
“Prolonged drought and the buildup of dry fuels have increasingly intensified fires and extended
fire seasons,” stated Board Chair Tod Kimmelshue, in his July 29 letter to Padilla. “Wildfires today are more catastrophic – growing larger, spreading faster, and burning more land than ever before. This escalating trend is evident in California, which averages more than 7,500 wildfires a year.”
Kimmelshue noted the most devastating fires that Butte County has experienced have all occurred since 2017, a worrying trend in the wrong direction.
The 2018 Paradise Camp Fire, caused by electrical transmission lines, burned 153,336 acres, destroying 18,804 structures and claiming 85 lives. Additionally, Butte County continues its recovery from the arson-related Park and Thompson Fires, both in July 2024, which together burned more than 12,000 acres, resulting in the loss of 726 structures, and prompted an ongoing local health emergency proclamation as declared by the Department of Public Health.
In neighboring Colusa County, The June 17, 2024 Sites Fire along the Sites-Ladoga Road in Colusa County, the cause of which is still unknown, scorched over 15,000 acres, prompting widespread evacuations and placing major strain on local firefighting resources. Recently, Recently, a vegetation fire near the Sutter Buttes on July 9, produced heavy smoke that impacted nearby residents in Yuba City and Marysville.
“Butte County – and our neighbors around Northern California – are on the front lines of the fight against the increasing scope and scale of wildfire,” Kimmelshue added.
Tailored to California’s unique fire conditions, the Fix Our Forest Act would streamlines federal forest management protocols, expands the use of prescribed burning, and establishes a Wildfire Intelligence Center to modernize emergency response coordination. It also supports home hardening, reforestation, and upgrades to fire-resistant infrastructure, efforts aligned with Butte County’s disaster mitigation priorities.
The Bill has gained notable traction across California, with endorsements from Calfire leadership and the Association of California Water Agencies. It passed the House of Representatives in January with strong bipartisan support and now awaits consideration in the Senate.
CalFire reports that as of Aug. 1, California has experienced 4,759 wildfires statewide. These fires have burned approximately 228,215 acres and destroyed 16,333 structures.
The Board’s vote affirms Butte County’s continued engagement in federal wildfire policy and its commitment to proactive forest management and public safety throughout the region. Emergency proclamations remain in effect as the county faces above-average fire activity this season.
“The Fix Our Forest Act takes a comprehensive approach by creating a Wildfire Intelligence Center to coordinate the federal response,” Kimmelshue noted. “It would streamline grants, help communities build wildfire-resistant structures, boost reforestation and nursery capacity, and reduce wildfire-related litigation to speed up forest health treatments.”
No vote has been scheduled for the Fix Our Forest Act, which was refereed the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources in March.