Wyoming State Forester Testifies on Wildfire Threat at Legislative Hearing

U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), welcomed Wyoming State Forester Kelly Norris to a committee hearing Tuesday to offer testimony on the threat of wildfires. The legislative hearing was held to examine the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission’s report. Norris said wildfire risk reduction and protection programs, as they have proved to be an investment that pays dividends.

Norris spoke to the various policy recommendations within the Wildfire Commission Report and addressed coordination between states and federal agencies, the need for flexibility that would allow federal funds to move across ownership boundaries, and the importance of proactive forest management. Norris previously testified before the committee in 2023.