Hawkins Calls for More Aggressive, Proactive Wildfire Approach

Outgoing State Sen. Brad Hawkins wants to pursue a much different wildfire strategy.

The Pioneer Fire is an ongoing headache. It has torched over 30,000 acres and is expected to last well into the fall.

Hawkins, for one, is frustrated. He is frustrated by a perceived overemphasis on wildfire management.

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"It's been a very difficult fire season and we still have a couple of months to go," Hawkins says. "I think what we're learning is that a strong initial attack in the first few hours is super important."

"We need to get to a point where we can put out the fires soon after they start - rather than just managing them once they burn and continue to grow and grow. That's bad for our air quality, it's bad for public safety and it jeopardizes our economies." (The Lake Chelan area, as Hawkins points out, is heavily dependent on tourism revenues.)

Above all else, Hawkins says, we need a ferocious aerial response - air support - to eradicate these fires in the early going.

A meeting of the minds is also in order, Hawkins says.

He is calling for a formal get-together of various stakeholders including local, state and federal elected officeholders. Ideally this "wildfire summit" would take place "over the wintertime."

"Basically, once this fire season is over, I think we'll need a chance to debrief so we can plan ahead."

Hawkins, a Wenatchee Republican, has represented Washington's 12th district since 2017.

Hawkins announced in April that he would not seek another term representing the the newly rejiggered district.

Instead he's running for Chelan County Commissioner in District 3.