STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – State Representative Walt Blackman’s wildfire mitigation bills to protect White Mountain communities from devastating wildfires—HB2395, HB2398, HB2400—passed out of the House Committee on Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs, advancing in the legislative process.

The bills allocate a combined $19 million to wildfire suppression, contingency planning, and fire prevention efforts in some of Arizona’s highest-risk areas, including Taylor-Snowflake, Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside, and Payson. With this funding, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) will be able to continue implementing proactive fire management efforts in Arizona’s high-risk areas and ensure local fire departments are equipped to respond before small fires become catastrophic disasters.

“We can’t afford to sit back and let rural Arizona burn,” said Representative Blackman. “We’re proactively putting resources where they’re needed most—on the front lines of wildfire prevention. These bills are about saving lives, protecting property, and ensuring that our rural communities aren’t left vulnerable when the next big wildfire hits.”

Arizona’s wildfire risk has only increased due to prolonged drought and federal mismanagement of our forests. Without adequate funding for mitigation, fires threaten homes, businesses, and entire towns.

Representative Blackman’s bills are a key part of the 2025 House Majority Plan pillar on public safety, which prioritizes preventative measures, responsible forest management, and cutting through government red tape to get resources to fire crews faster. Governor Hobbs’ proposed budget failed to include any new funding for hazardous vegetation removal or forest thinning, leaving rural communities at risk.

“The people of Arizona sent us here to lead, not sit on the sidelines,” Representative Blackman added. “This is exactly what leadership looks like—stepping up, taking action, and making sure that our rural communities have the resources they need to stay safe.”

With committee approval secured, the bills now advance to the Appropriations Committee.

Representative Walt Blackman is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 7 and is Chairman of the House Government Committee. Follow him on X at @BlackmanForAZ.