Western NC wildfire risk will 'get worse, not better' Ag Commissioner says, pressing lawmakers for help

The risks from continued wildfires that have already burned thousands of acres in western North Carolina, forcing mandatory evacuations in some counties, are “expected to get worse, not better” as the year goes on, a top state official said Tuesday.

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler oversees the state’s forestry service that’s coordinating the wildfire response. He said Hurricane Helene is to blame for the worse-than-normal fires in the western part of the state, since there are so many more dead trees, leaves and other plant material on the ground than is typical.

And as the weather continues warming up with more drought expected, Troxler said, all that kindling is only going to get drier and more flammable — leading to a continued risk of fires like the state saw in March, when the number of wildfires reported statewide was double the normal amount.

“As all of this fuel dries and we go through a drought period, and you can expect it again,” Troxler said. “Particularly in the fall.”

Compounding the problem, he said Tuesday during the monthly Council of State meeting — when all the state’s executive officials meet and discuss issues facing their agencies — is a lack of funding from the state legislature for higher salaries and better equipment.

The state Forest Service has around 100 vacant jobs, Troxler said, and the employees he does have on staff to fight the fires are flying “worn-out helicopters” or using other outdated equipment.

“I have asked the legislature for the funds to rebuild the Forest Service to the point that we can jump on these fires and immediately attack them,” Troxler said. “We don’t have that capability now.”

A listing of state job openings shows that the state is actively recruiting for multiple county ranger and forest fire equipment operator jobs — all on pay scales starting below $38,000 — as well as a firefighting helicopter pilot job, with pay starting at $61,000.

Troxler is a Republican, as are the leaders of the state legislature. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein told Troxler on Tuesday he has also asked the legislature for that money, to no avail. GOP lawmakers recently approved just half of the $1 billion in Helene aid Stein called for, and they’ve also indicated many of Stein’s other budget priorities won’t face a warm reception at the legislature.

Stein told Troxler he’ll keep fighting for the money, however, even though it didn’t get included in last month’s infusion of $500 million more in Helene aid.

“That was part of the budget request I made of [the] legislature that was not funded,” Stein said. “I will be in discussions with the General Assembly and, obviously, we will seek to incorporate it in anything we request.”

North Carolina has struggled in recent years to fill government jobs, with some agencies reporting record vacancy levels. State employees’ salaries have risen in the past decade, but private sector wages have gone up more sharply.