Rantz: 122,000 acres torched—don’t forget who voted to cut fire defenses

Washington State is battling 14 major wildfires across rugged terrain and shifting weather conditions, with more than 122,000 acres scorched so far this year. Fire crews are facing grueling challenges to contain the flames spreading across the state.

The flames consuming Washington forests may be sparked by dry conditions and high winds, but the scale of devastation is tied directly to decisions  by Democrats made in Olympia. Will they find a way to blame President Donald Trump?

As residents brace for further damage, it’s important to remember that these disasters didn’t happen in a vacuum. Earlier this year, Washington Democratic lawmakers approved a budget that cut wildfire prevention and preparedness funding in half.

Remember that it was Democrats who gutted fire prevention

When Democrats voted earlier this year to slash wildfire prevention and preparedness funding by half, they gambled with public safety. Those choices are now colliding with reality as exhausted fire crews stretch resources to contain 14 blazes across the state.

The 14 large wildfires currently active across the state helped scorch over 122,000 acres in 2025. Firefighters are scrambling to respond in remote and difficult-to-access areas. The Bear Gulch Fire alone is expected to continue burning into winter, highlighting how prolonged and relentless these blazes can be.

Wildfires are a fact of life in Washington, but how bad they get—and how well we’re prepared to fight them—is determined by the policies passed in Olympia. As communities choke on smoke and watch homes and livelihoods threatened, residents should remember who left them with fewer defenses. The fires will eventually be put out. The consequences of political neglect, however, could smolder for years.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Seattle Red on 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

Follow @https://twitter.com/jasonrantz