Oregon lawmakers are convening for a special session to discuss emergency wildfire funding after a record wildfire season in the state.

The Oregon Department of Forestry still owes hundreds of vendors more than $98 million for costs incurred during this year's wildfire season.

The emergency spending will free up the Oregon Department of Forestry and Office of State Fire Marshal — the two state agencies that predominantly tackle wildfires — to pay contractors who sent machinery and manpower to battle this year’s blazes and support firefighting teams, but have sat unpaid for months.

The company has worked on wildfires for decades, and Miller says the state routinely pays its bills within 45 days. But this year, some of Miller’s invoices have sat unpaid for double that. Meanwhile, credit he’s taken out to pay his roughly 250 employees for their work on the fires is coming due.

The Oregon Legislature overwhelmingly approved $218 in additional funding on Dec. 12 to cover the 2024 fire season, including to pay firefighting crews waiting months for compensation after keeping communities safe.

The Capital Chronicle has launched a $10,000 end-of-year fundraising campaign to help us continue our first-class coverage next year. A lot is at stake, and there’s a long legislative session in 2025.