As the summer heat adds to the West's significant drought, 8th District Representative Kim Schrier continues to point to the National Prescribed Fire Act as a possible solution to the massive fires in recent years.

Schrier said her bill would require the Forest Service and Department of the Interior to increase their controlled burn acreage by providing them both with $300 million annually for the work.

"To really understand what a huge benefit this is, is to understand first that prevention gets the leftovers. There's barely anything left." explained Schrier, "We spend so much money fighting fires, so many resources fighting fires, that afterwards FEMA will come in and there will be just a little bit of money in there to help with prevention or for replanting hillsides."

A $10 million collaborative program to implement controlled burns on county, state and private land at high risk of burning in a wildfire would be established through the legislation.

The bill would also streamline smoke regulations to allow for larger controlled burns.

More From NewsRadio 560 KPQ