Dent, Franz say bipartisan support led to progress in WA wildfire response
Washington State Representative Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, with former Washington Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz at an event. After a chance meeting while Franz, a Democrat, was running for land commissioner, the two found common ground in their goal of improving Washington’s response to wildfires. Since then, they feel their partnership is an example of why bipartisan efforts are vital to meet the needs of the state’s residents.
COURTESY PHOTO/TOM DENT
The Global Supertanker, an aircraft capable of carrying 20,000 gallons of water to fight wildfires, drops its payload near the Grant County International Airport. While the project was eventually closed down and the plane converted for another purpose, Washington Rep. Tom Dent and former Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz said they hope such aircraft are eventually available despite the economic factors associated with them.
Former Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz exits the Global Supertanker after joining a flight in Moses Lake. Franz said she believes taking care of issues like wildfires and natural disasters will require bipartisan effort not just in Washington, but nationwide.
State Rep. Tom Dent sits in the cockpit of the Global Supertanker. Dent said he believes Hilary Franz’s desire to reach across the political aisle and work with experts to find real wildfire mitigating solutions was a large part of why the state’s situation has improved since she was first elected. Dent is a pilot himself and Franz has said his expertise was helpful to have during her tenure as Lands Commissioner.
A Washington Department of Natural Resources Huey rigged for wildland firefighting. By increasing its fleet to ten of these aircraft from eight, adding a pair of airplanes, adding drones and setting up exclusive use contracts with companies that operate firefighting aircraft, DNR has improved its ability to respond to fires over the last decade.
MOSES LAKE – Getting anything done in politics takes solid relationships and the ability to reach across political divides, regardless of how partisan the overall conversation is. Former Washington Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz, a Democrat, and local State Rep. Tom Dent, a Republican, and their successes in advancing wildfire management are a prime example of that, they say.
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