Chelan County Commissioners are meeting with State Department of Natural Resources officials to discuss planned forest health projects in advance of the 2019 wildfire season. Commissioners sat down with NCWLIFE’s Steve Hair for a preview of what will be discussed and how a forest thinning project in the Stemilt Basin could be used as a State model for catastrophic wildfire prevention. Franz is seeking $55 million from Washington’s state legislature. Last month Franz unveiled her Wildland Fire Protection 10-Year Strategic Plan to help the state prepare for and manage increasing wildfire challenges. In 2018, the state Department of Natural Resources responded to more than 1,850 wildfires, a record high. Across Washington, 440,000 acres burned.