This bill raises the authorized maximum level of the Wildlife Fire Suppression Fund from $3,000,000 to $5,000,000. It also offers incentives to counties for presuppression and fire management activities by crediting that activity against their liability to the Fire Suppression Fund. The Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands could be a resource to the counties in presuppression activities. Because the state would have to cover the actual cost of any fires that the counties currenlty would have paid for through their contribution to the Fire Suppression Fund, an additional state fiscal impact is assumed. The amount of the impact in any one year cannot be accurately forecast since wildland fires occur randomly. The suppression costs could be reduced in those areas where presuppression work is carried out, however, there is no way to determine beforehand where a fire will occur. It should be noted that while there is no dollar amount attached to this bill, the potential cost of paying for the counties' portion of the wildland fires could be significant.

Office of the Legislative Fiscal Analyst

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