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Cali Firefighters Won’t Help The Feds Fight Fires Until They’re Paid

Reuters

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Tim Pearce Energy Reporter
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Santa Cruz County fire departments will not aid the United States Forest Service (USFS) in fighting fires on federal land until they are paid for past work, according to Firehouse.com.

Santa Cruz fire departments have been on hiatus from assisting in USFS fires for three years over payment issues with the federal government.

“The volunteer agencies are taking a stand. We can’t afford to send people out when they’re not being paid,” Scotts Valley and Branciforte Fire Protection Chief Dan Grebil told Firehouse.

The question of payment over fighting a wildfire usually isn’t settled until after the costs have been incurred and the wildfire is extinguished. The ambiguity leads to disagreements between state and federal agencies over who’s responsible for the bill and how much each deserves in compensation, California’s ABC7 reported.

“While the hoses are being rolled out, and the fire trucks are racing in, and the airplanes are going on the attack, behind the scenes, all of the accountants are saying, ‘Who’s paying for what?'” Pomona College Professor Char Miller told ABC7.

While both California and the USFS agree the federal government is in debt to California’s firefighters, the two disagree on how much.

California’s Office of Emergency Services (COES) accused the USFS of withholding $18 million in payment to local fire departments for fighting wildfires on federal land. USFS Chief Thomas Tidwell said $14 million had already been paid back. The final $4 million is in dispute.

Half of the $4 million remaining debt is being processed and validated by the USFS.

“The approximately $2 million that remains do not have sufficient documentation or invoices from Cal OES to ensure they meet audit and assurance requirements,” Tidwell wrote in his response to COES according to Firehouse.

“The USFS has blatantly ignored its financial responsibility to the men and women of California who have risked their lives fighting fires to protect federal land… This is appalling and absurd,” the COES letter says according to ABC7.

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