2017 firefighting costs most expensive in state’s history

According to the Legislative Fiscal Division, the 2017 wildfire season is expected to cost the state $74.2 million as wildfires burned nearly 1.3 million acres.

During the 2017 Legislative session, lawmakers budgeted $32.3 million to fight fires for the fiscal years 2018 and 2019.

This year’s fire burned through that entire amount as well as an additional $12.5 million from the Governor’s Emergency Fund for Fires.

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