Nevada County Supervisor Says Cal Fire Isn't Doing Enough With Fire Fee
NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) — A Nevada County Supervisor is accusing Cal Fire of stockpiling money gathered from fire fees.
Hank Weston, a supervisor and former Cal Fire chief, says he knows this year could be a huge one for fires in his county.
"I'm concerned," he said. "I would tell anybody that this is not year to think, 'Oh, it's not going to happen to me.'"
But he says Cal Fire could do much more to help prevent a devastating blaze. He says for four years, the state has forced many property owners throughout California to pay $117 per year for a state fire prevention fee.
That money goes to Cal Fire to help in prevention efforts and programs, but Weston insists they aren't seeing Cal Fire use nearly enough of that money in Nevada County.
"In this county, they collect $3 million a year," he said. "We just paid our fourth year—$12 million. we have received $518,000 in a one-time grant."
He says there was another million or so given to Nevada County's local ranger unit, but Weston claims Cal Fire is still sitting on $46 million in reserves. He's drafted a letter he plans to sent to Cal Fire asking for an explanation and transparency.
Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant says they spread funding from the fee statewide and acknowledged they have taken in more fee revenue than they are used to in years past, could not confirm they are sitting on $46 million in reserves.
"Over the last couple of years, we've been able to increase the projects and the fuel clearing, and the fire breaks because we've received that funding through the fire prevention fee," he said. "With the fire prevention fee, it's actually been able to bring in more money that was initially generated when it was, that's been able to expand the projects, the programs, that we're able to provide residents in these foothill communities."
Weston says he's not seeing enough in his county.
"We're not receiving the proportionate portion of what we're paying," he said.
