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Cal Fire Awarded Additional $234 Million In Long, Dry Fire Season

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — California's firefighting effort got a financial boost during a busy fire season.

The state granted Cal Fire's request for an additional $234 million to fight fires in California. That's on top of Cal Fire's budget of $443 million for a total of $677 million.

RELATED: Long Wildfire Season Leaves Cal Fire With Pilot Shortage

Earlier this month, Cal Fire officials say they were down to the last $11 million in their budget after a busy firefighting season that began with finishing the fight against the largest wildfire in California at the time and included a fire that eclipsed it in size and another that roared to life and threatened the city of Redding.

It's the seventh time in the last 10 years the state has had to dip into reserve funds for the firefighting effort. California has received help from firefighters from across the country and as far as Australia and New Zealand.

With years of drought, Cal-Fire says conditions have changed, there's more fuel to burn, and we should expect even longer fire seasons.

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