The bill establishes two new funds within the Forest Conservation Act: the "Wildfire Suppression Fund" and the "Post-Wildfire Fund." The Wildfire Suppression Fund is created as a nonreverting fund in the state treasury to ensure a stable source of funding for wildfire suppression efforts. It will be administered by the energy, minerals, and natural resources department and will be used for wildfire control, technology acquisition for wildfire management, and securing grants for wildfire emergencies. Similarly, the Post-Wildfire Fund is also a nonreverting fund aimed at providing financial support for post-wildfire emergency stabilization and recovery activities. This fund will also be administered by the same department and will cover emergency stabilization, post-wildfire activities, and securing matching funds for recovery efforts.

Additionally, the bill mandates annual reporting by the energy, minerals, and natural resources department to the legislative finance committee, detailing the balances of both funds, summaries of reimbursements and appropriations, and anticipated wildfire conditions for the upcoming year. The bill also amends existing definitions within the Forest Conservation Act to clarify terms related to wildfire management, including "emergency stabilization," "fire suppression damage repair," and "wildfire disaster management." The provisions of this act are set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 68-2-7
AF substitute: 68-2-7
Final Version: 68-2-7