Wildfire Prevention Seen as a Way to Reduce High Suppression Costs in California

As the cost of fighting wildfires has risen in California and nationwide over the past decade, authorities are focusing on prevention as a key part of their fire strategy. Since 2014, wildfire suppression efforts have cost the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the Department of the Interior more than $3 billion annually, according to the agencies. The base firefighting budget of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, was $3 billion in 2023-24, nearly tripling in the past decade, according to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office, and putting it on par with nationwide expenditures. Climbing suppression costs have highlighted prevention as an alternative....