JUDGE FINES CAL FIRE $32 MILLION FOR “CORRUPT AND TAINTED” ACTIONS

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Local fire board member questions County Fire Authority’s reliance on Cal Fire in wake or ruling

By Miriam Raftery

A Superior Court judge has fined Cal Fire $32 million  to cover legal bills for Sierra Pacific Industries after Cal Fire blamed a logger working for the company of causing a 2007 wildfire in Plumas County.  Judge Leslie Nichols accused Cal Fire of “egregious and reprehensible conduct” including covering up evidence, lying, and engaging in “corrupt and tainted actions.”

Cal Fire had sought to recover its firefighting costs.  But the case against Sierra Pacific was dismissed in July  for lack of evidence and last week, the judge announced sanctions against Cal Fire.

Cal Fire spokeswoman Janet Upton said the agency disagrees “vigorously” with the court’s finding and is considering appealing the sanctions.  The agency has already filed an appeal of the dismissal. 

The judgment comes on the heels of revelations that Cal Fire stashed at least $3.55 million in a hidden fund set up through a nonprofit for training wildland firefighters and buying equipment.  An audit by the state concluded that the money should have gone into the state’s general fund. 

Kim Hamilton, editor of the Deerhorn Valley Antler, said the disclosure calls to mind another state agency that hid funds.  “Remember the State Parks stashing away money while pleading poverty?” she asked.  The State Parks Department was caught hiding money in a private account at a time when the State was threatening to close state parks for lack of revenues.

But some find court’s findings against Cal Fire are particularly troubling in our wildfire-prone state where firefighters are admired or even viewed as heroes. Moreover, the ethical issues raised regarding Cal Fire are disturbing to some East County residents concerned over the County partnering with Cal Fire to run its new County Fire Authority at a time when more and more rural districts are being asked to dissolve and turn over local control to the CFA.

Fire agencies should be “above politics and reproach,” says Lou Russo, Chair of the Rural Fire Protection District (RFPD) in East County.  “I have, since first being elected to the San Diego Rural Fire Board, seen that this is not always the case.  It is no surprise to me to learn that Cal Fire, a state fire agency which the County of San Diego plans to be the backbone of the new County Fire Authority (CFA) has been found to be less than sterling when it comes to the exhibition of integrity, legal actions and ethics. That is why I am convinced that only by local control can Cal Fire have the necessary oversight.”

Russo notes that the CFA is merely an advisory body under San Diego’s Supervisors “with no real oversight of Cal Fire” despite efforts ongoing to dissolve volunteer fire departments such as the RFPD and consolidate them under the CFA.   While Russo said he believes supervisors will “make every effort to monitor the CFA and Cal Fire,” he remains concerns that oversight could be lax.

“Absent a County Charter declaration of a firefighting mission,” he concluded, “local agencies such as SDRF are necessary to monitor Cal Fire, from close proximity and as its sole duty.”

 

 


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