Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Mutual Aid topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Nevada bill would let state join two interstate wildland fire compacts
Summary
Senate Bill 19 would authorize Nevada to enter the Great Plains and Northwest wildland fire compacts to speed mutual aid, broaden state-to-state resource sharing and streamline reimbursements for firefighting assistance.
CARSON CITY — Lawmakers on the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources heard a presentation on Senate Bill 19 on May 5, a measure that would authorize Nevada to join two interstate wildland-fire compacts to facilitate movement of firefighting personnel, apparatus and aircraft across state lines.
State Fire Warden Casey Casey told the committee SB19 would allow the Nevada Division of Forestry to enter the Great Plains and Northwest compacts, both formed to coordinate wildland fire protection among states and Canadian provinces under agreements that trace to early-20th-century federal authorities. “This allows for state-to-state movement of vehicles, apparatus and people, aircraft — all things,” Casey said. He added that state-to-state agreements can produce faster mobilization and quicker reimbursement than relying solely on federal agreements.
The bill sponsor, Senator Julie Pizzina, said SB19 emerged from the interim Natural Resources committee and received unanimous support there. “This is one of the bills that came out of the interim committee,” Pizzina said, thanking committee members for their work on wildfire preparedness. Pizzina noted the measure is intended to expand Nevada’s options for receiving and sending help during major incidents.
Casey said the Great Plains compact, formed later than the Northwest compact, provides broader authority to share resources nationwide. He told lawmakers Utah recently joined one of the compacts and that, among U.S. states, Nevada and California were the last holdouts; Utah’s recent action left California as the only state not participating in any compact. Casey also described operational benefits: Nevada’s five interagency dispatch centers track jurisdiction and payment codes when mobilizing resources, and compact membership would simplify those arrangements when aid crosses state lines.
Assemblymember Brendan Considine asked how the compact handles reimbursement if a requesting state does not pay. Casey said he had not seen a state refuse to reimburse and noted compacts include payment obligations; he described instances in which agencies have received IOUs but said that, historically, state-to-state payments have been quicker than federal reimbursement.
Committee members asked for details about which states are members of the Great Plains compact and about training and information-sharing among state foresters. Casey and Pizzina said compacts support operational sharing and that state foresters already exchange management techniques through national associations and formal trial programs.
The hearing included no public callers in support, opposition or neutral positions and closed without a committee vote.
Ending: The committee closed the SB19 hearing after questions and no public testimony. The measure will remain in committee as lawmakers consider the draft language and potential next steps.
