Wildfires in 2008 Cost State Over $1 Billion

In over 2,000 wildfires around 1.4 million acres of California were scorched this year at the cost of over $1 billion dollars for the state and almost $750,000 for the US Forest Service, which is half of their budget for fire suppression nationally. Besides the damage, the homes lost and the lives ruined, the future isn't looking too great either, especially in trying to stop these from happening again from a legislative point of view.

"The fires, fought at a huge cost to taxpayers, failed to translate into any meaningful reforms at the state or federal level despite efforts in Sacramento and Washington," the LA Times found. "Lawmakers introduced a number of measures dealing with land use, fire prevention and protection. But the proposals stalled, or in the case of one major state bill, were vetoed."

AP Photo/Dan Steinberg