MONDAY, November 2, 2026|
Photo – Carbon County Fire Protection District logo – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Carbon County Fire Protection District is paying into the state’s emergency fire account, but the county is still liable for costs not covered by the fund.
During the October 20th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting in Hanna, Deputy County Attorney Ashley Davis presented an interagency agreement with the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments and the Wyoming State Forestry Division related to the Emergency Fire Suppression Account. Attorney Davis explained that the program reimburses local firefighting agencies for costs associated with battling major fires.
However, Attorney Davis advised the Board of Commissioners not to sign the agreement. She said it lists the county as a participating entity, but County Fire Warden John Rutherford, who also serves as the chief of the Carbon County Fire Protection District, advised her that the District, not the county, has been paying into the Emergency Fire Suppression Account.
In 1986, the Wyoming Legislature established the Emergency Fire Suppression Account to protect county budgets from the growing costs of fighting large wildfires. The account is funded by participating agencies, with the state occasionally providing funding to keep the program afloat.
At the October 20th Board of Commissioners meeting, Fire Warden John Rutherford explained that soon after its creation, the Fire Protection District determined it should pay into the Emergency Fire Suppression Account in the county’s place.
Deputy County Attorney Ashley Davis said that under the proposed agreement, the county will cover firefighting expenses if the Emergency Fire Suppression Account is depleted. Before signing the contract, she recommended entering into a separate agreement with the Carbon County Fire Protection District to have it contribute to the state fund instead of the county.
Fire Warden Rutherford noted that while the Fire Protection District is paying the Emergency Fire Suppression Account premium, the county is still legally obligated to pay for firefighting costs in the unlikely event that the state fund runs out of money.
Attorney Davis said she will draft an agreement clarifying that the Fire Protection District, not the county, is responsible for paying into the Emergency Fire Suppression Account and present it to the Board of Commissioners at a future meeting.
