Show Forest Fire Costs Rise Its It's going to cost Bountiful more to pay for fire fighting on mountain land owned by bythe the city A LOT more I In place of the 8 It has paid over the past few years the city will pay 1640 this year Future costs will depend on the number of oC fires along the Wasatch Wasatch Wasatch Wa- Wa satch front STATE FORESTER Paul L L. L meeting with the city council Wednesday evening along with US U.S. Forest officials explained why costs are higher The forest service fights the fires he noted The state makes a contract with each entity owning owning own own- ing mountain land then makes a contract with the forest service service service ice to fight the fires so a multitude multitude multitude multi multi- tude of Individual contracts Is s avoided THE FOREST service has been gathering information on the cost of fighting mountain fires he continued And the cost is high Under this new contract the forest service will take complete complete complete com com- control of fires tires It will fight the fires just as if the property were part of the forest service he told the council BOUNTIFUL HAS acres of land in the mountains east of the city Part of this was purchased purchased purchased pur pur- chased to preserve the water sheds The new figure is based on 50 cents per acre Actually Ranger Rang Rang- er Gordon Van Buren told the council it is costing the forest service 70 cents per acre to fight the fires But the service agreed to round off off the figure FUTURE RATES will be based on a five year average of actual fighting costs Mr S explained why costs are so high THE PLANES used to dump on the fires cost per hour costs 22 cents per gallon with each plane carrying gallons per FIRE Continued from Front Page drop It costs the forest service per hour to rent helicopters WHILE THE city council was not eager to pay more for fire protection members agreed the city would have to do it City Atty George K K Fadel raised the question of city lia liability lia- lia liability should anyone be Injured fighting a fire The contract makes the fighting a cooperative cooperative tive venture he pointed out t. t FOREST OFFICIALS assured the city liability would end at 1640 However we retain the right to investigate to determine who starts the fires they said If It a city employee should cause the fire the city would for forthe the cost in addition to the 1640 |