Firefighting Aircraft Wildfire Mgmt And Response

The act directs the state treasurer to transfer $30,800,000 from the general fund to the Colorado firefighting air corps fund to support the following purposes:

• The purchase by the division of fire prevention and control (division) in the department of public safety of a fire hawk helicopter (helicopter) configured for wildfire mitigation; and
• The leasing by the division of a type 1 helicopter or other available and appropriate aviation resource configured for wildfire mitigation in advance of the 2021 wildfire season and for the operational costs associated with the leased and purchased aviation resources.

In addition to any other purpose for the use of money in the wildfire emergency preparedness fund (WEPF), the act permits the division of fire prevention and control in the department of public safety to use money in the WEPF to provide wildfire suppression assistance to county sheriffs, municipal fire departments, or fire protection districts throughout the state at no cost to such entities pursuant to annual guidelines published by the division in the wildfire preparedness plan.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)