California Ruling Could Shift Fire Suppression Costs

Temperatures are rising, and wildfire season has already begun across much of California. The 2020 fire season outlook from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, anticipates an above normal potential for large fires, and the possibility of an earlier than usual grassfire season.

Meanwhile, coronavirus social distancing demands are creating a new challenge for firefighting agencies across the state. 2020 is shaping up to be another challenging year.

Against this backdrop, the California Supreme Court is now considering whether corporations can be held liable to pay the costs of investigating and fighting certain human-caused fires. Earlier this year, the court unanimously granted a petition for review of the Second District Court of Appeal's 2019 decision in Presbyterian Camp and Conference Centers Inc. v. Superior Court.

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