CalFire makes news, again

      Continuing the state's firefighting effort, the WSJ posts a well documented story about CalFire and its use of "special funding for its efforts.  Apparently, in the course of chasing down funds, CalFire has gone after private companies for recovery of costs relating to firefighting activities.  Sierra Pacific is named in particular after they settled a suit, paying $55 millions to settle.
    But the primary concern is a privately managed fund with 2-3millions involved, that does not appear to be identified in CalFire audits.   The management company, run by the California District Attorney's Assoc., has dissolved the agreement with CalFire to manage the account, called WiFiter.
Deputy State CalFire director, Ms. Janet Upton, said CalFire was in the process of transfering the funds to the state general fund.
     There is the possibility that these activities have run afoul of state law, which prohibits establishing accounts without the knowledge of the Finance Dept. which did not know of the WiFiter account.
      CalFire is the same branch of state government that recently sent bills for fire protection services to over 100,000 property owners throughout rural California, pulling in $82 millions!!!!!!
Yes, $82 MILLIONS.  And then officials were shocked that unemployment jumped in these statewide areas.