1. Department of Natural Resources Fire Suppression Study Proposed Final Report Joint Legislative Audit & Review Committee June 22, 2005 John Woolley and Lisa Jeremiah

2. Report pp 1, 39-40JLARC study of DNR's Fire Suppression2 JLARC Study Mandate 2004 Supplemental Operating Budget directed JLARC to: 2004 Supplemental Operating Budget directed JLARC to:  Review compliance with statute  Examine factors contributing to recent costs State Auditor’s Office: review controls to ensure that only appropriate costs are charged to the suppression budget State Auditor’s Office: review controls to ensure that only appropriate costs are charged to the suppression budget

3. JLARC study of DNR's Fire Suppression3 Report Summary and Focus Some statutory compliance issues Some statutory compliance issues No single factor contributing to growing expenditures No single factor contributing to growing expenditures Policymakers can expect that when more acres burn, expenditures will go up Policymakers can expect that when more acres burn, expenditures will go up DNR’s data systems are poorly set up to answer basic questions about expenditures DNR’s data systems are poorly set up to answer basic questions about expenditures

4. Report p 2JLARC study of DNR's Fire Suppression4 90% of Fires DNR Fights Not on DNR Managed Land A total of 21,175 fires from 1980 through 2001

5. Report p 4JLARC study of DNR's Fire Suppression5 Growing Number of Acres Burned on DNR Protected Land Ten-Year Trend

6. Report p 1JLARC study of DNR's Fire Suppression6 Suppression Expenditures Are Growing (Controlled for Inflation) Ten-Year Trend

7. Report p 297 Suppression Budgets: Guessing If Lightning Will Strike

8. Report’s Eight Recommendations Focus on Improved Information for Decision Makers

9. Report p 33-36JLARC study of DNR's Fire Suppression9 Improve Fire Information and Cost Comparisons Rec. 1: DNR’s published statistics should include its efforts on all fires, not just fires on DNR-protected lands. (DNR concurs) Rec. 2: As required by statute, DNR should prepare an annual unit cost analysis. (DNR concurs) Rec. 3: DNR should prepare a plan for adapting its financial systems to include number of units used and unit costs. (DNR concurs)

10. Report pp 36-37JLARC study of DNR's Fire Suppression10 Improve Financial and Budget Information Rec. 4: DNR should review its method for developing budget requests. (DNR partially concurs) Rec. 5: The Legislature should consider reviewing fire suppression and pre-suppression budgets together. (DNR partially concurs) Rec. 6: DNR should report to the Legislature on its efforts to standardize agreements with local fire districts. (DNR concurs)

11. Report pp 37-38JLARC study of DNR's Fire Suppression11 Improve Specific Information on Helicopters Rec. 7: DNR should include helicopter expenses in the pre-suppression budget. (DNR partially concurs) Rec. 8: DNR should hire a consultant to develop an accurate rate for the helicopter program. (DNR concurs)