So about the next big fire that's still going to be better than Katrina was...

On Monday San Diego Fire Chief Tracy Jarmon testified before a congressional subcommittee that San Diego County will be ill prepared for the next major fire season if they are not given funds to start a county fire department. The suggestion was opposed by county representatives, however, who insist that local residents would not agree to tax increases in order to fund a county run fire department. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) and Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Carlsbad) suggested that the problem could actually be solved with stronger federal and state government funding for rural areas where most of the land is state or federally owned. From the LA Times:

State and federal land is "highly combustible and undeveloped," Issa said. "And untaxed," Bilbray added. Both called on the state and federal governments to enhance their firefighting capability.

Looks like San Diego needs more money to keep up on their fire duties. Now I wonder who has that kind of money, the kind that you could use to fund such a project, hmmmm. It's definately not that SECOND PLACER Rady that's for darn sure.