2023 New York Laws › ENV - Environmental Conservation › Article 9 - Lands and Forests › Title 11 - Forest Fire Control › 9-1121 - Fire Moneys and Accounts.

§ 9-1121. Fire moneys and accounts.
In  order  to  carry  into  effect  the  provisions  of this title the
  following is prescribed:
1. Temporary loan. The State Comptroller shall have,  subject  to  the
  approval  of the Governor, the authority to make, on behalf of the state
  a temporary loan not exceeding  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  any
  fiscal year, for the use of the department in protecting the forests and
  extinguishing  fires  as  provided  by title 11 of this article upon the
  certification of  the  department  that  any  emergency  exists  whereby
  through  insufficiency of appropriations it is found to be impossible to
  protect the forests from fire. The Comptroller  shall  thereupon  borrow
  such sums as may be directed by the Governor for such purposes and shall
  report  such  transactions  to  the  legislature  which  shall thereupon
  appropriate the moneys borrowed. Section 41 of  the  State  Finance  Law
  shall not apply to any indebtedness so incurred.
2.  Payment of fire bills. All salaries and other expenses incurred by
  the department and its employees in protecting  the  forests  from  fire
  shall be paid by the state.
3.  Rebate by counties. The full expense incurred by a town supervisor
  acting as superintendent of fires as provided in subdivision  twelve  of
  section   twenty-nine   of  the  town  law  and  paid  by  the  town  in
  extinguishing fires actually burning except  salaries  and  expenses  of
  regular  employees  shall  be a charge upon the county in which the fire
  burned provided that the county has within its borders any fire town  or
  fire  district  as  provided  in subdivision 1 or 2 of section 9-1109 of
  this title and provided  that  no  part  of  the  expenses  incurred  in
  extinguishing  fires  on  Indian  reservations located in Cattaraugus or
  Suffolk county shall be a charge upon or payable by such  counties.  The
  supervisors  acting  as  superintendents  of  fires  shall  on or before
  September first, of each year, transmit to the clerk  of  the  board  of
  supervisors  or  county  legislative  body  of each county in which such
  expense of extinguishing fires was  incurred,  a  summary  statement  of
  expenses  incurred  together with the amount charged against the county,
  except that a detailed statement of expenses shall be furnished for  any
  designated  fire or fires when so requested by a county. The clerk shall
  thereupon cause the amount due to the town to be included in the  budget
  and levied upon the taxable property of such county at the same time and
  in  the same manner as other county charges, and the amount due the town
  so levied shall be paid by the County Treasurer, on or before May  first
  following  the  levy  thereof  to  the town supervisor according to such
  claim.
4. May pay accounts. If any person  incurs  expenses  fighting  forest
  fires  in  a  fire  town,  or  in  a town included in a fire district as
  defined in subdivision 2 of section 9-1109, the department may upon  the
  receipt  of  satisfactory proof and accounts filed in its offices within
  sixty days from the time the expense was incurred audit and pay  all  or
  such portion thereof as in its judgment the public interest requires.
5. Recovery of expenses. Any moneys necessarily expended by the state,
  a  municipality,  or any person in fighting forest fires may be sued for
  by the state, municipality or person expending the  same  and  recovered
  from  the  person  causing  the  fire. Such actions may be maintained in
  addition to other actions for damages or penalties and may  be  demanded
  in the same or separate actions.
6.  Certain  towns  raise  fire  fund. Towns other than fire towns may
  raise necessary funds for prevention and extinguishment of forest  fires
  in their towns either by levy or pursuant to the Local Finance Law.
7.  Advance  by  Comptroller.  Upon  request  of  the  department, the
  Comptroller may advance a sum, not to exceed five  thousand  dollars  at

  any  time,  to the department for the purpose of facilitating payment of
  fire accounts.