Fact Check: "High Level spent $1.4 million on wildfire evacuations in 2024, over 10% of its budget."
What We Know
The claim states that "High Level" spent $1.4 million on wildfire evacuations in 2024, which is said to represent over 10% of its budget. However, there is currently no publicly available information specifically detailing the budget of High Level or its expenditures related to wildfire evacuations for 2024.
The Biden-Harris Administration announced a significant investment of nearly $500 million to confront the wildfire crisis, which is part of a broader strategy involving a total of $2.4 billion allocated to wildfire risk reduction efforts through the USDA Forest Service (USDA). This funding is primarily aimed at reducing risks to communities and infrastructure from wildfires, which have been exacerbated by climate change.
In terms of federal spending on wildfires, the Congressional Budget Office reported that average federal spending on fire suppression totaled approximately $2.5 billion annually between 2016 and 2020 (CBO). This figure indicates a substantial federal commitment to wildfire management, but does not provide specific details on expenditures by individual municipalities or regions like High Level.
Analysis
The claim regarding High Level's spending lacks supporting evidence from credible sources. The absence of specific budgetary data for High Level makes it difficult to verify the accuracy of the claim. The reported expenditure of $1.4 million as over 10% of its budget implies a total budget of approximately $14 million, but without access to High Level's financial documents or official budget reports, this cannot be confirmed.
Moreover, the context provided by federal funding announcements highlights a broader national strategy to address wildfire risks, but does not specifically mention High Level or its financial allocations. The USDA's announcement of funding is focused on comprehensive wildfire risk reduction strategies and does not break down expenditures to the level of individual municipalities (USDA).
Given the lack of detailed and specific financial information regarding High Level's budget and expenditures, the claim remains unverified. The sources available provide a broader context of wildfire funding but do not directly support or refute the specific claim about High Level.
Conclusion
Needs Research: The claim that "High Level spent $1.4 million on wildfire evacuations in 2024, over 10% of its budget" cannot be substantiated with the available evidence. There is no accessible data on High Level's budget or its specific expenditures related to wildfire evacuations. Further investigation into local government financial reports or additional sources would be necessary to accurately assess the validity of this claim.
