KRS 149.180: Collection of costs of firefighting from person responsible for fire --

Disposition.

Whenever possible, the secretary for energy and environment shall collect the costs of

firefighting done and approved as provided in KRS 149.160, from the person resp onsible

for the origin of the fire by his negligence or intent. The recovered costs shall be

deposited in a special fund in the Energy and Environment Cabinet. The recovered costs

shall be repaid to the county in which the costs were incurred, if such coun ty has fully

paid its annual assessment to the statewide system as provided for in KRS 149.540 for the

year in which the fire suppression costs were incurred. If a county is not eligible to

receive the recovered costs, the money shall be used by the Divisi on of Forestry to

improve fire protection services. The funds so repaid to the county shall be placed in the

county forest fire protection fund provided for in KRS 149.590. Any money in the Energy

and Environment Cabinet's, or its predecessor's, special fu nd upon July 15, 1998, that

were not repaid to a county for having failed to fully pay its annual assessment, shall be

used by the Division of Forestry to improve fire protection services. In the event the

suppression cost is not collected, the Commonwealth's attorney of the county in which the

fire occurred shall institute and prosecute the necessary proceedings. Costs recovered

under this section shall be ordered to be paid directly to the Energy and Environment

Cabinet. The court shall not direct that the costs be paid through the circuit clerk.