CSHB 395(FIN)-FIRE SEASON DATES    CHAIR THOMAS WAGONER announced HB 395 to be up for consideration. REPRESENTATIVE CURT OLSON, sponsor of HB 395, introduced Conrad Jackson. 3:35:58 PM CONRAD JACKSON, staff to Representative Curt Olson, said that HB 395 would move the start and end dates of the fire season back one month. He explained that moving the start date back is particularly important so that fire fighting personnel and equipment will be in place to fight early-season fires. More early fires are seen around the state because spruce bark beetle infestations have resulted in increased fuel sources. Without the proper equipment and personnel in place, these early fires have the potential of growing and becoming much more difficult to contain and extinguish. 3:37:09 PM SENATOR BERT STEDMAN joined the committee. SENATOR KIM ELTON asks if the season starts one month earlier and ends one month earlier. Mr. Jackson replied yes. Initially the idea was to start the season one month earlier to deal to pre-green up fires, but that resulted in a fiscal note that approached $1 million. Moving the end date back one month made it possible to zero the fiscal note so that's what was done. CHAIR WAGONER commented that on the Kenai Peninsula the rainy season begins in early August. By the end of August the dew point is usually down so this wouldn't be a problem for that area. 3:39:54 PM SCOTT WALDEN, Coordinator, Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management, stated support for the amended version of HB 395. In the Kenai area the spring fires are of greater concern than in the late season and it's prudent to mobilize resources early. He noted that if a fire were to overlap past August, there is the opportunity for supplemental help. CHAIR WAGONER closed public testimony. 3:42:01 PM Senator Dyson moved to report CSHB 396(FIN) from committee with individual recommendations and zero fiscal note. No objection was stated, and it was so ordered.