. >> for economist ray rasker, new developments like cathedral pines are largely to blame for the rising annual cost of wildfires. >> and it's an upward spiral, he says, because local governments reap tax benefits from their construction. >> if they perceive they are going to get more money from rubber stamping subdivisions all over the place, they will. >> the forest service, the bureau of land management, fema, they're the ones that are paying for the bulk of the firefighting costs. so for local governments who permit new developments,they don't have to think of the costs. >> so while the bill for fires like black forest can stretch to the tens of millions of dollars. almost all of it comes from the public purse. >> it's not unusual in some fires for the cost of defending each home to be $400,000 in some fires, up to $600,000 per home. in some instances, you're better off buying the land than paying to defend the homes. >> to actually contain this fire, it's taken elements of the national guard from three states, it's taken more than 1100 emergency personnel, 103 fire engines, there ha