“The “Prescribed Fire Liability Claims Fund Pilot” will allocate $20 million to cover losses that may occur if a prescribed or cultural burn ends up slipping control.”
California has averaged 1.8 million acres burned a year since 2017. The main thing stopping more prescribed burns is liability, so the state is putting up $20 million to cover the rare one that escapes. The stated goal is to prove the risk is low so private insurers will enter the market. The state takes the risk until insurers decide the profit is safe.