According to Governing.com, Idaho, Maine, and Oregon allow local agencies to charge for rescues that involve recklessness.
These laws, along with similar bills in several states, generally target “risky adventure” during a state of emergency (e.g., kayaking during a flood). But some bills could also apply to residents who simply refuse to heed evacuation warnings that lead to dangerous and expensive rescues.
For example, two hikers in Orange County, California were recently rescued by helicopter after taking hallucinatory drugs and getting lost in a canyon. The rescue cost the local fire authority $55,000. A local legislator is now considering reviving an expired California statute that would charge individuals for extraordinary rescues due to reckless behavior. The expired law had a $12,000 cap, but under the revived version, there would be no such limit, so the state or local government could recoup the entire rescue cost.
