In unincorporated Riverside County, only three miles separate the mountain getaways of Idyllwild and Pine Cove. But the cost and quality of fire protection vary, and despite sharing a purpose and providing similar services, the towns' stations draw from different funding streams and answer to different government officials.
In Idyllwild, a local elected governing body manages the fire department. They staff their station with a greater minimum number of firefighters, including captains, engineers and paramedics, than Pine Cove, despite operating on a smaller budget.
Meanwhile, the Pine Cove station falls under Riverside County’s contract with Cal Fire, taking direction from the county and paying wages based on the statewide union’s negotiations in Sacramento.