The Legislature finds that the State of Nebraska’s forests, pasture lands, and rangelands have been destroyed by catastrophic wildfires, primarily due to higher temperatures, intense and prolonged drought, increased forest fuel-loads, and the extensive spread of Eastern Red Cedar trees into forests, pasture lands, and rangelands. Because of these conditions, wildfires occur more frequently, spread and grow very rapidly upon ignition, and consume large tracts of productive land. These severe, fast-moving wildfires put the lives of citizens, emergency responders, and visitors at great risk, are difficult to control, quickly overwhelm local suppression capacity, and cost enormous amounts of money to suppress and control.