Irvine officials are strongly considering withdrawing from the Orange County Fire Authority in 2020, it was reported Thursday.
Irvine is one of 23 cities that get fire and emergency medical services from the Fire Authority.
The announcement comes after several years of debate over how the city can get its fair share of services from the Authority, the Orange County Register reported.
Irvine joined Placentia as the second city in recent weeks to inform the Authority of its decision to possibly withdraw.
The OCFA board will discuss the matter in a closed-door session Thursday evening.
“All of our cities are important to us. We don’t want any of them to go,” Lori Zeller, the authority’s assistant chief of business services, told the Register, but added that officials have explored worst-case scenarios and don’t believe the departure of Irvine and Placentia would harm the authority’s service to remaining members.
Irvine Mayor Don Wagner said concerns over how much the city pays the authority for public safety costs is a factor in the decision to consider leaving the Authority, according to the Register.