As the massive fires in California continue to rage, California lawmakers have decided to turn a negative into a positive. They’re looking to put a patent on fire itself, because the state has become so well-known for them.

If they can push this litigation through the court systems, California can legally sue anyone who uses or controls fire in any way. Assuming they win the court cases, California could really reap the benefits of millions of dollars worth of fees from fire-users all over the nation, helping their state get out of some massive financial trouble.

If the patent is passed in the United States, they could begin to push for international claim over all fire. If accepted, California could sue any and every entity that uses a fire without their express consent and a minimal fee paid. Ideally, the money that would be won from fire patent cases could be used to allocate additional funds towards the fire fighting forces that have been working tirelessly for months.

In a roundabout way, they’d be fighting fire with fire.