SAN DIEGO -- An eight-page grand jury report released Wednesday calls for funding a regional fire authority and a permanent fire and rescue helicopter program.

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The report -- titled "Is There a Need For A Regional Fire Authority and Rescue Helicopter in San Diego County?" -- recommends creation of a year-round regional fire and rescue program, with two or more helicopters, under the control of a regional fire authority.

"The grand jury concludes that the County of San Diego is in critical need of two or more regional fire/rescue helicopters," the report states. "The aircraft should be under the supervision of a yet-to-be-defined regional fire authority."

The county's lack of a dedicated fire and rescue helicopter has been a major issue since the October wildfires scorched more than 376,000 acres, destroyed more than 2,400 homes and took 17 lives.

The grand jury was in the final stages of its investigation when the firestorm occurred.

"The grand jury found San Diego to be the only large county in the state that does not have one or more fire and rescue helicopters," the report states. "There is no single county coordination/control organization for fire safety; in fact, there are 53 independent fire agencies."

For the past two years, the city of San Diego has leased a firefighting helicopter on a trial basis.

The city renewed the helicopter lease on an emergency basis during the October fires, after it lapsed just days before the blazes began.

In January, county supervisors agreed to contribute $218,000 to help pay the city's lease on the helicopter for a six-month period.

The grand jury urges supervisors to continue their support of the helicopter program until a regional fire authority is formed.

"The grand jury recommends that the San Diego County Board of Supervisors work with the city of San Diego to secure cooperative agreements and financial support from the cities and fire districts in the county to fund the interim operation of the San Diego Regional Fire and Rescue Helicopter Program," the report states.

Last month supervisors set aside $3.5 million toward the purchase of a refurbished fire and rescue helicopter, and established a council to determine what model is needed, and how it would be acquired and operated.

The five-member council is scheduled to report back to the board next month with its recommendations.