California Code, Government Code - GOV § 26200

If by reason of conflagration or other public calamity any index to any public records of a county is lost or destroyed, leaving the records without the necessary index for the convenience of the public in making use of the records, the board of supervisors may cause a new index of the records to be made by some competent person.  The cost of writing up and making the new index is a county charge payable out of the county treasury upon the order of the board.