New Bill Will Permanently Establish the California Wildfire Mitigation Program

A bill that would extend the life of several wildfire mitigation programs inched closer to it’s first committee hearing this week, with little in the way of opposition being found in Sacramento.

Assembly Bill 441, authored by freshman Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick (R-Alturas), would extend the sunset date of the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development (OWTRD) and permanently establish the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP). Specifically, the OWTRD, which is within the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection with the purpose to study, test, and advise regarding procurement of emerging technologies and tools in order to more effectively prevent and suppress wildfires within the state, would have it’s repeal date moved from January 1, 2029 to January 1, 2033. Likewise, the CWMP, which is a joint comprehensive wildfire mitigation program between the Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the State Fire Marshal, would be made permanent, with the end date of January 1, 2029 being removed. Should the bill pass later this year, the new end dates would be added in immediately to the respective programs.

Assemblywoman Hadwick wrote the bill in response to the growing wildfire threat in California, and the need for better technology to battle blazes in high-risk areas. The Assemblywoman also told the Globe on Tuesday that her bill in particular helps vulnerable residents in rural areas.

“Assembly Bill 441 extends the sunset date of the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development (OWTRD) and permanently establishes the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP), which ensures continued access to cutting-edge technologies and financial assistance for high-fire-risk communities,” said Hadwick Tuesday. “With increasing disaster frequency and intensity, home retrofitting and fire-hardening initiatives are essential to protecting vulnerable residents, particularly in rural areas. Strengthening these programs and continuing to invest in emerging wildfire technologies guarantees Californians will have the support needed to mitigate wildfire impacts long into the future.”

As of Tuesday, no real opposition has come forward against AB 441, especially with so many districts having had major wildfires in the past decade. The recent Palisades and Eaton fires in Southern California are likewise on the minds of many in the legislature, pointing to little opposition against the bill, as well as the several other wildfire-based bills brought forward this session. According to the state fire marshal, the CWMP ” encourages cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings and public spaces”, with a focus on rural areas. With many rural districts facing a great wildfire threat amidst tightening emergency costs, AB 441 will likely have backers in those districts as well.

If successful, the bill will build upon AB 38, which was signed by Gavin Newsom in 2019 and authorized Cal OES and CAL FIRE to enter into a joint exercise of powers agreement (JPA) to oversee the development and implementation of the CWMP. It also creates the possibility of a more permanent OWTRD in the future, especially if wildfire risk statewide remains high.

AB 441 is currently set to be heard in the Assembly Emergency Management Committee soon.