California 2025-2026 Regular Session

California Senate Bill SB326 Compare Versions

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11 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 326Introduced by Senators Becker and Laird(Principal coauthor: Senator Stern)February 11, 2025 An act to add Part 7.4 (commencing with Section 15480) to Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to wildfire safety. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 326, as introduced, Becker. Wildfire safety: The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act. Existing law establishes the Office of the State Fire Marshal in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and establishes the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the office. Existing law makes the deputy director responsible for fire preparedness and mitigation missions of the department, as provided.This bill would require the deputy director, on or before January 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions, as provided. The bill would require the framework to allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions, as defined, sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning. The bill would require the deputy director to, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.This bill would require the deputy director, on or before April 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the state delineated on a statewide level and by county, as provided. The bill would require the forecast to include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions, and to accomplish specific things, including establishing key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location. The bill would require the deputy director to, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.This bill would require the deputy director, on or before August 1, 2027, to prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually. The bill would require the report to contain specified information, including identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending, as provided.This bill would authorize the deputy director to contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative assessment of wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports to accomplish the purposes of this act.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Wildfires have caused unacceptable catastrophic losses to local communities, the state, and its residents over the past decade.(b) Increased wildfire risk is being driven by climate change, drought, and the accumulation of fuels due to historic wildfire suppression.(c) The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force has found that more frequent, larger, high-severity wildfires threaten a broad range of communities throughout the state, contributing to the loss of human life and property damage.(d) Smoke from unplanned wildfires has a detrimental impact on human health and poses an elevated risk to vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, those with certain underlying health conditions, and outdoor workers.(e) Since many of the states ecosystems are fire adapted, uncharacteristic fire regimes created by historic fire suppression policies threaten ecological health, hinder the ability of ecosystems to support biodiversity and vital ecosystem services, and contribute to soil erosion, diminished water quality, and impeded forest regeneration.(f) Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature have identified the urgent need for utilities to invest in safe and reliable service while minimizing ratepayer impacts and protecting energy affordability.(g) The Natural Resources Agency, the United States Forest Service, and the United States Bureau of Land Management have identified the urgent need for land managers to invest in stewardship of forests and landscapes to improve wildfire resilience in the face of climate change.(h) The January 2021 report from the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force identified the need for greater landscape-scale treatments to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and recognized the importance of building and maintaining regional approaches to wildfire resilience, reflective of the states diverse ecosystems and built environment.(i) The State of California recognizes the unprecedented challenges posed by wildfires and has responded with historic investments to address landscape-scale wildfire resilience.(j) Current investments by electric utilities to avoid utility ignitions are much larger than even the recent historic investments in wildfire and forest resilience by the state and federal governments.(k) Therefore, meeting the complex challenges presented by the modern wildfire crisis necessitates greater collaboration and coordination between the various entities tasked with managing wildfire risk and resilience in California in planning for and targeting wildfire risk mitigation investments.SEC. 2. Part 7.4 (commencing with Section 15480) is added to Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:PART 7.4. The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act15480. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern construction of this part:(a) Deputy director means the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the Office of State Fire Marshal.(b) Forecast means the Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast prepared pursuant to Section 15482.(c) Framework means the Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework prepared pursuant to Section 15481.(d) Report means the Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report prepared pursuant to Section 15483.(e) Risk to spend efficiency means the net present value of monetized reduction in wildfire consequences per dollar of risk mitigation expenditure.(f) Wildfire mitigation plan means a plan prepared pursuant to Section 8386 of the Public Utilities Code.(g) Wildfire risk mitigation action means an action undertaken by a private or public actor with the stated purpose of reducing either the chances of a wildfire ignition or the consequences of a wildfire ignition after one occurs, excluding fire suppression activities. 15481. (a) On or before January 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions as determined by the deputy director.(b) The framework shall be updated in conjunction with the forecast pursuant to Section 15482.(c) The framework shall allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning.(d) The framework may incorporate, for each wildfire mitigation action, including near-term and long-term estimates and projections, as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director, all of the following:(1) The entity or entities responsible for the wildfire risk mitigation action.(2) Risk events and consequences targeted, including cost and other appropriate metrics of unmitigated damages.(3) Cost of the wildfire risk mitigation action.(4) Methodologies for evaluating, and estimates of risk to spend efficiency of, the wildfire risk mitigation action.(5) Geographic areas to which the wildfire risk mitigation action applies.(6) Interactions, cobenefits, and joint impacts with other wildfire risk mitigation activities.(7) Interactions and joint impacts with climate change, drought, past wildfires, and other environmental factors and environmental metrics, as appropriate.(8) Effects on stakeholders and other affected parties.(9) Personnel requirements to effectuate the wildfire risk mitigation action.(10) Other factors as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall make the framework available as a planning tool for all entities included in the report pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 15483.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent possible, the deputy director shall make the factual and analytical basis for the framework available to the public on its internet website.15482. (a) On or before April 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the State of California delineated on a statewide level and by county, and shall include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions.(b) The forecast shall be prepared in coordination with the wildfire mitigation plan.(c) The forecast shall accomplish all of the following:(1) Contain, at a minimum, estimates of current ignition risk and an evaluation of the consequences of potential ignitions to human life and safety, structures and critical infrastructure, cultural and historic resources, public health, ecosystems and ecosystem services, and any other material consequences as determined by the deputy director.(2) Establish key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location.(3) Establish reasonable levels of unmitigated planned risk for the state to assume and manage through fire suppression.(4) Include an estimated wildfire risk and consequence, in 1-year, 3-year, and 10-year projections, assuming implementation and extension of current wildfire risk mitigation actions.(5) Include targets for wildfire risk reduction for the State of California in 1, 3, and 10 years.(6) Beginning January 1, 2030, evaluate current wildfire risk relative to targets established according to paragraph (5) in the most recent prior forecast.(d) The forecast may take into account the contribution to wildfire risk and consequence created by all of the following factors:(1) Weather.(2) Fuel type and fuel loading.(3) Historic fire regimes and changing fire patterns.(4) Climate change.(5) Human population and population density.(6) Development patterns.(7) Electric infrastructure.(8) Other factors as determined to be relevant by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall provide recommendations in the report on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the wildfire risk and consequence estimates included in the forecast.15483. (a) On or before August 1, 2027, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually.(b) The report shall contain all of the following information: (1) Identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending over the next one-year and three-year periods.(2) Planned and likely statewide wildfire risk mitigation actions by all of the following entities:(A) State agencies.(B) Federal agencies.(C) Electric utilities.(D) Municipalities and local governments.(E) Nongovernmental organizations and private actors seeking state funding.(F) Other stakeholders as determined appropriate by the deputy director.(3) A quantification of the overall risk reduction achieved via implementation of all planned and potential wildfire risk mitigation actions relative to the baseline level of unmitigated risk contained in the most recent forecast.(4) A quantification of the risk-spend efficiency of all planned wildfire risk mitigation actions using the framework.(5) Using the framework, identification and description, in detail, of one or more cost-effective statewide wildfire risk reduction strategies that are approximately equal in cost to planned spending by all entities identified in the report and that achieve maximum estimated reduction in overall wildfire risk and consequence for the State of California.(6) Recommendations on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(c) The deputy director shall, each year upon its completion, submit a copy of the report to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, and to the Public Utilities Commission, for review and consideration.(d) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the report. 15484. The deputy director may contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in the quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports in order to accomplish the purposes of Sections 15481, 15482, and 15483.
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33 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 326Introduced by Senators Becker and Laird(Principal coauthor: Senator Stern)February 11, 2025 An act to add Part 7.4 (commencing with Section 15480) to Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to wildfire safety. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 326, as introduced, Becker. Wildfire safety: The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act. Existing law establishes the Office of the State Fire Marshal in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and establishes the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the office. Existing law makes the deputy director responsible for fire preparedness and mitigation missions of the department, as provided.This bill would require the deputy director, on or before January 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions, as provided. The bill would require the framework to allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions, as defined, sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning. The bill would require the deputy director to, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.This bill would require the deputy director, on or before April 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the state delineated on a statewide level and by county, as provided. The bill would require the forecast to include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions, and to accomplish specific things, including establishing key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location. The bill would require the deputy director to, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.This bill would require the deputy director, on or before August 1, 2027, to prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually. The bill would require the report to contain specified information, including identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending, as provided.This bill would authorize the deputy director to contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative assessment of wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports to accomplish the purposes of this act.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO
44
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99 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION
1010
1111 Senate Bill
1212
1313 No. 326
1414
1515 Introduced by Senators Becker and Laird(Principal coauthor: Senator Stern)February 11, 2025
1616
1717 Introduced by Senators Becker and Laird(Principal coauthor: Senator Stern)
1818 February 11, 2025
1919
2020 An act to add Part 7.4 (commencing with Section 15480) to Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to wildfire safety.
2121
2222 LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
2323
2424 ## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
2525
2626 SB 326, as introduced, Becker. Wildfire safety: The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act.
2727
2828 Existing law establishes the Office of the State Fire Marshal in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and establishes the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the office. Existing law makes the deputy director responsible for fire preparedness and mitigation missions of the department, as provided.This bill would require the deputy director, on or before January 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions, as provided. The bill would require the framework to allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions, as defined, sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning. The bill would require the deputy director to, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.This bill would require the deputy director, on or before April 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the state delineated on a statewide level and by county, as provided. The bill would require the forecast to include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions, and to accomplish specific things, including establishing key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location. The bill would require the deputy director to, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.This bill would require the deputy director, on or before August 1, 2027, to prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually. The bill would require the report to contain specified information, including identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending, as provided.This bill would authorize the deputy director to contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative assessment of wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports to accomplish the purposes of this act.
2929
3030 Existing law establishes the Office of the State Fire Marshal in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and establishes the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the office. Existing law makes the deputy director responsible for fire preparedness and mitigation missions of the department, as provided.
3131
3232 This bill would require the deputy director, on or before January 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions, as provided. The bill would require the framework to allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions, as defined, sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning. The bill would require the deputy director to, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.
3333
3434 This bill would require the deputy director, on or before April 1, 2027, and every 3 years thereafter, to prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the state delineated on a statewide level and by county, as provided. The bill would require the forecast to include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions, and to accomplish specific things, including establishing key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location. The bill would require the deputy director to, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.
3535
3636 This bill would require the deputy director, on or before August 1, 2027, to prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually. The bill would require the report to contain specified information, including identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending, as provided.
3737
3838 This bill would authorize the deputy director to contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative assessment of wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports to accomplish the purposes of this act.
3939
4040 ## Digest Key
4141
4242 ## Bill Text
4343
4444 The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Wildfires have caused unacceptable catastrophic losses to local communities, the state, and its residents over the past decade.(b) Increased wildfire risk is being driven by climate change, drought, and the accumulation of fuels due to historic wildfire suppression.(c) The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force has found that more frequent, larger, high-severity wildfires threaten a broad range of communities throughout the state, contributing to the loss of human life and property damage.(d) Smoke from unplanned wildfires has a detrimental impact on human health and poses an elevated risk to vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, those with certain underlying health conditions, and outdoor workers.(e) Since many of the states ecosystems are fire adapted, uncharacteristic fire regimes created by historic fire suppression policies threaten ecological health, hinder the ability of ecosystems to support biodiversity and vital ecosystem services, and contribute to soil erosion, diminished water quality, and impeded forest regeneration.(f) Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature have identified the urgent need for utilities to invest in safe and reliable service while minimizing ratepayer impacts and protecting energy affordability.(g) The Natural Resources Agency, the United States Forest Service, and the United States Bureau of Land Management have identified the urgent need for land managers to invest in stewardship of forests and landscapes to improve wildfire resilience in the face of climate change.(h) The January 2021 report from the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force identified the need for greater landscape-scale treatments to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and recognized the importance of building and maintaining regional approaches to wildfire resilience, reflective of the states diverse ecosystems and built environment.(i) The State of California recognizes the unprecedented challenges posed by wildfires and has responded with historic investments to address landscape-scale wildfire resilience.(j) Current investments by electric utilities to avoid utility ignitions are much larger than even the recent historic investments in wildfire and forest resilience by the state and federal governments.(k) Therefore, meeting the complex challenges presented by the modern wildfire crisis necessitates greater collaboration and coordination between the various entities tasked with managing wildfire risk and resilience in California in planning for and targeting wildfire risk mitigation investments.SEC. 2. Part 7.4 (commencing with Section 15480) is added to Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:PART 7.4. The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act15480. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern construction of this part:(a) Deputy director means the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the Office of State Fire Marshal.(b) Forecast means the Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast prepared pursuant to Section 15482.(c) Framework means the Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework prepared pursuant to Section 15481.(d) Report means the Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report prepared pursuant to Section 15483.(e) Risk to spend efficiency means the net present value of monetized reduction in wildfire consequences per dollar of risk mitigation expenditure.(f) Wildfire mitigation plan means a plan prepared pursuant to Section 8386 of the Public Utilities Code.(g) Wildfire risk mitigation action means an action undertaken by a private or public actor with the stated purpose of reducing either the chances of a wildfire ignition or the consequences of a wildfire ignition after one occurs, excluding fire suppression activities. 15481. (a) On or before January 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions as determined by the deputy director.(b) The framework shall be updated in conjunction with the forecast pursuant to Section 15482.(c) The framework shall allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning.(d) The framework may incorporate, for each wildfire mitigation action, including near-term and long-term estimates and projections, as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director, all of the following:(1) The entity or entities responsible for the wildfire risk mitigation action.(2) Risk events and consequences targeted, including cost and other appropriate metrics of unmitigated damages.(3) Cost of the wildfire risk mitigation action.(4) Methodologies for evaluating, and estimates of risk to spend efficiency of, the wildfire risk mitigation action.(5) Geographic areas to which the wildfire risk mitigation action applies.(6) Interactions, cobenefits, and joint impacts with other wildfire risk mitigation activities.(7) Interactions and joint impacts with climate change, drought, past wildfires, and other environmental factors and environmental metrics, as appropriate.(8) Effects on stakeholders and other affected parties.(9) Personnel requirements to effectuate the wildfire risk mitigation action.(10) Other factors as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall make the framework available as a planning tool for all entities included in the report pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 15483.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent possible, the deputy director shall make the factual and analytical basis for the framework available to the public on its internet website.15482. (a) On or before April 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the State of California delineated on a statewide level and by county, and shall include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions.(b) The forecast shall be prepared in coordination with the wildfire mitigation plan.(c) The forecast shall accomplish all of the following:(1) Contain, at a minimum, estimates of current ignition risk and an evaluation of the consequences of potential ignitions to human life and safety, structures and critical infrastructure, cultural and historic resources, public health, ecosystems and ecosystem services, and any other material consequences as determined by the deputy director.(2) Establish key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location.(3) Establish reasonable levels of unmitigated planned risk for the state to assume and manage through fire suppression.(4) Include an estimated wildfire risk and consequence, in 1-year, 3-year, and 10-year projections, assuming implementation and extension of current wildfire risk mitigation actions.(5) Include targets for wildfire risk reduction for the State of California in 1, 3, and 10 years.(6) Beginning January 1, 2030, evaluate current wildfire risk relative to targets established according to paragraph (5) in the most recent prior forecast.(d) The forecast may take into account the contribution to wildfire risk and consequence created by all of the following factors:(1) Weather.(2) Fuel type and fuel loading.(3) Historic fire regimes and changing fire patterns.(4) Climate change.(5) Human population and population density.(6) Development patterns.(7) Electric infrastructure.(8) Other factors as determined to be relevant by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall provide recommendations in the report on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the wildfire risk and consequence estimates included in the forecast.15483. (a) On or before August 1, 2027, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually.(b) The report shall contain all of the following information: (1) Identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending over the next one-year and three-year periods.(2) Planned and likely statewide wildfire risk mitigation actions by all of the following entities:(A) State agencies.(B) Federal agencies.(C) Electric utilities.(D) Municipalities and local governments.(E) Nongovernmental organizations and private actors seeking state funding.(F) Other stakeholders as determined appropriate by the deputy director.(3) A quantification of the overall risk reduction achieved via implementation of all planned and potential wildfire risk mitigation actions relative to the baseline level of unmitigated risk contained in the most recent forecast.(4) A quantification of the risk-spend efficiency of all planned wildfire risk mitigation actions using the framework.(5) Using the framework, identification and description, in detail, of one or more cost-effective statewide wildfire risk reduction strategies that are approximately equal in cost to planned spending by all entities identified in the report and that achieve maximum estimated reduction in overall wildfire risk and consequence for the State of California.(6) Recommendations on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(c) The deputy director shall, each year upon its completion, submit a copy of the report to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, and to the Public Utilities Commission, for review and consideration.(d) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the report. 15484. The deputy director may contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in the quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports in order to accomplish the purposes of Sections 15481, 15482, and 15483.
4545
4646 The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
4747
4848 ## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
4949
5050 SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Wildfires have caused unacceptable catastrophic losses to local communities, the state, and its residents over the past decade.(b) Increased wildfire risk is being driven by climate change, drought, and the accumulation of fuels due to historic wildfire suppression.(c) The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force has found that more frequent, larger, high-severity wildfires threaten a broad range of communities throughout the state, contributing to the loss of human life and property damage.(d) Smoke from unplanned wildfires has a detrimental impact on human health and poses an elevated risk to vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, those with certain underlying health conditions, and outdoor workers.(e) Since many of the states ecosystems are fire adapted, uncharacteristic fire regimes created by historic fire suppression policies threaten ecological health, hinder the ability of ecosystems to support biodiversity and vital ecosystem services, and contribute to soil erosion, diminished water quality, and impeded forest regeneration.(f) Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature have identified the urgent need for utilities to invest in safe and reliable service while minimizing ratepayer impacts and protecting energy affordability.(g) The Natural Resources Agency, the United States Forest Service, and the United States Bureau of Land Management have identified the urgent need for land managers to invest in stewardship of forests and landscapes to improve wildfire resilience in the face of climate change.(h) The January 2021 report from the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force identified the need for greater landscape-scale treatments to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and recognized the importance of building and maintaining regional approaches to wildfire resilience, reflective of the states diverse ecosystems and built environment.(i) The State of California recognizes the unprecedented challenges posed by wildfires and has responded with historic investments to address landscape-scale wildfire resilience.(j) Current investments by electric utilities to avoid utility ignitions are much larger than even the recent historic investments in wildfire and forest resilience by the state and federal governments.(k) Therefore, meeting the complex challenges presented by the modern wildfire crisis necessitates greater collaboration and coordination between the various entities tasked with managing wildfire risk and resilience in California in planning for and targeting wildfire risk mitigation investments.
5151
5252 SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) Wildfires have caused unacceptable catastrophic losses to local communities, the state, and its residents over the past decade.(b) Increased wildfire risk is being driven by climate change, drought, and the accumulation of fuels due to historic wildfire suppression.(c) The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force has found that more frequent, larger, high-severity wildfires threaten a broad range of communities throughout the state, contributing to the loss of human life and property damage.(d) Smoke from unplanned wildfires has a detrimental impact on human health and poses an elevated risk to vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, those with certain underlying health conditions, and outdoor workers.(e) Since many of the states ecosystems are fire adapted, uncharacteristic fire regimes created by historic fire suppression policies threaten ecological health, hinder the ability of ecosystems to support biodiversity and vital ecosystem services, and contribute to soil erosion, diminished water quality, and impeded forest regeneration.(f) Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature have identified the urgent need for utilities to invest in safe and reliable service while minimizing ratepayer impacts and protecting energy affordability.(g) The Natural Resources Agency, the United States Forest Service, and the United States Bureau of Land Management have identified the urgent need for land managers to invest in stewardship of forests and landscapes to improve wildfire resilience in the face of climate change.(h) The January 2021 report from the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force identified the need for greater landscape-scale treatments to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and recognized the importance of building and maintaining regional approaches to wildfire resilience, reflective of the states diverse ecosystems and built environment.(i) The State of California recognizes the unprecedented challenges posed by wildfires and has responded with historic investments to address landscape-scale wildfire resilience.(j) Current investments by electric utilities to avoid utility ignitions are much larger than even the recent historic investments in wildfire and forest resilience by the state and federal governments.(k) Therefore, meeting the complex challenges presented by the modern wildfire crisis necessitates greater collaboration and coordination between the various entities tasked with managing wildfire risk and resilience in California in planning for and targeting wildfire risk mitigation investments.
5353
5454 SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
5555
5656 ### SECTION 1.
5757
5858 (a) Wildfires have caused unacceptable catastrophic losses to local communities, the state, and its residents over the past decade.
5959
6060 (b) Increased wildfire risk is being driven by climate change, drought, and the accumulation of fuels due to historic wildfire suppression.
6161
6262 (c) The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force has found that more frequent, larger, high-severity wildfires threaten a broad range of communities throughout the state, contributing to the loss of human life and property damage.
6363
6464 (d) Smoke from unplanned wildfires has a detrimental impact on human health and poses an elevated risk to vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, those with certain underlying health conditions, and outdoor workers.
6565
6666 (e) Since many of the states ecosystems are fire adapted, uncharacteristic fire regimes created by historic fire suppression policies threaten ecological health, hinder the ability of ecosystems to support biodiversity and vital ecosystem services, and contribute to soil erosion, diminished water quality, and impeded forest regeneration.
6767
6868 (f) Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature have identified the urgent need for utilities to invest in safe and reliable service while minimizing ratepayer impacts and protecting energy affordability.
6969
7070 (g) The Natural Resources Agency, the United States Forest Service, and the United States Bureau of Land Management have identified the urgent need for land managers to invest in stewardship of forests and landscapes to improve wildfire resilience in the face of climate change.
7171
7272 (h) The January 2021 report from the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force identified the need for greater landscape-scale treatments to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and recognized the importance of building and maintaining regional approaches to wildfire resilience, reflective of the states diverse ecosystems and built environment.
7373
7474 (i) The State of California recognizes the unprecedented challenges posed by wildfires and has responded with historic investments to address landscape-scale wildfire resilience.
7575
7676 (j) Current investments by electric utilities to avoid utility ignitions are much larger than even the recent historic investments in wildfire and forest resilience by the state and federal governments.
7777
7878 (k) Therefore, meeting the complex challenges presented by the modern wildfire crisis necessitates greater collaboration and coordination between the various entities tasked with managing wildfire risk and resilience in California in planning for and targeting wildfire risk mitigation investments.
7979
8080 SEC. 2. Part 7.4 (commencing with Section 15480) is added to Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:PART 7.4. The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act15480. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern construction of this part:(a) Deputy director means the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the Office of State Fire Marshal.(b) Forecast means the Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast prepared pursuant to Section 15482.(c) Framework means the Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework prepared pursuant to Section 15481.(d) Report means the Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report prepared pursuant to Section 15483.(e) Risk to spend efficiency means the net present value of monetized reduction in wildfire consequences per dollar of risk mitigation expenditure.(f) Wildfire mitigation plan means a plan prepared pursuant to Section 8386 of the Public Utilities Code.(g) Wildfire risk mitigation action means an action undertaken by a private or public actor with the stated purpose of reducing either the chances of a wildfire ignition or the consequences of a wildfire ignition after one occurs, excluding fire suppression activities. 15481. (a) On or before January 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions as determined by the deputy director.(b) The framework shall be updated in conjunction with the forecast pursuant to Section 15482.(c) The framework shall allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning.(d) The framework may incorporate, for each wildfire mitigation action, including near-term and long-term estimates and projections, as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director, all of the following:(1) The entity or entities responsible for the wildfire risk mitigation action.(2) Risk events and consequences targeted, including cost and other appropriate metrics of unmitigated damages.(3) Cost of the wildfire risk mitigation action.(4) Methodologies for evaluating, and estimates of risk to spend efficiency of, the wildfire risk mitigation action.(5) Geographic areas to which the wildfire risk mitigation action applies.(6) Interactions, cobenefits, and joint impacts with other wildfire risk mitigation activities.(7) Interactions and joint impacts with climate change, drought, past wildfires, and other environmental factors and environmental metrics, as appropriate.(8) Effects on stakeholders and other affected parties.(9) Personnel requirements to effectuate the wildfire risk mitigation action.(10) Other factors as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall make the framework available as a planning tool for all entities included in the report pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 15483.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent possible, the deputy director shall make the factual and analytical basis for the framework available to the public on its internet website.15482. (a) On or before April 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the State of California delineated on a statewide level and by county, and shall include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions.(b) The forecast shall be prepared in coordination with the wildfire mitigation plan.(c) The forecast shall accomplish all of the following:(1) Contain, at a minimum, estimates of current ignition risk and an evaluation of the consequences of potential ignitions to human life and safety, structures and critical infrastructure, cultural and historic resources, public health, ecosystems and ecosystem services, and any other material consequences as determined by the deputy director.(2) Establish key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location.(3) Establish reasonable levels of unmitigated planned risk for the state to assume and manage through fire suppression.(4) Include an estimated wildfire risk and consequence, in 1-year, 3-year, and 10-year projections, assuming implementation and extension of current wildfire risk mitigation actions.(5) Include targets for wildfire risk reduction for the State of California in 1, 3, and 10 years.(6) Beginning January 1, 2030, evaluate current wildfire risk relative to targets established according to paragraph (5) in the most recent prior forecast.(d) The forecast may take into account the contribution to wildfire risk and consequence created by all of the following factors:(1) Weather.(2) Fuel type and fuel loading.(3) Historic fire regimes and changing fire patterns.(4) Climate change.(5) Human population and population density.(6) Development patterns.(7) Electric infrastructure.(8) Other factors as determined to be relevant by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall provide recommendations in the report on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the wildfire risk and consequence estimates included in the forecast.15483. (a) On or before August 1, 2027, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually.(b) The report shall contain all of the following information: (1) Identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending over the next one-year and three-year periods.(2) Planned and likely statewide wildfire risk mitigation actions by all of the following entities:(A) State agencies.(B) Federal agencies.(C) Electric utilities.(D) Municipalities and local governments.(E) Nongovernmental organizations and private actors seeking state funding.(F) Other stakeholders as determined appropriate by the deputy director.(3) A quantification of the overall risk reduction achieved via implementation of all planned and potential wildfire risk mitigation actions relative to the baseline level of unmitigated risk contained in the most recent forecast.(4) A quantification of the risk-spend efficiency of all planned wildfire risk mitigation actions using the framework.(5) Using the framework, identification and description, in detail, of one or more cost-effective statewide wildfire risk reduction strategies that are approximately equal in cost to planned spending by all entities identified in the report and that achieve maximum estimated reduction in overall wildfire risk and consequence for the State of California.(6) Recommendations on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(c) The deputy director shall, each year upon its completion, submit a copy of the report to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, and to the Public Utilities Commission, for review and consideration.(d) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the report. 15484. The deputy director may contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in the quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports in order to accomplish the purposes of Sections 15481, 15482, and 15483.
8181
8282 SEC. 2. Part 7.4 (commencing with Section 15480) is added to Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, to read:
8383
8484 ### SEC. 2.
8585
8686 PART 7.4. The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act15480. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern construction of this part:(a) Deputy director means the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the Office of State Fire Marshal.(b) Forecast means the Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast prepared pursuant to Section 15482.(c) Framework means the Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework prepared pursuant to Section 15481.(d) Report means the Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report prepared pursuant to Section 15483.(e) Risk to spend efficiency means the net present value of monetized reduction in wildfire consequences per dollar of risk mitigation expenditure.(f) Wildfire mitigation plan means a plan prepared pursuant to Section 8386 of the Public Utilities Code.(g) Wildfire risk mitigation action means an action undertaken by a private or public actor with the stated purpose of reducing either the chances of a wildfire ignition or the consequences of a wildfire ignition after one occurs, excluding fire suppression activities. 15481. (a) On or before January 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions as determined by the deputy director.(b) The framework shall be updated in conjunction with the forecast pursuant to Section 15482.(c) The framework shall allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning.(d) The framework may incorporate, for each wildfire mitigation action, including near-term and long-term estimates and projections, as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director, all of the following:(1) The entity or entities responsible for the wildfire risk mitigation action.(2) Risk events and consequences targeted, including cost and other appropriate metrics of unmitigated damages.(3) Cost of the wildfire risk mitigation action.(4) Methodologies for evaluating, and estimates of risk to spend efficiency of, the wildfire risk mitigation action.(5) Geographic areas to which the wildfire risk mitigation action applies.(6) Interactions, cobenefits, and joint impacts with other wildfire risk mitigation activities.(7) Interactions and joint impacts with climate change, drought, past wildfires, and other environmental factors and environmental metrics, as appropriate.(8) Effects on stakeholders and other affected parties.(9) Personnel requirements to effectuate the wildfire risk mitigation action.(10) Other factors as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall make the framework available as a planning tool for all entities included in the report pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 15483.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent possible, the deputy director shall make the factual and analytical basis for the framework available to the public on its internet website.15482. (a) On or before April 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the State of California delineated on a statewide level and by county, and shall include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions.(b) The forecast shall be prepared in coordination with the wildfire mitigation plan.(c) The forecast shall accomplish all of the following:(1) Contain, at a minimum, estimates of current ignition risk and an evaluation of the consequences of potential ignitions to human life and safety, structures and critical infrastructure, cultural and historic resources, public health, ecosystems and ecosystem services, and any other material consequences as determined by the deputy director.(2) Establish key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location.(3) Establish reasonable levels of unmitigated planned risk for the state to assume and manage through fire suppression.(4) Include an estimated wildfire risk and consequence, in 1-year, 3-year, and 10-year projections, assuming implementation and extension of current wildfire risk mitigation actions.(5) Include targets for wildfire risk reduction for the State of California in 1, 3, and 10 years.(6) Beginning January 1, 2030, evaluate current wildfire risk relative to targets established according to paragraph (5) in the most recent prior forecast.(d) The forecast may take into account the contribution to wildfire risk and consequence created by all of the following factors:(1) Weather.(2) Fuel type and fuel loading.(3) Historic fire regimes and changing fire patterns.(4) Climate change.(5) Human population and population density.(6) Development patterns.(7) Electric infrastructure.(8) Other factors as determined to be relevant by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall provide recommendations in the report on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the wildfire risk and consequence estimates included in the forecast.15483. (a) On or before August 1, 2027, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually.(b) The report shall contain all of the following information: (1) Identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending over the next one-year and three-year periods.(2) Planned and likely statewide wildfire risk mitigation actions by all of the following entities:(A) State agencies.(B) Federal agencies.(C) Electric utilities.(D) Municipalities and local governments.(E) Nongovernmental organizations and private actors seeking state funding.(F) Other stakeholders as determined appropriate by the deputy director.(3) A quantification of the overall risk reduction achieved via implementation of all planned and potential wildfire risk mitigation actions relative to the baseline level of unmitigated risk contained in the most recent forecast.(4) A quantification of the risk-spend efficiency of all planned wildfire risk mitigation actions using the framework.(5) Using the framework, identification and description, in detail, of one or more cost-effective statewide wildfire risk reduction strategies that are approximately equal in cost to planned spending by all entities identified in the report and that achieve maximum estimated reduction in overall wildfire risk and consequence for the State of California.(6) Recommendations on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(c) The deputy director shall, each year upon its completion, submit a copy of the report to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, and to the Public Utilities Commission, for review and consideration.(d) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the report. 15484. The deputy director may contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in the quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports in order to accomplish the purposes of Sections 15481, 15482, and 15483.
8787
8888 PART 7.4. The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act15480. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern construction of this part:(a) Deputy director means the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the Office of State Fire Marshal.(b) Forecast means the Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast prepared pursuant to Section 15482.(c) Framework means the Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework prepared pursuant to Section 15481.(d) Report means the Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report prepared pursuant to Section 15483.(e) Risk to spend efficiency means the net present value of monetized reduction in wildfire consequences per dollar of risk mitigation expenditure.(f) Wildfire mitigation plan means a plan prepared pursuant to Section 8386 of the Public Utilities Code.(g) Wildfire risk mitigation action means an action undertaken by a private or public actor with the stated purpose of reducing either the chances of a wildfire ignition or the consequences of a wildfire ignition after one occurs, excluding fire suppression activities. 15481. (a) On or before January 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions as determined by the deputy director.(b) The framework shall be updated in conjunction with the forecast pursuant to Section 15482.(c) The framework shall allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning.(d) The framework may incorporate, for each wildfire mitigation action, including near-term and long-term estimates and projections, as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director, all of the following:(1) The entity or entities responsible for the wildfire risk mitigation action.(2) Risk events and consequences targeted, including cost and other appropriate metrics of unmitigated damages.(3) Cost of the wildfire risk mitigation action.(4) Methodologies for evaluating, and estimates of risk to spend efficiency of, the wildfire risk mitigation action.(5) Geographic areas to which the wildfire risk mitigation action applies.(6) Interactions, cobenefits, and joint impacts with other wildfire risk mitigation activities.(7) Interactions and joint impacts with climate change, drought, past wildfires, and other environmental factors and environmental metrics, as appropriate.(8) Effects on stakeholders and other affected parties.(9) Personnel requirements to effectuate the wildfire risk mitigation action.(10) Other factors as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall make the framework available as a planning tool for all entities included in the report pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 15483.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent possible, the deputy director shall make the factual and analytical basis for the framework available to the public on its internet website.15482. (a) On or before April 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the State of California delineated on a statewide level and by county, and shall include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions.(b) The forecast shall be prepared in coordination with the wildfire mitigation plan.(c) The forecast shall accomplish all of the following:(1) Contain, at a minimum, estimates of current ignition risk and an evaluation of the consequences of potential ignitions to human life and safety, structures and critical infrastructure, cultural and historic resources, public health, ecosystems and ecosystem services, and any other material consequences as determined by the deputy director.(2) Establish key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location.(3) Establish reasonable levels of unmitigated planned risk for the state to assume and manage through fire suppression.(4) Include an estimated wildfire risk and consequence, in 1-year, 3-year, and 10-year projections, assuming implementation and extension of current wildfire risk mitigation actions.(5) Include targets for wildfire risk reduction for the State of California in 1, 3, and 10 years.(6) Beginning January 1, 2030, evaluate current wildfire risk relative to targets established according to paragraph (5) in the most recent prior forecast.(d) The forecast may take into account the contribution to wildfire risk and consequence created by all of the following factors:(1) Weather.(2) Fuel type and fuel loading.(3) Historic fire regimes and changing fire patterns.(4) Climate change.(5) Human population and population density.(6) Development patterns.(7) Electric infrastructure.(8) Other factors as determined to be relevant by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall provide recommendations in the report on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the wildfire risk and consequence estimates included in the forecast.15483. (a) On or before August 1, 2027, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually.(b) The report shall contain all of the following information: (1) Identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending over the next one-year and three-year periods.(2) Planned and likely statewide wildfire risk mitigation actions by all of the following entities:(A) State agencies.(B) Federal agencies.(C) Electric utilities.(D) Municipalities and local governments.(E) Nongovernmental organizations and private actors seeking state funding.(F) Other stakeholders as determined appropriate by the deputy director.(3) A quantification of the overall risk reduction achieved via implementation of all planned and potential wildfire risk mitigation actions relative to the baseline level of unmitigated risk contained in the most recent forecast.(4) A quantification of the risk-spend efficiency of all planned wildfire risk mitigation actions using the framework.(5) Using the framework, identification and description, in detail, of one or more cost-effective statewide wildfire risk reduction strategies that are approximately equal in cost to planned spending by all entities identified in the report and that achieve maximum estimated reduction in overall wildfire risk and consequence for the State of California.(6) Recommendations on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(c) The deputy director shall, each year upon its completion, submit a copy of the report to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, and to the Public Utilities Commission, for review and consideration.(d) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the report. 15484. The deputy director may contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in the quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports in order to accomplish the purposes of Sections 15481, 15482, and 15483.
8989
9090 PART 7.4. The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act
9191
9292 PART 7.4. The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act
9393
9494 15480. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern construction of this part:(a) Deputy director means the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the Office of State Fire Marshal.(b) Forecast means the Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast prepared pursuant to Section 15482.(c) Framework means the Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework prepared pursuant to Section 15481.(d) Report means the Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report prepared pursuant to Section 15483.(e) Risk to spend efficiency means the net present value of monetized reduction in wildfire consequences per dollar of risk mitigation expenditure.(f) Wildfire mitigation plan means a plan prepared pursuant to Section 8386 of the Public Utilities Code.(g) Wildfire risk mitigation action means an action undertaken by a private or public actor with the stated purpose of reducing either the chances of a wildfire ignition or the consequences of a wildfire ignition after one occurs, excluding fire suppression activities.
9595
9696
9797
9898 15480. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern construction of this part:
9999
100100 (a) Deputy director means the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation within the Office of State Fire Marshal.
101101
102102 (b) Forecast means the Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast prepared pursuant to Section 15482.
103103
104104 (c) Framework means the Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework prepared pursuant to Section 15481.
105105
106106 (d) Report means the Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report prepared pursuant to Section 15483.
107107
108108 (e) Risk to spend efficiency means the net present value of monetized reduction in wildfire consequences per dollar of risk mitigation expenditure.
109109
110110 (f) Wildfire mitigation plan means a plan prepared pursuant to Section 8386 of the Public Utilities Code.
111111
112112 (g) Wildfire risk mitigation action means an action undertaken by a private or public actor with the stated purpose of reducing either the chances of a wildfire ignition or the consequences of a wildfire ignition after one occurs, excluding fire suppression activities.
113113
114114 15481. (a) On or before January 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions as determined by the deputy director.(b) The framework shall be updated in conjunction with the forecast pursuant to Section 15482.(c) The framework shall allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning.(d) The framework may incorporate, for each wildfire mitigation action, including near-term and long-term estimates and projections, as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director, all of the following:(1) The entity or entities responsible for the wildfire risk mitigation action.(2) Risk events and consequences targeted, including cost and other appropriate metrics of unmitigated damages.(3) Cost of the wildfire risk mitigation action.(4) Methodologies for evaluating, and estimates of risk to spend efficiency of, the wildfire risk mitigation action.(5) Geographic areas to which the wildfire risk mitigation action applies.(6) Interactions, cobenefits, and joint impacts with other wildfire risk mitigation activities.(7) Interactions and joint impacts with climate change, drought, past wildfires, and other environmental factors and environmental metrics, as appropriate.(8) Effects on stakeholders and other affected parties.(9) Personnel requirements to effectuate the wildfire risk mitigation action.(10) Other factors as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall make the framework available as a planning tool for all entities included in the report pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 15483.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent possible, the deputy director shall make the factual and analytical basis for the framework available to the public on its internet website.
115115
116116
117117
118118 15481. (a) On or before January 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework sufficient to quantitatively evaluate wildfire risk mitigation actions as determined by the deputy director.
119119
120120 (b) The framework shall be updated in conjunction with the forecast pursuant to Section 15482.
121121
122122 (c) The framework shall allow for geospatial evaluation and comparison of wildfire risk mitigation actions sufficient to direct coordinated mitigation efforts and long-term collaborative mitigation planning.
123123
124124 (d) The framework may incorporate, for each wildfire mitigation action, including near-term and long-term estimates and projections, as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director, all of the following:
125125
126126 (1) The entity or entities responsible for the wildfire risk mitigation action.
127127
128128 (2) Risk events and consequences targeted, including cost and other appropriate metrics of unmitigated damages.
129129
130130 (3) Cost of the wildfire risk mitigation action.
131131
132132 (4) Methodologies for evaluating, and estimates of risk to spend efficiency of, the wildfire risk mitigation action.
133133
134134 (5) Geographic areas to which the wildfire risk mitigation action applies.
135135
136136 (6) Interactions, cobenefits, and joint impacts with other wildfire risk mitigation activities.
137137
138138 (7) Interactions and joint impacts with climate change, drought, past wildfires, and other environmental factors and environmental metrics, as appropriate.
139139
140140 (8) Effects on stakeholders and other affected parties.
141141
142142 (9) Personnel requirements to effectuate the wildfire risk mitigation action.
143143
144144 (10) Other factors as determined to be appropriate by the deputy director.
145145
146146 (e) The deputy director shall make the framework available as a planning tool for all entities included in the report pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 15483.
147147
148148 (f) The deputy director shall, each year the framework is completed, submit a copy of the framework to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.
149149
150150 (g) To the maximum extent possible, the deputy director shall make the factual and analytical basis for the framework available to the public on its internet website.
151151
152152 15482. (a) On or before April 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the State of California delineated on a statewide level and by county, and shall include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions.(b) The forecast shall be prepared in coordination with the wildfire mitigation plan.(c) The forecast shall accomplish all of the following:(1) Contain, at a minimum, estimates of current ignition risk and an evaluation of the consequences of potential ignitions to human life and safety, structures and critical infrastructure, cultural and historic resources, public health, ecosystems and ecosystem services, and any other material consequences as determined by the deputy director.(2) Establish key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location.(3) Establish reasonable levels of unmitigated planned risk for the state to assume and manage through fire suppression.(4) Include an estimated wildfire risk and consequence, in 1-year, 3-year, and 10-year projections, assuming implementation and extension of current wildfire risk mitigation actions.(5) Include targets for wildfire risk reduction for the State of California in 1, 3, and 10 years.(6) Beginning January 1, 2030, evaluate current wildfire risk relative to targets established according to paragraph (5) in the most recent prior forecast.(d) The forecast may take into account the contribution to wildfire risk and consequence created by all of the following factors:(1) Weather.(2) Fuel type and fuel loading.(3) Historic fire regimes and changing fire patterns.(4) Climate change.(5) Human population and population density.(6) Development patterns.(7) Electric infrastructure.(8) Other factors as determined to be relevant by the deputy director.(e) The deputy director shall provide recommendations in the report on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(f) The deputy director shall, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.(g) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the wildfire risk and consequence estimates included in the forecast.
153153
154154
155155
156156 15482. (a) On or before April 1, 2027, and every three years thereafter, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Risk Baseline and Forecast for the State of California delineated on a statewide level and by county, and shall include geographic specificity as determined by the deputy director to be sufficient to evaluate targeted wildfire risk mitigation actions.
157157
158158 (b) The forecast shall be prepared in coordination with the wildfire mitigation plan.
159159
160160 (c) The forecast shall accomplish all of the following:
161161
162162 (1) Contain, at a minimum, estimates of current ignition risk and an evaluation of the consequences of potential ignitions to human life and safety, structures and critical infrastructure, cultural and historic resources, public health, ecosystems and ecosystem services, and any other material consequences as determined by the deputy director.
163163
164164 (2) Establish key risk metrics for wildfire risk for the state as a whole, by county, and by geographic location.
165165
166166 (3) Establish reasonable levels of unmitigated planned risk for the state to assume and manage through fire suppression.
167167
168168 (4) Include an estimated wildfire risk and consequence, in 1-year, 3-year, and 10-year projections, assuming implementation and extension of current wildfire risk mitigation actions.
169169
170170 (5) Include targets for wildfire risk reduction for the State of California in 1, 3, and 10 years.
171171
172172 (6) Beginning January 1, 2030, evaluate current wildfire risk relative to targets established according to paragraph (5) in the most recent prior forecast.
173173
174174 (d) The forecast may take into account the contribution to wildfire risk and consequence created by all of the following factors:
175175
176176 (1) Weather.
177177
178178 (2) Fuel type and fuel loading.
179179
180180 (3) Historic fire regimes and changing fire patterns.
181181
182182 (4) Climate change.
183183
184184 (5) Human population and population density.
185185
186186 (6) Development patterns.
187187
188188 (7) Electric infrastructure.
189189
190190 (8) Other factors as determined to be relevant by the deputy director.
191191
192192 (e) The deputy director shall provide recommendations in the report on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.
193193
194194 (f) The deputy director shall, each year the forecast is completed, submit a copy of the forecast to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and the Public Utilities Commission for review and consideration.
195195
196196 (g) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the wildfire risk and consequence estimates included in the forecast.
197197
198198 15483. (a) On or before August 1, 2027, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually.(b) The report shall contain all of the following information: (1) Identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending over the next one-year and three-year periods.(2) Planned and likely statewide wildfire risk mitigation actions by all of the following entities:(A) State agencies.(B) Federal agencies.(C) Electric utilities.(D) Municipalities and local governments.(E) Nongovernmental organizations and private actors seeking state funding.(F) Other stakeholders as determined appropriate by the deputy director.(3) A quantification of the overall risk reduction achieved via implementation of all planned and potential wildfire risk mitigation actions relative to the baseline level of unmitigated risk contained in the most recent forecast.(4) A quantification of the risk-spend efficiency of all planned wildfire risk mitigation actions using the framework.(5) Using the framework, identification and description, in detail, of one or more cost-effective statewide wildfire risk reduction strategies that are approximately equal in cost to planned spending by all entities identified in the report and that achieve maximum estimated reduction in overall wildfire risk and consequence for the State of California.(6) Recommendations on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.(c) The deputy director shall, each year upon its completion, submit a copy of the report to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, and to the Public Utilities Commission, for review and consideration.(d) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the report.
199199
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201201
202202 15483. (a) On or before August 1, 2027, the deputy director shall prepare a Wildfire Mitigation Scenarios Report, to be updated annually.
203203
204204 (b) The report shall contain all of the following information:
205205
206206 (1) Identification of a reasonable range of possible scenarios for overall wildfire risk mitigation spending over the next one-year and three-year periods.
207207
208208 (2) Planned and likely statewide wildfire risk mitigation actions by all of the following entities:
209209
210210 (A) State agencies.
211211
212212 (B) Federal agencies.
213213
214214 (C) Electric utilities.
215215
216216 (D) Municipalities and local governments.
217217
218218 (E) Nongovernmental organizations and private actors seeking state funding.
219219
220220 (F) Other stakeholders as determined appropriate by the deputy director.
221221
222222 (3) A quantification of the overall risk reduction achieved via implementation of all planned and potential wildfire risk mitigation actions relative to the baseline level of unmitigated risk contained in the most recent forecast.
223223
224224 (4) A quantification of the risk-spend efficiency of all planned wildfire risk mitigation actions using the framework.
225225
226226 (5) Using the framework, identification and description, in detail, of one or more cost-effective statewide wildfire risk reduction strategies that are approximately equal in cost to planned spending by all entities identified in the report and that achieve maximum estimated reduction in overall wildfire risk and consequence for the State of California.
227227
228228 (6) Recommendations on how to achieve better coordination, risk to spend efficiency, and overall cost-effectiveness, in specific regions and statewide, between utility-related wildfire mitigation investments made pursuant to a wildfire mitigation plan and nonutility wildfire mitigation investments.
229229
230230 (c) The deputy director shall, each year upon its completion, submit a copy of the report to the Legislature notwithstanding Section 10231.5 and in compliance with Section 9795, and to the Public Utilities Commission, for review and consideration.
231231
232232 (d) To the maximum extent practicable, the deputy director shall make available to the public on its internet website the factual and analytical bases for the report.
233233
234234 15484. The deputy director may contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in the quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports in order to accomplish the purposes of Sections 15481, 15482, and 15483.
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237237
238238 15484. The deputy director may contract with a private consultant or a public university with special expertise in the quantitative assessment of wildfire risk and risk mitigation to conduct quantitative wildfire and community risk modeling and for preparation of reports in order to accomplish the purposes of Sections 15481, 15482, and 15483.