Wildfire prevention: Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development: wildfire mitigation program.

Assembly Member Hadwick's wildfire prevention legislation extends the operational timeline of California's Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development while making permanent the state's wildfire mitigation financial assistance program. The bill modifies two existing programs focused on advancing wildfire prevention technologies and maintaining mitigation efforts.

The legislation extends the sunset date for the Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development from January 2029 to January 2033. Operating within the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, this office studies emerging technologies for wildfire prevention and suppression while serving as the state's central hub for identifying new wildfire management tools. The office operates under a nine-member advisory board comprising representatives from state agencies, academia, private industry, local government, first responders, victim services, and civil liberties organizations. This board meets quarterly to review the office's activities and submits annual reports to the Governor and Legislature.

The bill also removes the July 2029 expiration date for California's wildfire mitigation financial assistance program, which provides funding to property owners, community organizations, and local governments for fire risk reduction projects. The program, administered through a joint powers agreement between the Office of Emergency Services and Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, maintains its existing reporting requirements. These include evaluating cost-effectiveness compared to other structure hardening and fuel reduction programs, analyzing statewide risk reduction outcomes, and documenting the distribution of financial assistance.