Wildfire safety: The California Wildfire Mitigation Strategic Planning Act.

Senators Becker and Laird propose establishing California's first comprehensive wildfire risk mitigation planning system through legislation requiring regular assessment and coordination of prevention efforts across state, federal, and local entities.

The bill directs the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation to develop three key planning tools: a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework to evaluate prevention measures, a statewide Risk Baseline and Forecast to project wildfire threats, and an annual Scenarios Report examining spending and coordination options. The framework, due January 2027, must enable quantitative and geographic analysis of mitigation actions' effectiveness. The forecast, required by April 2027, will assess current risks and set reduction targets, while considering factors like weather, fuel conditions, and climate change. The scenarios report, starting August 2027, will analyze planned prevention activities by various agencies and recommend ways to improve coordination between utility and non-utility mitigation efforts.

To support implementation, the legislation authorizes the deputy director to contract with private consultants or public universities possessing expertise in wildfire risk modeling. The framework, forecast, and scenarios report must be submitted to the Legislature, Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, and Public Utilities Commission, with their analytical foundations made publicly available online. This structure aims to facilitate data-driven planning while maintaining transparency in how California addresses mounting wildfire threats.