Wildfire prevention: qualified entities: assessments: California Fire Service Training and Education Program Act.

Senator Cabaldon’s wildfire prevention proposal weaves together an expanded, indefinitely ongoing statewide program to support defensible space and home hardening, inviting nonprofit entities focused on wildfire resilience to join as qualified participants and authorizing assessments in local responsibility areas in addition to state lands. The core shift extends the program’s operative duration and broadens the training framework to certify contractors who perform resiliency-related work and to establish a Wildland-Urban Interface products listing.

Key mechanisms center on a common reporting platform that collects defensible space and home hardening data from qualified entities, with owner-provided information anonymized upon request and not usable for enforcement unless the owner consents. Qualified entities would be authorized to assess compliance in both state and local responsibility areas, and local governments in high-risk zones must report through the platform. The Office of the State Fire Marshal would maintain product listings for WUI-related materials (including exterior siding, windows, vents, decking, ignition-resistant materials, roofing, and emergency battery backups for garage doors) and may fund related activities from a revolving fund, subject to legislative appropriation. The proposal also creates certification pathways for contractors performing defensible space, home hardening, fuel reduction, roadside clearance, and related wildfire resiliency work, contingent on completing the required training.

Definitions and program scope are broadened to reflect the expanded approach: home hardening encompasses structural measures aligned with applicable building standards; qualified entities include counties, conservancies, special districts, California Conservation Corps and related groups, nonprofit resiliency organizations, Firewise USA affiliates, UC fire advisors, registered professional foresters, and other entities deemed appropriate by the director. The program would enable qualified entities to conduct defensible space assessments and educate property owners about wildfire safety improvements, while prioritizing standardized training for third-party assessors and unified, coordinated messaging across programs and platforms. By mid-decade, the training framework would align with an inspector course plan to support home ignition zone inspections, with broader connections to building-code updates and an annual data report to the Legislature.

Implementation includes conditional operative provisions tied to other measures, preserves that qualified entities do not gain private-property entry or enforcement authority, and emphasizes data governance to balance privacy with oversight. The plan expands participation opportunities and reporting obligations for local governments, nonprofits, and contractors, while maintaining oversight by CAL FIRE and the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Funding pathways include a revolving fund for product listings and training, plus potential climate-focused pilot funding for volunteer programs, all subject to future appropriations. Taken together, the proposal establishes a framework for statewide coordination of training, data collection, product standards, and volunteer engagement in defensible space and home hardening efforts.