Wildfire prevention: qualified entities: assessments.

Senator Cabaldon's wildfire prevention legislation expands California's defensible space assessment program by permanently authorizing qualified entities to evaluate properties' fire safety measures in both state and local responsibility areas. The bill adds nonprofit organizations focused on wildfire resiliency and contractors who conduct fire safety improvements to the roster of entities eligible to perform assessments after completing required training.

The legislation establishes new data privacy protections, requiring that information voluntarily provided by property owners be anonymized upon request and prohibiting its use for enforcement purposes without explicit authorization. Property assessments will be tracked through a common reporting platform, allowing the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to direct inspection resources based on compliance patterns and compile annual reports comparing assessment outcomes across jurisdictions.

Under the bill's provisions, qualified entities may evaluate properties' adherence to defensible space requirements and educate owners about structure hardening measures, though they hold no enforcement authority. The Department must develop standardized training to ensure consistent assessment methods and messaging across all participating organizations. This training program, previously set to expire in 2026, would continue indefinitely to support ongoing wildfire prevention efforts.