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AB-1891 • 2026

Forestry: Beneficial Fire Capacity Program.

Forestry: Beneficial Fire Capacity Program.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Connolly
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on training burn bosses, which was mentioned in the candidate explanation.

Forestry: Beneficial Fire Capacity Program

This law establishes a new program within the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection that provides training, support, and grants for community-led beneficial fire programs.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes the Beneficial Fire Capacity Program in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to expand training, organizational capacity, and support for community-led beneficial fire programs.
  • Requires the program to provide competitive grants for beneficial fire implementation, capacity building, research, innovation, and training.
  • Directs the department to publish and update information related to the program on its website.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Communities that want to start or improve their beneficial fire programs.
  • California Native American tribes, nongovernmental organizations, universities and colleges, resources conservation districts, volunteer fire districts, and other local or special districts.

Terms To Know

Beneficial Fire Capacity Program
A program that helps communities manage fires in a way that is good for the environment by providing training and financial support.
Prescribed burning
Carefully planned controlled burns to reduce fire risks and improve forest health.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much money will be available for grants.
  • It is unclear which communities or organizations will receive the most support from this program.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  2. 2026-03-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (March 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  3. 2026-03-02 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  4. 2026-02-13 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.

  5. 2026-02-12 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1891, as introduced, Connolly.
Forestry: Beneficial Fire Capacity Program.
Existing law authorizes a person that owns or controls brush-covered land, forest lands, woodland, grassland, and shrubland within a state responsibility area to apply to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for permission to use prescribed burning for certain public purposes. Existing law authorizes the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to enter into an agreement for prescribed burning with a person to conduct the prescribed burning operations for certain purposes. Existing law requires the department to develop a training program for prescribed fire users to certify professionals as burn bosses. Existing law requires the department to conduct an experimental program of wildland resources management through prescribed burning and other methods in 2 areas of wildlands.
This bill would establish in the
department the Beneficial Fire Capacity Program to expand training, organizational capacity, and support for community-led beneficial fire programs, including those developed by California Native American tribes, nongovernmental organizations, universities and colleges, resources conservation districts, volunteer fire districts, and other local or special districts, and would require the program to provide competitive grants for beneficial fire implementation, capacity building, research, innovation, and training. The bill would require the department to take certain actions to maximize the benefits of the program. The bill would require the department to publish and update on its internet website certain information related to implementation of the program.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF