AB-1891 • 2026

Forestry: Beneficial Fire Capacity Program.

Budget Energy

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Connolly
Last action: 2026-06-03
Official status: Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact details on how grants will be awarded and the specific actions required by the department are not provided in the official summary.

Forestry: Beneficial Fire Capacity Program

This law establishes a program within the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to support community-led beneficial fire programs, including training and grants for California Native American tribes and other local organizations.

What This Bill Does

Establishes the Beneficial Fire Capacity Program in the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Requires the department to use at least 10% of a $200 million annual fund to support community-led beneficial fire programs.
Provides competitive grants for training, research, innovation, and capacity building related to prescribed fires.
Requires at least 25% of the allocation be awarded to California Native American tribes or tribally led or indigenous-led organizations.

Who It Names or Affects

The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
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 supports community-led efforts to use controlled burns for forest health.
Prescribed burning: The planned and controlled use of fire to manage land and reduce wildfire risks.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify the exact details of how grants will be awarded.
Does not provide information on how the effectiveness of the program will be measured.
Does not detail the specific actions required by the department to maximize benefits.

Bill History

2026-06-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on N.R. & W.
2026-05-27 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2026-05-26 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0.)
2026-05-19 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-05-18 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 14).
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
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.
2026-03-02 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on NAT. RES.
2026-02-13 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 15.
2026-02-12 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1891, as amended, 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.
Existing law, beginning with the 2026–27 fiscal year, continuously appropriates $200,000,000 from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the department for healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects that improve forest health and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases caused by uncontrolled wildfires and for the completion of prescribed fire and other fuel reduction projects through proven forestry practices, as specified.
This bill would
establish in the
department the Beneficial Fire Capacity Program
require the department, on an annual basis, to use not less than 10% of the appropriation described above
to expand training, organizational capacity, and
support
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.
districts, as provided. The bill would require at least 25% of that allocation be awarded to California Native American tribes or tribally led or indigenous-led organizations and would give priority for funding to proposals that involve California Native American tribes or indigenous-led organizations.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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