Wildfire mitigation program: financial assistance to counties.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on how much money will be allocated or what happens if there are no federal funds available, leaving these points uncertain.

Wildfire Help for Counties

The bill requires financial assistance from state funds and federal grants to the top 7th to 10th ranked counties based on wildfire risk and social vulnerability.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the Office of Emergency Services, in collaboration with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, to provide financial aid to the top 7th to 10th ranked counties for wildfire mitigation efforts.
• Allows these counties to use federal funds for home hardening projects under specified conditions.
• Includes a requirement for an evaluation on additional funding needed to expand the program.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Office of Emergency Services and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
• Counties ranked 7th to 10th based on wildfire risk and social vulnerability.
• Property owners, community organizations, and local governments within these counties

Terms To Know

Wildfire mitigation

Steps taken to reduce damage from wildfires, like making buildings more resistant to fires.

Social vulnerability

The risk that a community faces due to factors like poverty or lack of resources when dealing with disasters.

Limits and Unknowns

• It is not clear how much money will be given until the Legislature decides.
• Details on what happens if there are no federal funds available for these counties are unclear.

Official Summary Text

SB 1270, as amended, Richardson.
Wildfire mitigation program: financial assistance to counties.
Existing law, contingent upon an appropriation by the Legislature, requires the Office of Emergency Services to enter into a joint powers agreement with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to develop and administer a comprehensive wildfire mitigation program to, among other things, encourage cost-effective structure hardening and retrofitting to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, and public buildings. Existing law requires the joint powers authority to develop eligibility criteria for property owners, community organizations, and local governments who may receive financial assistance under the program.
Existing law authorizes the joint powers authority to accept any federal funds granted, by act of Congress or by executive order, for any purposes related to the wildfire mitigation
program. Existing law requires the joint powers authority to submit a report to the Legislature regarding the implementation of the wildfire mitigation program, including specified information.
This bill would require the joint powers
authority
authority
, upon appropriation for specified purposes,
to provide financial assistance to the
10 counties
top 7th to 10th ranked counties, inclusive,
with the greatest combined risk of wildfire and social vulnerability
based on the above-described eligibility criteria, as provided.
The bill would also require certain federal funding, subject to specified conditions, to revert to the joint powers authority to fund home hardening in those counties. The bill would require the joint powers authority to additionally include an evaluation of the amount of additional funding that would be required to expand the wildfire mitigation program to those counties.
This bill would make related findings and declarations.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF