Office of Emergency Services: comprehensive wildfire mitigation program.

The California Assembly Committee on Emergency Management has put forward legislation to expand oversight of the state's comprehensive wildfire mitigation program by adding the Department of Insurance to its governing board. The measure builds upon an existing joint powers agreement between the Office of Emergency Services and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection that coordinates structure hardening initiatives and vegetation management activities.

Under the proposed changes, the Department of Insurance would join the California Wildfire Mitigation Program Board by July 1, 2026. The current program, which operates through 2029, provides financial assistance to property owners, community organizations, and local governments for implementing fire resistance measures. The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection would continue delegating its program responsibilities to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The joint powers agreement maintains its core functions of coordinating structure retrofitting for fire resistance and facilitating vegetation management activities that create defensible space around buildings. These activities apply to homes, businesses, and public buildings throughout California communities facing wildfire risks.