The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor, State of California
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE: 2021-22 State Budget Wildfire Preparedness and Emergency Response Funds
Dear Governor Newsom:
On behalf of the organizations listed below, we write in support of the 2021-22 state budget framework, which allocates $2 billion for wildfire preparedness and all-hazards emergency preparedness. These funds reflect the critical need for California to enhance wildfire suppression and forest management efforts and invest in building community resiliency that will better protect people and property from catastrophic wildfires.
Following the devastating 2017 and 2018 wildfires, California experienced the worst wildfire season in state history in 2020. A devastating drought and another challenging fire season may be in the near future as well. California wildfires are expected to grow increasingly extreme due to: (1) forest “fuel loads”; (2) climate change contributing to droughts leading to more dead and combustible vegetation; and (3) more people living in fire-threatened communities.
As climate change impacts are felt with larger and more intense fires and threats to our communities, lives, and property, we must work together as neighbors, communities, and state and local governments on a comprehensive and collective approach to benefit all Californians. To that end, below are Stronger California’s foundational principles:
Prioritize Wildfire Resiliency Funding
Stronger California Coalition supports enhanced state funding for statewide wildfire prevention activities that reduce the risk of wildfire threats to lives, properties, and natural habitats. State funds should help harden homes and community infrastructure, expand forest health and vegetation management activities, and improve public safety across California.
Community Planning is Key to Success
Stronger California Coalition supports community-level planning and preparedness efforts for wildfire resiliency. Defensible space and building standards are incredibly important; community-scale interventions, such as community layout and the establishment of safe areas for the community to assemble during fires, can reduce the risk of wildfire losses and allow California to continue to grow safely.
Establish Certification Program for Wildfire Resilience
Stronger California Coalition supports training and development programs that grow the pipeline for careers in the fire service and create the workforce for an inspection, assessment, verification, and certification system that ensures quality home hardening and community-level mitigation are achieved and critical defensible space requirements are sustained.
Develop Home and Community Mitigation Data to Guide Decisions
Stronger California Coalition supports using the best science available for wildfire-risk mapping and collecting statewide mitigation data. These tools can empower local communities to understand their risk and reduce it, guide state and local government wildfire resource allocation, and help increase the availability of homeowners’ insurance in fire-threat areas through precision in rate making and the study of home hardening mitigation activities on insured losses.
We thank you and the Legislature for the important investments made thus far, and we look forward to continuing to work together to better protect homes, communities, and our residents from wildfires and other emergencies.
Respectfully,
American Property Casualty Insurance Association
California Building Industry Association
California Farm Bureau
California Fire Safe Council
California State Association of Counties
Personal Insurance Federation of California
Southern California Edison
Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association
Stronger California
CC: Anthony Rendon, Assembly Speaker
Toni Atkins, Senate President Pro Tempore,
Phil Ting, Assembly Budget Chair
Vince Fong, Assembly Budget Vice Chair
Nancy Skinner, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Chair
Jim Nielsen, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Chair