2021 California Monument Fire - Engine crew battles flames
Credit: USDA
July 26, 2024 - SACRAMENTO, Calif.— More than 90 organizations warned Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday against supporting proposed legislation that would significantly increase wildfire risk by abolishing the state’s fire hazard severity zone designations. The groups’ letter notes that the bill, which is backed by the governor’s office, would reshape the state’s fire and housing policies by making it easier for developers to build in high-risk areas.
Senate Bill 610, which is being considered in the Assembly, would get rid of a classification that guides important land-use decisions and strategies to reduce wildfire risk. The bill would also take away the public decision-making ability of the state Board of Forestry and Fire Protection and give it to one person: the state fire marshal.
“California has watched nearly 350,000 acres go up in flames this year, but somehow lawmakers are thinking of tossing out safeguards that reduce wildfire risk,” said J.P. Rose, policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Urban Wildlands program. “If this reckless bill passes, developers may have free rein to build in fire-prone areas, putting the lives of residents and firefighters in grave danger.”
In today’s letter, a coalition of community and environmental groups urged Newsom to table the bill and focus on fire and housing policies that strengthen public safety. S.B. 610 is a “gut-and-amend” bill, which means the language of the proposed legislation was added last-minute, leaving insufficient time for the public or elected officials to review or propose amendments.
“S.B. 610 perpetuates the false narrative that new development in fire risk areas is mitigated and made safe by following current building codes,” said Marylee Guinon of the State Alliance for Firesafe Road Regulations.
California has experienced many large and fierce wildfires this year, including the Lake Fire, which has burned nearly 39,000 acres in Santa Barbara County, and the Shelly Fire, which has burned more than 15,000 acres in Siskiyou County. These and many other fires are burning in high and very high fire hazard severity zones — classifications that would be eliminated under this bill.
The vast majority of modern wildfires are started by people, which means developing in high-risk areas would increase ignition risk, endangering new and existing communities.
“At a time when wildfires are currently threatening Californians across the state, it is absurd to be drastically changing our entire wildfire risk management system through a last-minute hasty piece of legislation,” said Howard Penn, executive director of the Planning and Conservation League. “There should be a more well-thought out process and plan if this is something we need to adjust.”
The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
State Alliance for Firesafe Road Regulations (SAFRR) works to ensure that all new development in California complies with the State Minimum Fire Safe Regulations and public safety standards, and provides for unimpeded firefighter access and safe concurrent evacuation.
Endangered Habitats League is a tax-exempt non-profit California corporation dedicated to the conservation of native ecosystems and to sustainable land use and transportation planning.
Planning and Conservation League was founded in 1965 to protect and restore California’s natural environment, and to promote and defend the health and safety of Californians through legislative and administrative action.
Source: Center for Biological Diversity
