Wildfire Resilience Index is Now Live — Providing a New Interactive Tool to Support Communities and Landscapes Living with Wildfire
Wildfire Resilience Index is Now Live — Providing a New Interactive Tool to Support Communities and Landscapes Living with Wildfire
May 5, 2026 – The Wildfire Resilience Index launched as an open source, free, interactive tool designed to support communities and landscapes living with wildfire in 12 Western US states, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory. Users can look up any census tract, county, congressional district and get a resilience score — broken down by eight socio-ecological domains and split into resistance and recovery components to see not just how resilient a place is, but why, and what to do about it. The index is designed to inform land management, policy planning, and community preparedness by supporting evidence-based decisions that enhance safety and ecosystem sustainability. The index offers flexible insights that communities can adapt to their unique needs. It highlights where resilience can be strengthened-whether through vegetation management, infrastructure planning, community preparedness, or other targeted actions.
CAL FIRE Announces $100 Million in Funding to Increase Community and Landscape Wildfire Resilience
CAL FIRE Announces $100 Million in Funding to Increase Community and Landscape Wildfire Resilience
$70 Million to Help Communities Strengthen Wildfire Resilience:
May 7, 2026 — CAL FIRE announced the availability of up to $70 million in funding for community-focused wildfire prevention and resilience projects. Funded projects will support locally led efforts that reduce wildfire risk, strengthen preparedness, and help protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure. Eligible activities include hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning, and wildfire prevention education aimed at increasing readiness and reducing wildfire ignition potential. Projects that also deliver carbon‑reduction benefits will receive additional consideration. Completed applications must be submitted by 3:00 p.m. on July 8, 2026.
$30 Million for Regional Wildfire and Landscape Resilience:
May 13, 2026 — CAL FIRE announced the availability of up to $30 million through a new Regional Wildfire and Landscape Resilience Grant Program funded by the 2024 California Climate Bond (Proposition 4). The program aims to accelerate landscape-scale, regionally appropriate activities that strengthen local capacity, improve landscape health and resilience, and reduce wildfire risk to communities. By anchoring funding in a local context, these grants encourage regions to move beyond one-size-fits-all solutions and instead tailor strategies to unique challenges and opportunities. Priority will be given to projects that leverage funding from multiple sources to maximize public benefits, build regional capacity to develop and deliver future resilience projects, and reflect broad stakeholder engagement, including meaningful tribal participation. The program will follow a two-phase application process, with concept proposals due by 3 p.m. on June 30, 2026. Additional information, including a virtual workshop on program requirements, is available on the Regional Wildfire & Landscape Resilience Grants webpage.
California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Releases Draft of Zone Zero Defensible Space Regulations
California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Releases Draft of Zone Zero Defensible Space Regulations
April 17, 2026 – The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection subcommittee released an updated draft of proposed Zone 0 (first five feet around homes and structures) defensible space regulations, marking another step in the state’s ongoing effort to better protect homes and communities from wildfire. The draft regulations were informed by extensive public input and reflect a flexible approach that empowers homeowners and local governments to take action. The updated draft rule includes a phased-in implementation approach that prioritizes education and outreach over a 5-year period.
Swift Action to Expand Beneficial Fire Statewide
Following Governor’s Executive Order, California Takes Swift Action to Expand Beneficial Fire Statewide
Just six months after Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order directing state agencies to reduce red tape and expand tools to safely deploy beneficial fire, State agencies have moved quickly to provide immediate on-the-ground support to local governments and fire practitioners to maximize beneficial fire use.
California has expedited beneficial fire projects, expanded partnerships with Native American tribes, strengthened alignment with air quality entities, and built capacity for practitioners through updated policies, streamlined processes, and training initiatives. Since July 2025, CAL FIRE has treated nearly 20,000 acres with prescribed fire and State Parks has rapidly expanded its prescribed fire program—treating over 1,300 acres, seizing key burn windows to complete high-priority projects in iconic parks, and strengthening capacity through new leadership and training for hundreds of staff and partners. Learn more about California’s progress on expanding beneficial fire.
Actions Taken to Date in Response to the Order
Expediting Beneficial Fire Projects
Assisting local agencies: To make it easier for CAL FIRE to help others with beneficial fire projects, CAL FIRE issued a Temporary Directive clarifying various roles for Department resources when collaborating with entities such as prescribed burn associations, cultural burn practitioners and local agencies on burns. The Temporary Directive will be replaced by CAL FIRE Handbook Policy and Procedure to ensure the language of the Directive is enduring. (EO Action 1)
Streamlining agreements and forms: CAL FIRE has updated its agreement and right of entry forms for prescribed fire projects on private, state, and federal lands to streamline the process for working with cooperators on beneficial fire projects. (EO Action 1)
Suspending required site visits: To allow projects to be implemented more quickly, CAL FIRE issued a Temporary Directive stating that site visits or inspections are not required when burn permit applications are received from qualified beneficial and cultural fire practitioners. The Temporary Directive also encourages relationships with beneficial fire practitioners. (EO Action 2)
Expanding participation in the Liability Claims Fund: To enable additional qualified entities to participate in the Prescribed Fire Liability Claims Fund Pilot Program, CAL FIRE updated the Prescribed Fire Claims Fund FAQ document posted on its website to affirm that volunteer fire departments or districts and Resource Conservation Districts can enroll in the Claims Fund. (EO Action 3)
Updating CAL FIRE’s prescribed fire guidebook: CAL FIRE’s Prescribed Fire Committee is in the process of updating the CAL FIRE prescribed fire guidebook to be inclusive of non-CAL FIRE beneficial fire practitioners. This is intended to more effectively support prescribed fires that are primarily planned and / or conducted by non-CAL FIRE entities. In the meantime, the existing guidebook posted on the CAL FIRE website encourages non-CAL FIRE practitioners to use the guidebook as a reference in the development of their projects. (EO Action 4).
Developing template agreements: CAL FIRE has updated all template agreements for projects on private, state, and federal lands to facilitate efficient and effective coordination. (EO Action 5)
Fast-tracking projects: CNRA and CalEPA continue to explore options for establishing a durable process to fast-track beneficial fire projects beyond the end of Governor Newsom’s March 1, 2025, State of Emergency proclamation. (EO Action 6)
Expanding Partnerships With Native American Tribes
Improving collaboration with tribes: In March 2026, CNRA launched the state’s first-ever Tribal Stewardship Policy, establishing a statewide goal of expanding tribal stewardship over at least 7.5 million acres of lands and coastal waters in California. The Policy sets clear standards to institutionalize meaningful and durable tribal-state partnerships and advance tribal stewardship through tribal access, collaboration, and ancestral land return. (EO Action 7)
Strengthening Alignment With Air Quality Entities
Collaboration with air districts: The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is actively participating in two key interagency forums that support the implementation of beneficial fire: the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force Beneficial Fire Workgroup and the California Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA) Prescribed Fire Committee. Through the Beneficial Fire Workgroup, CARB is providing updates on the Smoke Management Program, presenting information on systems such as the Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System (PFIRS) and engaging in ongoing discussions to streamline air regulatory processes. Through the CAPCOA Prescribed Fire Committee, CARB is working to address smoke monitoring, communications, and training. Recently, CARB staff have been using these meetings to engage the districts on opportunities for expanding burn window authorizations. (EO Action 8)
Identifying best practices for consistent permitting and smoke management: CARB has developed draft smoke management best practices to support program implementation. These drafts address key areas such as reporting requirements, burn day declarations, and communication guidelines and will be incorporated into the statewide training sessions. (EO Action 9)
Developing longer burn authorization windows: CARB has completed internal analysis on the efficacy of 48-hour burn windows and is currently developing procedures to implement the longer burn windows that will better facilitate larger beneficial fire projects and the staging of resources. Additionally, Smoke Management Guidelines (Title 17, California Code of Regulations, section 80100 et seq.) provide flexibility to support larger-scale beneficial fire projects. The Guidelines include provisions that allow burning on CARB-declared no-burn days and grant discretion to CARB forecasting staff in applying meteorological criteria when determining burn day status. (EO Action 10)
Improving access to technology: CARB is upgrading its Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System (PFIRS) and is in the testing phase, with operational release anticipated by the end of 2026. The upgraded system is being developed within the Esri software environment, enabling alignment with land management agency systems, including the CAL FIRE permitting system. The new platform will provide a more streamlined and user-friendly experience for practitioners, and CARB will offer training for land managers and air district users following deployment. (EO Action 11)
Building Capacity For Practitioners
Distribute funding in advance of beneficial fire work: Building on Climate Bond program guidance and statutory authority under Government Code Section 11019.3, departments under CNRA are incorporating advance payment options into their program structures to ensure grantees – including those conducting beneficial fire and fuels reduction activities – have the upfront resources needed to initiate wok without delay. (EO Action 12)
Simplify processes for grant funding: CNRA has initiated cross departmental coordination efforts to simplify and align grant funding processes that support beneficial fire projects, consistent with the Governor’s Executive Order. Building on the collaborative structures already in place through ongoing Climate Bond program development and wildfire/vegetation management coordination, CNRA departments are working together to identify redundancies, build consistency across application requirements, and improve clarity in guidelines and supporting materials. This work emphasizes reducing administrative burden for grantees while maintaining necessary accountability measures, with a focus on improving access for practitioners. (EO Action 13)
Launching the Beneficial Fire Training Network: CAL FIRE has requested Proposition 4 Climate Bond funding to support a virtual “Prescribed Fire Training Hub” external to CAL FIRE for broad sharing of training resources and opportunities between current and prospective beneficial fire practitioners. It is intended that this Hub serve as a building block for a Beneficial Fire Training Network with available resources for practitioners, air districts, local health jurisdictions and regulators across California. (EO Action 14)
Six Months After the LA Fires, California Continues Unprecedented Recovery Campaign
Six Months After the LA Fires, California Continues Unprecedented Recovery Campaign
July 7, 2025 – On the six month anniversary of the Eaton and Palisades fires, Governor Newsom announced the substantial completion of the public debris removal program from more than 10,000 fire damaged parcels. The near-completion of the public debris removal program comes months ahead of schedule. The LA Fires cleanup is the second largest in state history after the Camp Fire and was jointly managed by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and United States Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well Los Angeles County and City of Los Angeles. Of the 12,048 total properties destroyed in the twin fires, 9,873 opted to participate in the cost-free public cleanup program.
Following cleanup, the Governor signed Executive Order N-29-25 to accelerate rebuilding homes and schools impacted by the fires by suspending local permitting laws and building codes. To further spur rebuilding the Governor and the California Department of Housing and Community Development announced the release of $101 million to help rapidly rebuild critically needed, affordable multifamily rental housing in the fire-devastated LA region.
CAL FIRE Releases Vegetation Burn Severity Online Viewer
CAL FIRE Releases Vegetation Burn Severity Online Viewer
July 15, 2025 – CAL FIRE’s Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) released the California Vegetation Burn Severity Online Viewer, a public geospatial tool that displays burn severity data for wildfires across all land ownerships that burned at least 1,000 acres in California from 2015 to 2023. In accordance with Senate Bill 1101, FRAP developed this viewer to enhance public understanding of post-fire conditions and ecological impacts. It offers insight into the severity of impacts to vegetation across both forested and non-forested landscapes. The viewer will support post-fire recovery planning, inform habitat management and conservation efforts, enhance safety through insights for fire suppression planning, and improve preparedness by helping prescribed fire practitioners plan treatments based on past burn severity and fuel changes. Users can view fire perimeters, severity maps, and proportional area statistics for each fire. The viewer will be updated annually to include new fires under 1,000 acres.
California Allocates $9.5 Million for Wildfire County Coordinator Program
California Invests $9.5 Million for Wildfire County Coordinator Program
July 31, 2025 – With the support of Governor Newsom and the California State Legislature, the 2025-26 budget will provide $9.5 million for the Wildfire County Coordinator Program. Delivered in partnership between the California Fire Safe Council and CAL FIRE, the program establishes critical local capacity in 47 California counties with dedicated coordinators to secure funding, implement mitigation projects, engage vulnerable populations, and build resilience in high-risk communities. Coordinators serve as the crucial link between state strategy and local execution—ensuring California communities are better prepared, better connected, and more resilient to wildfire. The program will continue:
- Operationalizing California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan at the county level;
- Accelerating home hardening, defensible space implementation, and public education;
- Standardizing data collection to track local and statewide wildfire resilience progress; and
- Improving public safety, community insurability, and wildfire preparedness in California’s highest-risk regions.
Impact of the Wildfire County Coordinator Program
Investments in community capacity through the program have already produced substantial mitigation and resiliency benefits:
- Secured over $85M in funding for local wildfire mitigation projects;
- Coordinated with over 10,000 organizations to increase collaboration, break down silos, and leverage resources for community mitigation;
- Hosted over 3,800 events for community engagement and education;
- Educated and empowered over 800,000 residents to take action for wildfire resilience; and
- Established more than 100 new FireWise Communities and Fire Safe Councils.
Testimonials from the Wildfire County Coordinators
“The Program has allowed Del Norte County Fire Safe Council to protect many underserved residents and coordinate with other wildfire mitigation groups to maximize impact. Our County Coordinator has brought nearly $4 million in federal funding to Del Norte County, created defensible space around 372 homes, and completed 1,500 home assessments.”
– Aaron Babcock, Del Norte County
“A small investment in capacity can lead to sustainable, long-term improvements for any organization. Because of the County Coordinator Grant, Plumas Fire Safe Council had the capacity to obtain a $6.8 million dollar grant dedicated to hazardous fuels reduction and assessment.”
– Liam Gallaher, Plumas County
“The County Coordinator Grant has supported collaboration in our county by allowing us to create a collaborative meeting of 14 fire prevention agencies in the county to better inform the public and improve our ability to leverage funds and labor.”
– Jon Cottington, Madera County
“We’ve been able to significantly expand our youth education impact by implementing three new school programs and getting back into the classroom with students for the first time since the 2018 Camp Fire.”
– Lauren de Terra, Butte County
“The program has given us the time and opportunity to strengthen our outreach countywide while implementing critical fuel reduction programs. We’ve also been able translate educational materials into Spanish, expanding our outreach to underserved populations.”
– Marika Ramsen, Sonoma County
“We’ve reduced redundancy, supported capacity and collaboration for other Fire Safe Councils, and boosted community engagement through Firewise USA. We also learn from other County Coordinators & implement those lessons learned.”
– Stephen Watson, Ventura County
USFS Invests Nearly $8 Million in Wood Innovation Grants in California
USFS Invests Nearly $8 Million in Wood Innovation Grants in California
July 17, 2025 – The U.S. Forest Service announced awarding $80 million in Wood Innovations and Wood Product Infrastructure Grants to spur wood products manufacturing, expand active forest management, and accelerate energy innovation. Of these investments, nearly $8 million will go to 16 projects in California. A list of California awardees is below:
Wood Product Infrastructure Assistance Grant Program:
- Alpenglow Timber, LLC – $906,492: Establishes sawmill operations to support reduced wildfire risk and active forest management on National Forests and tribal forestlands in California and Nevada.
- California Hotwood, Inc. – $232,000: Upgrades firewood processing capacity to support reduced wildfire risk and active forest management on National Forests in California.
- Fall River Resource Conservation District – $252,642: Upgrades and modernization of biomass power facility operations to support reduced wildfire risk and active forest management on National Forests in California.
- Franklin Logging, Inc. – $907,568: Upgrades to lumber drying operations at sawmill to support reduced wildfire risk and active forest management on National Forests in California.
- Green Diamond Resource Company – $337,500: Establishes a stationary chipping facility to utilize small diameter and low value species in support of wildfire risk reduction and active forest management on National Forests in California.
- Lignum Support, LLC – $1,000,000: Upgrades and expansion of forest residues chipping operations for biomass energy to expand the utilization of forest residues and reduce wildfire risk and support active forest management on National Forests in California.
- Pacific Ultrapower Chinese Station – $960,000: Improves operational efficiencies at biomass power plant to support reduced wildfire risk and active forest management on National Forests in California.
- Tuolumne Biomass, LLC – $999,131: Upgrades small log processing operation to expand markets for small diameter and lower value species and support reduced wildfire risk and active forest management on National Forests in California.
Wood Innovations Grant Program:
- American Wood Fibers, Inc. – $300,000: Installs wood pellet mill to increase low-value wood utilization while supporting active forest management in California.
- DTE Materials Inc. – $300,000: Advances the production of wood concrete aggregates to improve utilization of low-value biomass and support active forest management.
- Enfilade Partners – $300,000: Designs and engineers a mass timber affordable housing project to accelerate the adoption of domestic mass timber thereby increasing active forest management and markets for small-diameter timber.
- Falk Forestry, Inc – $299,664: Establishes sawmill and firewood production to increase timber utilization and active forest management in Northern California.
- Fall River Resource Conservation District – $150,000: Establishes biochar production capabilities to support active forest management and wildfire risk reduction across national forests in California.
- Happy Camp Community Action, Inc. – $300,000: Advances the development of a new wood composite product to improve utilization of low-value biomass and support active forest management.
- Loamist, Co. – $300,000: Identifies locations for new low-value biomass markets to support active forest management and wildfire risk reduction in California.
- Sierra Institute for Community and Environment – $300,000: Installs mass timber manufacturing equipment thereby increasing active forest management across western forests.
First Set of Projects Fast-tracked as Part of Governor’s Emergency Proclamation on Wildfire
CNRA and CalEPA Identify First Set of Fast-tracked Projects as Part of Governor’s Emergency Proclamation on Wildfire
New Streamlined Process:
Governor Newsom issued an Emergency Proclamation (Proclamation) on March 1, 2025, to confront the severe ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfires that threatens public safety across California. The Proclamation authorizes the Secretaries of the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) to determine which projects are eligible for suspension of certain State of California statutory and regulatory requirements to expedite critical fuels reduction projects, while at the same time protecting public resources and the environment. The Task Force has established a website that includes eligibility criteria, FAQs, and a link to the application to request a determination of eligibility for suspension of relevant State of California statutory and regulatory requirements. The Secretaries also hosted a virtual briefing on the Proclamation and the process.
First Set of Approved Projects:
Just one week after applications opened, CNRA and CalEPA identified a 450-acre collaborative wildfire resilience project in Humboldt County as the first project to be determined eligible for streamlining. Three projects totaling 882 acres have been approved to date, spanning from the northern California coast to Sierra Nevada Mountains and all the way down to San Diego. Each of these projects involve tribes and other partners, natural resource managers and fire districts. Here is an overview of the first set of approved projects.
- The Prosper Ridge Community Wildfire Resilience Project in Humboldt County is the first approved project under the Governor’s emergency proclamation on wildfire. This collaborative state, federal, and tribal project will treat nearly 450 acres with a combination of mechanical thinning, manual treatments, and prescribed fire.
- The Sycuan Wildfire Resiliency Project covers over 240 acres in San Diego County and aims to protect the Sycuan Reservation from wildfire by reducing fire hazard, ensuring defensible space, and providing safe egress with the use of 300 grazing goats.
- Vedanta Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project will reduce wildfire risk, improve forest health and enhance landscape resilience within the WUI, reducing risk of crown fires spans across 190 acres near Lake Tahoe.
These projects are focused on removing flammable dead or dying trees, creating strategic fuel breaks, creating safe egress along roadways, manual and mechanical removal of ladder fuels and beneficial fire use. Approved project location maps and documentation will be made available on the Task Force website.
Wildfire Project Streamlining Requests
Fast-Tracking Critical Fuels Reduction Projects:
Requests to Suspend State Statutes and Regulations
New Project streamlining requests under the Governor Newsom’s Emergency Proclamation on wildfire are no longer being accepted. Under this proclamation over 380 critical wildfire projects across more than 90,000 acres have been fast-tracked with projects approved in as little as 30 days – reducing review timelines by a year or more for many projects. This page includes information on approved projects and resources to support ongoing planning efforts for projects submitted prior to the May 1, 2026 deadline.
Eligibility:
A project is eligible to operate under the suspension of state laws if it meets all four of the following requirements:
1. The primary objective of the project is at least one of these activities:
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- Removal of hazardous, dead, and/or dying trees
- Removal of vegetation for the creation of strategic fuel breaks as identified by approved fire prevention plans, including without limitation, CAL FIRE Unit Fire Plans or Community Wildfire Preparedness Plans
- Removal of vegetation for community defensible space
- Removal of vegetation along roadways, high-ways, and freeways for the creation of safer ingress and egress routes for the public and responders and/or to reduce roadside ignitions
- Removal of vegetation using cultural traditional ecological knowledge for cultural burning and/or prescribed fire treatments for fuels reduction
- Maintenance of previously established fuel breaks or fuels modification projects
2. The request for suspension is submitted by May 1, 2026.
3. Work will be performed or supervised by qualified responsible parties, such as Registered Professional Foresters, Certified Rangeland Managers, qualified vegetation management contractors, qualified incident commanders, certified arborists, certified burn bosses and authorized cultural burners.
4. Work will follow Best Management Practices (BMPs) and measures identified in the Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan (EPP).
As identified above, projects that receive suspension must focus on critical fuels reduction to combat catastrophic fires and promote community safety and resiliency. This includes, but is not limited to, projects identified in CAL FIRE Unit Fire Plans, Community Wildfire Preparedness Plans, and Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans provided they meet the objectives above.
Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan (EPP):
View the redlined changes from the May 2025 version
Project Support Resources:
Approved Project Information:
FAQ's
Given the severe threat of catastrophic wildfire risk, the Newsom Administration is moving to expedite fuel reduction projects that protect public safety and communities. Consistent with Governor Newsom’s March 1, 2025 State of Emergency Proclamation (Proclamation) the Secretaries of the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) are authorized to determine which projects are eligible for suspension of certain state laws and regulations to expedite critical fuels reduction projects, while at the same time protecting public health and the environment.
A project is eligible to operate under the suspension of state laws if it meets all four of the following requirements:
1. The primary objective of the project is at least one of these activities:
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- Removal of hazardous, dead, and/or dying trees
- Removal of vegetation for the creation of strategic fuel breaks as identified by approved fire prevention plans, including without limitation, CAL FIRE Unit Fire Plans or Community Wildfire Preparedness Plans
- Removal of vegetation for community defensible space
- Removal of vegetation along roadways, high-ways, and freeways for the creation of safer ingress and egress routes for the public and responders and/or to reduce roadside ignitions
- Removal of vegetation using cultural traditional ecological knowledge for cultural burning and/or prescribed fire treatments for fuels reduction
- Maintenance of previously established fuel breaks or fuels modification projects
2. The request for suspension is submitted by May 1, 2026.
3. Work will be performed or supervised by qualified responsible parties, such as Registered Professional Foresters, Certified Rangeland Managers, qualified vegetation management contractors, qualified incident commanders, certified arborists, certified burn bosses and authorized cultural burners.
4. Work will follow Best Management Practices (BMPs) and measures identified in the Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan (EPP).
As identified above, projects that receive suspension must focus on critical fuels reduction to combat catastrophic fires and promote community safety and resiliency. This includes, but is not limited to, projects identified in CAL FIRE Unit Fire Plans, Community Wildfire Preparedness Plans, and Utility Wildfire Mitigation Plans provided they meet the objectives above.
Eligible entities include, but are not limited to, public agencies, Tribes, Resource Conservation Districts, non-governmental organizations, Fire Safe Councils, utilities and professional land managers.
The following state statutes and regulations that fall within the jurisdiction of the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Natural Resources Agency are eligible for suspension under the State of Emergency proclamation:
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- California Environmental Quality Act (Public Resources Code [PRC] Section 21000 et seq.)
- California Coastal Act (PRC Section 30000 et seq.)
- California Endangered Species Act (Fish and Game Code [FGC] Sections 2050-2115.5); Prohibition of the take of any species of wildlife designated as endangered, threatened, or candidates for listing.
- Lake or Streambed Alteration Agreement, notification of significant alteration to stream channel, bank or bed (FGC Section 1600 et seq.)
- Native Plant Protection Act (FGC Section 1900 et seq.)
- Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act (FGC Section 1927 et seq.)
- California Fully Protected Birds (FGC Section 3511)
- California Migratory Bird Protection Act (FGC Section 3513)
- California Fully Protected Mammals (FGC Section 4700)
- California Fully Protected Reptiles and Amphibians (FGC Section 5050)
- California Fully Protected Fish (FGC Section 5515)
- FGC Sections 5650 and 5652; Deposition of deleterious material into waters of the state.
- FGC Section 5901; Fish passage.
- FGC Section 5937; Sufficient water for fish.
- FGC Section 5948; Obstruction of streams.
- FGC Section 2000; Taking is unlawful except as provided
- FGC Sections 3503 and 3503.5; Protection for bird nests and eggs and birds of prey
- FGC Section § 86, where “Take” shall be avoided. Take is defined as to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill.
- 14 CCR Section 13001 et seq.; California Coastal Commission Administrative Regulations
- California Water Code (CWC) Section 13160 and all regulations pursuant to that section; Water quality certification for discharges to navigable waters
- CWC Section 13260 and all regulations pursuant to that section; report of waste discharge requirement for discharges of waste or proposed discharges of waste to waters of the state
- 17 CCR Sections 80100-80330; Smoke Management Guidelines for Agricultural and Prescribed Burning
- PRC Sections 5024 and 5024.5; State agency consultation
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Suspensions apply only to these identified state statutes and regulatory requirements. Applicable local and federal laws and regulations remain in place.
A project proponent completes the online application, which can be found at this website landing page. Completing this application provides the Secretaries and their state agencies all needed information to determine if suspension can be granted. Project proponents will receive notification within 30 calendar days if their application has been approved.
The request for suspension, made through the online application, must be submitted by May 1, 2026. On-the-ground work must begin no later than October 15, 2026. Typically, projects must be completed within two years of initiating work on-the-ground. However, extensions may be allowed for up to five years from the commencement of on-the-ground work for fuels reduction projects that have been awarded funding from the following state grant programs:
- CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grants
- CAL FIRE Forest Health Grants
- California Forest Improvement Program within the Coastal Zone (projects must have fuels reduction as a key objective)
- Climate Bond early action funding (Prop 4)
- Programs funded through Wildfire Resilience Packages in FY 21/22, 22/23, and 23/24
Projects that receive extensions must submit progress reports that are required under their grant agreements to the suspension review teams at CNRA and CalEPA. Additionally, state agencies within CNRA (e.g. CAL FIRE, State Parks, CDFW, State Lands Commission, State Conservancies) are eligible to apply for extensions of up to five years from the commencement of on-the-ground work for projects that they lead and directly implement.
No. Once approved, suspensions remain in effect for the duration of project work.
Projects must meet the eligibility criteria identified above. When applicants submit suspension requests, they attest that project work will comply with BMPs and measures identified in the Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan. Secretarial Determinations are conditioned on compliance with the EPP. Agency staff will have the opportunity to inspect project sites to assess EPP compliance and make recommendations for resource protection.
For-profit commercial timber operations that do not have as a primary objective one of the six listed above and cited in the State of Emergency proclamation.
Large landscape projects of over 3,000 acres are not eligible for suspension and are advised to pursue permitting through the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) process.
The Statewide Fuels Reduction Environmental Protection Plan (EPP) can be found here. It identifies the Best Management Practices and measures which must be followed by projects that receive suspensions. The EPP streamlines and simplifies the substantive requirements that would otherwise govern fuels reduction projects through the normal regulatory process. The EPP covers practices such as:
- Access to the project site for inspection
- Identifying and protecting sensitive resources
- Tribal cultural resources
- Coastal zone sensitive habitat
- Riparian and water quality
- Biological resources such as habitat, fish and wildfire
- Measures to control sediment and erosion
- Procedures when conducting prescribed fire and grazing
No. To ensure a consistent approach for implementation, the Secretaries will condition their determinations on compliance with the Statewide Fuels Reduction EPP; alternative plans developed by others are not being accepted.
The Governor’s Proclamation issued on March 1, 2025 called on the California Board of Forestry to refine and expand the California Vegetation Treatment Program. The Board of Forestry has taken steps to begin the process of updating the CalVTP, including soliciting input from practitioners on how to improve the process. Information on the update process can be found here.
Please note that the information below is intended as a resource to help applicants navigate their project planning and implementation needs. However, the State provides no assurances that the entities listed below are available for project requests. Please be advised that receiving assistance is not a guarantee that your project will be approved for a State of Emergency Proclamation suspension.
Agency Contacts:
CAL FIRE Regional Unit Forester Contact List
Local CA Department of Fish & Wildlife Contact List
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network Contact List
California Department of Conservation Regional Fire and Forest Capacity (RFFC) Program Contact List:
North Coast Resource Partnership
Rose Roberts – rroberts@northcoastresourcepartnership.org
North Sacramento Valley Coalition
Greg Conant – greg@glenncountyrcd.org
Tahoe Conservancy
Christine Aralia – Christine.Aralia@tahoe.ca.gov
Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
Sarah Kevorkian – sarah.kevorkian@mrca.ca.gov
Rivers and Mountains Conservancy
Blair Crossman – bcrossman@rmc.ca.gov
Inland Empire RCD
Susie Kirschner – skirschner@iercd.org
Inland Empire Community Foundation
David Hernandez – dhernandez@iegives.org
RCD of Greater San Diego
Stan Hill – stan.hill@rcdsandiego.org
State Coastal Conservancy
Lilly Allen – lilly.allen@scc.ca.gov
Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Madi Killebrew – mkillebrew@irconservancy.org
Resources to Find Licensed or Certified Professionals:
Find a Registered Professional Forester
Find a Certified Rangeland Manager
Verify the license of someone you may already working with