Sen. Dodd's Trio Of Wildfire Safety Bills Advance

SACRAMENTO, CA —Three wildfire safety bills to help prepare for and prevent future California infernos were approved by Assembly committees, according to California state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, the author of the proposed bills.

"As a result of climate change, California faces more destructive and frequent wildfires, so it’s imperative that we are proactive," Dodd said, who lives in Napa County and represents parts of Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Contra Costa counties and Napa County — all of which have been touched by destructive wildfires.

"These bills address important aspects of our response including creation of brush-free defensible spaces around homes and the marshaling of firefighting resources," Dodd said. "I appreciate my Assembly colleagues for their support."

Dodd has long been a leader in wildfire legislation, authoring more than a dozen bills signed into law.

This year he continued that advocacy with the following three bills, which were previously approved by the full Senate and now have advanced in Assembly committees:

Senate Bill 504 Defensible Space: Following up on earlier legislation, this bill establishes more robust standards, especially for new construction and home upgrades, and calls for an ember-resistant zone between 5 and 30 feet of a dwelling. It was approved by the Assembly Natural Resources committee with overwhelming support.

Senate Bill 1014, Wildfire Mitigation Planning Act: Coordinates firefighting efforts between state, federal and private entities, increasing overall wildfire safety effectiveness while maximizing California’s wildfire response investment. Approved by the Assembly Emergency Management committee.

Senate Bill 1215, State Board of Fire Services: Improves the operation of the board that helps advance the state's fire safety efforts; requires state to appoint a cultural burn liaison to better manage fuels reduction. Passed the Assembly Emergency Management committee.

Once the bills have been reviewed by the next set of committees, they will return for another house vote.