2023 California Code › Public Resources Code - PRC › DIVISION 4 - FORESTS, FORESTRY AND RANGE AND FORAGE LANDS › PART 2 - PROTECTION OF FOREST, RANGE AND FORAGE LANDS › CHAPTER 1 - Prevention and Control of Forest Fires › ARTICLE 9 - Fire Hazard Severity Zones › Section 4204.1.

4204.1. (a) On or before July 1, 2023, the department, in consultation with the State Fire Marshal and the Insurance Commissioner, shall make recommendations on how to understand and model wildfire risk for a community and specific parcels within the local responsibility area or state responsibility area through the input of mitigating factors. The department’s recommendations shall include all of the following:
(1) Identification of mitigation factors that must be included to determine risk.
(2) Cost-effective ways to gather data on mitigation factors.
(3) A discussion on how parcels can affect the risk of other parcels in close proximity.
(4) An evaluation of the effectiveness of using natural infrastructure as a community buffer.
(5) A review of other jurisdictions’ applicable wildfire risk models.
(6) Identification of barriers to determining the wildfire risk of a community and specific parcels.
(b) (1) The department shall establish, and consult with, an advisory workgroup to develop the recommendations required pursuant to subdivision (a).
(2) The advisory workgroup established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include all of the following members:
(A) The State Fire Marshal, or the State Fire Marshal’s designee.
(B) The Director of Emergency Services, or the director’s designee.
(C) The Insurance Commissioner, or the Insurance Commissioner’s designee.
(D) The Director of State Planning and Research, or the director’s designee.
(E) The Director of Housing and Community Development, or the director’s designee.
(F) Two representatives from insurers and insurance research organizations that have appropriate expertise in wildfire risk modeling, such as exposure measurement, risk modeling, and actuarial expertise, to be appointed by the department.
(G) Two representatives, one a fire chief, or the fire chief’s designee, and the other a fire prevention officer, to be appointed by the department in consultation with the California Fire Chiefs Association and the Fire Districts Association of California.
(H) A representative from the California Professional Firefighters, to be appointed by the department.
(I) A representative from the California Fire Science Consortium, to be appointed by the department.
(J) A representative from the California Building Industry Association, to be appointed by the department.
(K) Two representatives from a local government, with one from a rural city or county, to be appointed by the department.
(3) The appointed members of the advisory workgroup shall serve at the pleasure of the department.
(4) The members of the advisory workgroup shall serve without compensation, but each member shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
(5) The chairperson of the advisory workgroup shall be the State Fire Marshal, or the State Fire Marshal’s designee.
(6) The vice chairperson of the advisory workgroup shall be the fire chief specified in subparagraph (F) of paragraph (2), or the fire chief’s designee.
(c) The department shall post the recommendations required by subdivision (a) on the department’s internet website.
(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2025, and as of that date is repealed.
(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 375, Sec. 10. (AB 642) Effective January 1, 2022. Repealed as of January 1, 2025, by its own provisions.)