Sen. Dodd’s Wildfire Bills Move Ahead

SACRAMENTO – A trio of wildfire safety bills advanced today from Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, that will increase the state’s ability to prevent, prepare and respond to the growing threat of wildfires across California.

“The arrival of fire season underscores the need for immediate action,” Sen. Dodd said. “We can’t sit back and watch our state burn. Getting a handle on the destructive fires we’ve seen across our state over the past few years is an absolute priority.”

The following bills were voted out of committee and moved a step closer to clearing the Legislature:

Senate Bill 190 would assist in wildfire prevention and response by increasing awareness of and compliance with requirements for vegetation buffer zones.

SB 209 would establish the California Wildfire Warning Center, a statewide network of automated weather and environmental monitoring stations conducting fire-weather forecasting and threat assessment to aid in wildfire prevention and response.

SB 247 would place an independent third party such as Cal Fire in charge of overseeing electric utility corporations’ compliance with tree and vegetation-trimming requirements.

“California must respond to the increased wildfire threat and Sen. Dodd’s legislation is a big step toward making our state more safe,” said Stephen Akre, chief of the Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue Authority. “The improvements in defensible space and wildfire weather warning systems are critical measures.  I applaud his efforts.”

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Senator Bill Dodd represents California’s 3rd Senate District, which includes all or portions of Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Yolo, Sacramento, and Contra Costa counties. You can learn more about Senator Dodd at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd.