Advancing Science and Solutions: Reflecting on Wildfire Policy in the 2026 California Legislative Session
Written by James Puerini
As the 2026 California legislative session concludes, the Climate & Wildfire Institute (CWI) has been reflecting on the policy discussions, challenges, and milestones that have shaped the state's approach to wildfire resilience this year. As a convener and facilitator for evidence-based decision making, our goal is neutrality for the sake of clarity. Navigating the complex realities of a changing climate and evolving wildfire crisis requires steady leadership, collaborative policymaking, and an absolute commitment to science-based solutions. Throughout the year, we have observed a legislature grappling with difficult financial constraints, complex liability considerations, and the urgent need to protect both communities and natural landscapes.
Fiscal Landscape & Wildfire Resilience Budget
A central theme of the 2026 session was the state’s evolving fiscal landscape and its direct impact on resilience initiatives. This upcoming year’s budget includes an overall commitment of $447.5 million for wildfire resilience, the state’s second-smallest investment since 2019 according to analysis from the Wildfire Solutions Coalition. These fiscal constraints underscore the need for strategic decision-making, ensuring that every dollar is maximized through investment in proven management strategies and science-based solutions.
Infrastructure, Insurance, & Risk Management
The session also featured high-profile debates at the intersection of infrastructure, insurance, and long-term risk. As voting concluded last week, a key headline was the failure of the proposed compromise on utility wildfire liability embedded in Senate Bill 492. While this specific measure did not pass, the deliberations made clear that utility liability remains a critical, unaddressed challenge. CWI acknowledges the deep complexities involved in balancing ratepayer impacts, utility safety, and insurance market stability. We strongly encourage lawmakers to re-engage this issue with the urgency it requires in the next session.
Key Legislative Advances
Despite this major setback, the legislature made notable strides in advancing practical resilience measures. The passage of Assembly Bill 1699: The Good Fire Act was a victory for ecosystem health. If signed by the Governor before the end of the year, this legislation would create better enabling conditions for beneficial fire. By reducing barriers to prescribed and cultural burning, this bill empowers land managers to proactively treat fuels and restore ecological balance to our fire-adapted landscapes.
The legislature also advanced Senate Bill 894, taking much-needed steps to address community safety by creating a new, low-interest loan mechanism for financing residential home hardening. As we’ve seen across climate-driven disasters, resourcing at-risk communities is key to durable resilience. This bill is an important step forward in acknowledging the public’s need and role in building community- and property-level resilience. There is still more work to do on this effort, however. The bill currently awaits the Governor’s signature. Subsequent steps will include identifying funding sources to implement it. This gap highlights that while the policy framework for resilience is moving forward, agreement on resourcing these meaningful efforts remains an ongoing challenge.
Desired behavior change (e.g., home hardening or Zone 0 compliance) is most successful—with the highest conversion rate—when barriers to entry and friction points are reduced. For some of our California neighbors, the biggest barrier to entry is upfront funding. Senate Bill 894 is an important acknowledgment of that reality. There is also a range of existing grants and rebate programs available for homeowners doing this type of work. To help connect the public to those resources in a centralized location, CWI launched the Resilient Home Fund platform in May of this year.
Statewide Progress & CWI Collaborative Initiatives
Stepping back to view the broader picture, we have been excited to see statewide progress on data and technology integration through the deployment of CWI-incubated tools like the Interagency Treatment System (ITS) Dashboard, various landscape-scale resilience initiatives moving into implementation, and the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection’s recent approval of final draft regulations for Zone 0 defensible space. Nevertheless, maintaining this momentum means we need a persistent commitment to wildfire resilience across all levels of government.
At CWI, we remain dedicated to convening expert perspectives and championing a science-based approach to wildfire management across California and all of the varied ecosystems and communities it boasts. Some landscapes have gotten more attention and resources than others. In an effort to correct that, CWI has increased its efforts to establish partnerships and meaningful collaboration in Southern California, as well as other non-forested, fire-prone communities and landscapes. Specific ongoing efforts include facilitating the development of the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force’s draft California Shrubland Assessment and Management Framework (see Draft Action Plan). Furthermore, we are engaging in ongoing data and technology-related discussions alongside the Task Force to enhance the state's analytical capabilities.
To further bridge the gap between complex research and actionable state policy, we are especially proud of the launch of our Wildfire Legislative Science Services Program:
THE PROBLEM: California legislators and their staff are making billion-dollar decisions on wildfire policy, often without ready access to the independent science those choices require. The stakes for wildfire resilience are too high to rely on fragmented information and special interests.
THE APPROACH: To address this gap, CWI, in partnership with the California Council on Science & Technology (CCST), established the Wildfire Legislative Science Services Program. This initiative is an ongoing, rapid-response science advisory program that gives California legislators and their staff timely, objective, and policy-relevant scientific information on wildfire. The program actively translates complex research into accessible briefs, visualizations, and technical reviews. It serves as a critical bridge, connecting legislators with leading climate and wildfire experts, and delivering direct support through briefings, convenings, and tailor-made ‘science-to-policy’ analysis.
THE IMPACT: Ultimately, the goal of this program is to ensure that California wildfire policy is grounded in the best available science. By providing independent data and expert access, we are offering legislators the clarity and confidence to act on one of the state’s most complex and consequential challenges.
As we look toward the 2027 legislative year, CWI remains committed to serving as a trusted resource. By elevating scientific insights and fostering cross-sector collaboration, we can continue to advance practical, effective solutions for a more fire-resilient California.
Written by James Puerini
James Puerini is the Deputy Director of Public Affairs at CWI, bringing a rare combination of hands-on wildland firefighting experience, federal legislative work, and facilitation for effective policymaking.
