AB 1891

Existing law authorizes a person that owns or controls brush-covered land, forest lands, woodland, grassland, and shrubland within a state responsibility area to apply to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for permission to use prescribed burning for certain public purposes. Existing law authorizes the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection to enter into an agreement for prescribed burning with a person to conduct the prescribed burning operations for certain purposes. Existing law requires the department to develop a training program for prescribed fire users to certify professionals as burn bosses. Existing law requires the department to conduct an experimental program of wildland resources management through prescribed burning and other methods in 2 areas of wildlands. Existing law, beginning with the 2026–27 fiscal year, continuously appropriates $200,000,000 from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to the department for healthy forest and fire prevention programs and projects that improve forest health and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases caused by uncontrolled wildfires and for the completion of prescribed fire and other fuel reduction projects through proven forestry practices, as specified. This bill would require the department, on an annual basis, to use not less than 10% of the appropriation described above to expand training, organizational capacity, and support, for community-led beneficial fire programs, including those developed by California Native American tribes, nongovernmental organizations, universities and colleges, resources conservation districts, volunteer fire districts, and other local or special districts, as provided. The bill would require at least 25% of that allocation be awarded to California Native American tribes or tribally led or indigenous-led organizations and would give priority for funding to proposals that involve California Native American tribes or indigenous-led organizations.