BE IN THE CAPITAL IT'S
SUBOPTIMAL TO BE- SOCIALLY
DISTANCE BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE
YOU ALL HERE ON. THE EVE OF THE-
OPENING DAY OF THE WORLD SERIES
I THINK THE DODGERS ARE PLAYING.
SOME OF US SOME OF US WILL BE
PAYING ATTENTION FACT WERE ALSO
IN CALIFORNIA FOLKS HERE ON THE
DIET SO. IT'S A HOPEFULLY OING
TO BE A GREAT SERIES BUT I DO
WANT TO WELCOME YOU ALL AND
THANK YOU ALL FOR. BEING HERE.
THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL
HEARING BECAUSE I'LL BE NO
ACTION TAKEN- OUR TOPIC IS
WILDFIRE MITIGATION MEASURES
AND BEFORE I BEGIN WITH SOME
FORMAL COMMENTS. I'VE **** AS-
ALL COMMITTEES ARE ASKED I'VE
BEEN ASKED TO READ- DIRECTIONS
REGARDING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
IN TODAY'S HEARING. TO HELP
INSURE THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE.
WELL ALLOWING FULL PUBLIC
ACCESS TO OUR DISCUSSION- FOR
THE PUBLIC HEARING ROOM FORTY
TWO OH TWO AND I SEE THERE'S
NOT TOO MANY OF YOU- WE'RE
HAVING A PHYSICALLY DISTANT IN
PERSON HEARING AND EVEN THOUGH
THE SYSTEM. LARGEST ROOM IN THE
CAPITOL WE CAN ONLY ACCOMMODATE
A FEW MEMBERS A MINIMAL
CONTENTION OF STAFF A LIMITED
NUMBER OF THE OF MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC AND MEDIA SO THAT WE CAN
KEEP BUCK ARE THE APPROPRIATE
SIX FEET OF MINIMUM SIX FEET OF
SPACING. THERE ARE ALSO STRICT
PHYSICAL DISTANCING PROTOCOLS
FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENTER AND
LEAVE THE CAPITAL AND FOR THOSE
HERE TODAY TO MAKE PUBLIC
COMMENT AT THE APPROPRIATE
TIME. I WILL RESTATE THIS AGAIN
WHEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT BEGINS
AT THE END OF OUR MEETING BUT
IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC IN
THE ROOM WISHES TO SPEAK THEY
WILL RAISE THEIR HANDS AND
ALLOWS THEM TO APPROACH THE
MICROPHONE. AND THIS IS THE
REALLY HARD PART I'M GOING TO
ASK THE PUBLIC TO RESPECT SISK
SAID PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND
NOT TOUCH THE MICROPHONE.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE HARDEST
THING IS YOU KNOW EVERYBODY
WANTS TO REACH OUT AND ADJUST
THE MICROPHONE- WE'RE
ALLOCATING COM AT THIS TIME TWO
MINUTES- FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS- I
RESERVE THE ABILITY TO REDUCE
THAT TIME IF WE JUST HAVE. TOO
MANY PEOPLE TO FIT INTO THE
LIMITED TIME WE HAVE WE HAVE
THIS FROM UNTIL ONE O'CLOCK-
THAT'S A HARD STOP FOR US AT
THE COULD BE DONE- BEFORE THAT
BUT- JUST TO SET EXPECTATIONS
ONE PM IS OUR- ABSOLUTE THE END
OF THE HEARING. YOU CAN EXIT
THE HEARING ROOM ONCE YOU'RE
PUBLIC COMMENT IS DONE OR
RETURN TO YOUR SEAT BUT PLEASE
OBSERVE PHYSICAL DISTANCING
UPON LEAVING THE CAPITAL- AND
DOUG I IN THE WAY YOU COMPORT
YOURSELF- IN THE CAPITAL. THANK
LET ELEVATORS TO ONLY ONE
PERSON AT A TIME. THE PANELISTS
ON THE AGENDA WELL ONE OF THE
PANELISTS ON THE AGENDA IS A
PARENT OR ADULT TO I THINK-
APPEAR REMOTELY USING OUR
WITNESS VIDEO ROOMS BOTH IN THE
CAPITAL OR IN THEIR RESPECTIVE
OFFICES AGAIN THERE'S GOING TO
BE NO VOTE TAKEN TODAY THIS IS
AN INFORMATIONAL HEARING AND-
SINCE THAT WELL WE CAN WAIT TO-
TAKE ROLE- WE'RE EXPECTING AT
LEAST ONE MORE MEMBER OF THE
COMMITTEE. OF BUT I DO WANT YOU
TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PUBLIC
STATIONS. AVAILABLE ACROSS
CALIFORNIA NOT JUST HERE IN THE
CAPITAL TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO
COMMENT. THE AGENDA CONTAINS
THE LOCATIONS OF THESE STATIONS
INCLUDING ONE THAT IS RIGHT
HERE IN CAPITAL PARKS YOU DON'T
EVEN NEED TO. ENTER THE
BUILDING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO
IN ORDER TO GIVE. PUBLIC
COMMENT. IF YOU ENCOUNTER ANY
PROBLEMS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO
TAKE NOTE OF THIS PHONE NUMBER
PLEASE CONTACT THE ASSEMBLY
BUDGET COMMITTEE AT NINE ONE
SIX. THREE ONE NINE TWO ZERO
NINE NINE DAILY MEMBER WILL
ASSIST YOU AGAIN THAT NUMBER IS
NINE ONE SIX THREE ONE NINE.
TWO ZERO NINE NINE. THE PUBLIC
MAY ALSO SUBMIT WRITTEN
TESTIMONY TO. THE FOLLOWING- AT
THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE- EXCUSE
ME EMAIL ADDRESS. BUDGET SUB
THREE AT ASM DOT CA DOT GOV ALL
SPELLED OUT ITS BUDGET B. U. D.
G. E. T. SUB S. U. B. THREE
NUMERAL THREE. AT A. S. M. DOT
C. A. DOT GOV. PLEASE NOTE THAT
ANY. WRITTEN THAT TESTIMONY
SENT TO THAT EMAIL ADDRESS WILL
BE CONSIDERED PUBLIC COMMENT
AND MAY BE READ INTO THE RECORD
YOU WANT TO. WELCOME CHAIR
BUDGET YOUR TANK IS JUST
ARRIVED AND TO ASK IF ANY OF
WOULD LIKE TO ADD COMMENTS
AFTER I COMPLETE MY FORMAL
COMMENTS THE- I THINK YOU ALL
KNOW ESPECIALLY THOSE OF YOU
WHO- ARE HERE ON THE DIETS THAT
THERE ARE NUMEROUS ASPECTS OF
WILDFIRES THAT. CAN BE
DISCUSSED THAT NEED TO BE
DISCUSSED BUT TODAY'S HEARING
HAS A VERY LIMITED- BUT
IMPORTANT FOCUS ON WILDFIRE
PREVENTION. AND THE
SPECIFICALLY THE NEED TO
INCREASE OUR INVESTMENTS IN
FIRE PREVENTION AND THE NEED TO
BE MORE STRATEGIC AND REGIONAL
IN OUR APPROACH TO PREVENTION.
NOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIRE
PREVENTION WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT
FUEL REDUCTION PROJECTS AND
PRESCRIBED BURNING AND- WELL
THESE PROJECTS ARE SUITABLE FOR
AREAS WITH EXCESSIVE. FUEL
LOADS OR AREAS WITH FIRED. THE
PROJECTS MIGHT NOT BE A PRO FOR
AREAS LIKE THE CHAPARRAL- WHICH
IS COMMON- IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA WHERE MEMBERS MANY-
OF OUR SIR FROM TODAY WE WILL
BE TAKING A DEEPER DIVE INTO
THE COMPLEXITY AND REGION ALLEY
OVER FIRE RISK AND THE NEED FOR
A MORE TAILORED TO MORE NUANCED
APPROACH. WE WILL LOOK AT
FACTORS SUCH AS WIND CONDITIONS
VEGETATION TYPE AND THE
INFLUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON
WILDFIRE RISK. THIS YEAR
UNFORTUNATELY WE YET AGAIN
BROKE ANOTHER WILDFIRE RECORD
AND ON OCTOBER FOURTH WE
SURPASSED FOUR MILLION ACRES
BURNED THAT MORE THAN DOUBLED
OUR LAST RECORD WHICH WAS ONE
POINT EIGHT MILLION ACRES. OF
THAT. BURNED IN TWENTY EIGHTEEN
ONLY TO SHORE YEARS AGO. IT IS
BECAUSE- THAT THE STATE THE
ENTIRE STATE IS AT GRAVE FIRE
RISK AND THIS RISK WILL
CONTINUE TO INCREASE UNLESS WE
COME UP WITH A STRATEGY TO
MITIGATE IT. THE BUDGET ACT OF
TWENTY TWENTY ALLOCATED A TOTAL
OF TWO HUNDRED AND. THREE POINT
THREE MILLION DOLLARS FOR FIRE.
AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT- THIS
FIGURE IS IN STARK CONTRAST
WITH THE TWO POINT THREE
BILLION DOLLARS- FOR FIRE
SUPPRESSION AND RESPONSE AND
I'M CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO MAKE
AN ARGUMENT THAT WE SHOULD
INVOICE INVEST. LESS IN FIRE
SUPPRESSION THERE ARE PLENTY OF
ARGUMENTS WE COULD MAKE TO
INCREASE OFTEN FOR FIRST. BUT I
DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO
PROPERLY AND ADEQUATELY FUND
FIRE PREVENTION AND FIRE RISK
REDUCTION MEASURES- IN THE-
HOPE THAT WE CAN PROTECT
PROPERTY AND THAT WE CAN
PREVENT FIRES FROM STARTING-
AND SPREADING. IN THE FIRST
PLACE SO IT'S TIME TO TAKE A
SERIOUS LOOK AT TO HOW WE
CURRENTLY INVEST IN FIRE
PREVENTION THE GAPS THAT EXIST
IN FUNDING AND WAYS THAT WE CAN
IMPROVE FIRE PREVENTION RISK
REDUCTION IN CALIFORNIA. IT'S
ALSO TIME THAT WE TREAT OUR
WILDFIRE RISK LIKE THE THREAT
IT IS I DON'T WANT TO. COME
BACK I DON'T WANT THIS
CONVERSATION TO FADE WITH THE
FIRE SEASON ONLY FOR US TO COME
BACK NEXT YEAR AND HAVE THE
SAME CONVERSATION ALL OVER
AGAIN I HOPE THAT WE CAN KEEP
THIS ISSUE HIGH ON OUR LIST OF
PRIORITIES. AND CONTINUE TO
WORK TOWARDS SOLUTIONS NOT ALL
FRANKLY OF WHICH ARE APPARENT.
COME WITH I LIKE TO ASK IF. ANY
OF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE SAY
A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE BEGIN.
THREE OF US AND LET ME ARE
WELCOME- YOU MISS FRIEDMAN-
YOU'RE HERE FOR- AS THE CHAIR
OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES-
COMMITTEE AND- I KNOW THAT
THESE ISSUES ARE OF INTENSE
INTEREST YOU. YEAH AND I WANTED
TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING HEARING
AND ESPECIALLY THE THANK YOU
FOR ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE
TODAY. ARE VERY MUCH
APPRECIATED I WANT TO FIRST OF
ALL ANNOUNCED THAT NATURAL
RESOURCES IS GOING TO BE HAVING
HEARINGS ON FIRE PREVENTION.
INCLUDING ONE ON NOVEMBER NINTH
AT ONE PM. WHICH IS GOT THE
CATCHY TITLE EXPANDING THE USE
OF PRESCRIBED FIRE INCLUDING
CULTURAL BURNING TO REDUCE
CALIFORNIA'S WILDFIRE RISK SO
SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE OF
INTEREST TO ANYBODY WHO'S
TAKING THE TIME TO WATCH THIS
TODAY. AND CERTAINLY EN ROUTE
YOU KNOW IN ADDITION TO
REDUCING OUR GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS- WHICH LEAD TO
CLIMATE. CHANGE GLOBAL WARMING
WHICH ARE CONTRIBUTING TO OUR
FIRE ISSUES I STRONGLY BELIEVE
THAT OUR STATE FEDERAL AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALSO HAVE TO
EMBRACE FIRE PREVENTION
STRATEGIES THAT ARE MEANINGFUL.
AND MAKE MUCH LARGER
INVESTMENTS TO MAKE OUR BUILT
AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT MORE
RESILIENT TO WILDFIRE USING THE
BEST- AND DEVELOPING SCIENCE.
ONLY THIS WILL REDUCE BOTH THE
ERROR IMPACT QUALITY IMPACTS
AND THE DEVASTATION THAT THESE
WILDFIRES HAVE BEEN CAUSING
ACROSS OUR STATE. IF THE STATE
AND FEDERAL. HAD SPENT AT LEAST
AS MUCH ON FIRE PREVENTION AS
THEY HAVE ON FIRE SUPPRESSION
OVER THE YEARS I THINK THAT
THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT WE
WOULDN'T BE IN. NEARLY AS DIRE
SITUATION AS WE ARE TODAY SO I
HOPE THAT. WE CAN HELP MAKE
THAT HAPPEN. I'M GOING INTO THE
FUTURE AND AGAIN THANKS FOR
ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY.
YOU'RE WELCOME ANYONE ELSE. THE
DRESS WELCOME TO HAVE A GREAT
TO A CONTINGENT OF PEOPLE
THERE- TODAY- AND GIVEN THE
FACT THAT- THIS HEARING IS
DISTANT FROM MOST OF THE PLACE
WHERE WE LIVE- I THINK IT
SPEAKS TO THE PRIORITY THAT-
THAT THIS ISSUE HAS. BEEN
ADDRESSED SENATE-ROOM MISTER
CHAIR GOOD MORNING I WANT TO
THANK YOU AND TO THE COMMITTEE
STAFF FOR PUTTING ON THIS
TIMELY AND IMPORTANT HERE IN.
THE AST FEW MONTHS HAVE
CLEARLY SHOWN THAT CLIMATE
CHANGE IS MAKING OUR WILDFIRES
MORE CATASTROPHIC AND LESS
MANAGEABLE THAN IN PREVIOUS
YEARS. CLEARLY WE HAVE OUR WORK
CUT OUT FOR US. COMING FROM A
COMMUNITY THAT ALREADY
STRUGGLES WITH POOR AIR QUALITY
THE INCREASED POLLUTION FROM
WILDFIRES IS INCREDIBLY
CONCERNING TO MAKE. WE BREATHE
SOME OF THE WORST AIR IN THE
COUNTRY AND I FEAR THAT IT WILL
ONLY GET WORSE IN THE COMING
YEARS. WE NEED SERIOUS
INVESTMENTS AND POLICY CHANGES
AND OUR FIRE PREVENTION. AND
SUPPRESSION EFFORTS TO AVOID
THESE ESCALATIONS. AND WE NEED
TO CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR FIRE
SUPPRESSION EFFORTS MORE
EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE.
DISCUSSIONS ON HOW TO BEST
MANAGE OUR RESOURCES A PREVENT
WILDFIRES FROM ESCALATING IN
THE FIRST PLACE NEED TO GO HAND
IN HAND. WITH OUT WITH HOW
DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR
DISCUSSIONS ON HOW WE
INCORPORATE A DIVERSE
FIREFIGHTING FORCE WITH EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY AT THE FOREFRONT. I
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM
OUR PANELISTS ON HOW TO BEST
ADDRESS AND IMPLEMENT THE
STATE'S WILDFIRE MITIGATION
EFFORTS THANK YOU. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH ANYONE ELSE. MISTER
MOLOT IT FROM JUST A BRIEF NOTE
OF THANKS MISTER CHAIR FOR-
HAVING THIS INTERIM HEARING I
SEE A NUMBER OF- MEMBERS OF OUR
CLIMATE RESILIENCY BOND WORKING
GROUP ALTHOUGH IT DIDN'T COME
TOGETHER IN TWENTY TWENTY I
THINK THERE WILL BE AN
OPPORTUNITY IN TWENTY TWENTY
TWO. ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF-
THE GOVERNOR'S- COMMITMENT TO
WANT TO DO SOMETHING MAJOR WITH
REGARD TO WILDFIRE OF
MEDICATION AND- IT GOES WITHOUT
SAYING I SUPPOSE THAT THESE
CLIMATE ISSUES- WILL CONTINUE
TO BE PREVALENT AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO SOME- ROBUST
DISCUSSIONS AND IN THE NEXT
YEAR AND A HALF- IN PREPARATION
FOR THAT- THE BALLOT BUT THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING
BREDESON HEARING FORWARD TODAY
MISTER CHAIR AND I KNOW THAT
WILDFIRE MITIGATION THAT WOULD
BE A MAJOR COMPONENT OF
ANYTHING- HOW WE DO ON THAT
FRONT SO- APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU THANK
YOU FOR- REMINDING ME ABOUT-
OUR EFFORTS- AT THE END OF
SESSION AROUND TO TRYING TO
PULL TOGETHER A QUOTE ACTUALLY
WAS THE A LITTLE- MORE THAN
JUST THE END OF SESSION WHERE
WE TRY TO- PULL TOGETHER- AND
EFFORTS TO FUND SOME OF THE
ITEMS THAT WILL BE TALKING
ABOUT TODAY AND IT WAS THAT
EFFORT AND THEN AFFIRMATIVE
EFFORT AT THE VERY END OF
SESSION THAT- ENDED UP TO AND
NOT GOING ANYWHERE THAT- I
THINK REALLY WAS THE PRECURSOR
TO HAVING THIS HEARING TODAY
AND SO WE'RE STARTING EARLY.
AND I AM HOPING THAT THIS DOES-
RESULT AND- A PRODUCTIVE STEPS
THAT THE LEGISLATURE. TAKE AS
WE MOVE FORWARD. SO ARE FOR
PANELIST IS BRIAN BROWN WHO YOU
ALL OF THE LAW. ANALYST'S
OFFICE HE'S GOING TO HELP SET
THE STAGE FOR TODAY'S HEARING
BY WALKING US THROUGH- THE
FUNDING THAT WE PHùHAD OVER
THE LAST THREE YEARS. BRIAN
GOOD MORNING MR CHAIRMAN
MEMBERS BRIAN BROWN WITH THE L.
A. M. YOUR STAFF IS ASKED IF I.
VICE TO VERY BRIEF INTRODUCTION
OF FOR THE HEARING FOCUSED AS
THE CHAIR SAID ON THE STATE'S
FISCAL- AUGMENTATIONS IN
FUNDING FOR A PRETTY GOOD FOR
WILDFIRE PREVENTION AND
MITIGATION AS WELL AS IN
COMPARISON TO FIR RESPOND
SPENDING- I DO HAVE A HANDOUT
THAT. HOPEFULLY YOU WILL HAVE
COPIES OF IT DISTRIBUTED TO
COMMITTEE STAFF I WILL NOTE FOR
THE AUDIENCE- THE GENERAL
PUBLIC AS WELL IT IS ON THE L.
A. L. WEBSITE AND IF I'M NOT
MISTAKEN IT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE
ON THE COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE AS
WELL IF. TURN OF THE FIRST PAGE
OF THAT HAND OUT- THIS IS
REALLY JUST TO PROVIDE A LITTLE
BIT OF CONTEXT FOR THE SEVERITY
OF THE WILDFIRE PROBLEM IN
RECENT YEARS. AND WHAT YOU SEE
ON THIS MAP IS THE TWENTY SIX
FIRES THAT HAVE- BEEN EITHER
AMONG THE TOP TWENTY LARGEST OR
THE TOP TWENTY. MOST
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES SINCE
CALIFORNIA'S BEEN TRACKING THIS
DATA FROM THE TWENTY TO THIRTY
SOMETHING IT NEARLY A CENTURY.
AND WHAT I THINK REALLY TWO
IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS HERE IS
JUST HOW MANY HAVE BEEN IN THE
MOST RECENT YEARS IT REALLY.
SIGNALS EIGHTY MORE OF A TREND.
TOWARD THESE LARGE DESTRUCTIVE
FIRES IN RECENT YEARS. AND THEN
ALSO I POINT OUT DE GEOGRAPHIC
DIVERSITY OF WHERE THE FIRES OF
LOW BEEN LOCATED. SO YOU SEE
FOR EXAMPLE WE HAVE MANY OF
THESE LARGE DESTRUCTIVE FIRES
IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CENTRAL
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BOTH IN
LAND IN THE SIERRA NEVADA. AS
WELL AS IN THE COASTAL RANGES.
IF YOU TURN TO THE PAGE JUST A
LITTLE BIT MORE. CONTENT BEFORE-I GET INTO THE FISCAL STORY- ON
IT AND THIS IS JUST EIGHTY AN
ILLUSTRATION TO KIND OF GIVE
FOLKS A SENSE OF WHAT WE TALK
ABOUT WILDFIRE RELATED
ACTIVITIES THAT ARE FUNDED BY
THE STATE OR- LOCAL AND FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. WE'LL TALK ABOUT A
WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES FOR
PREVENTION MITIGATION THE FOCUS
OF THIS HEARING OF COURSE AS
WELL AS RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.
AND EVEN WITHIN THE PREVENTION
AND MITIGATION CATEGORY THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
ACTIVITIES. THAT ARE
UNDERTAKEN- PROVIDE A COUPLE OF
SPECIFIC EXAMPLES SPECIFIC TO
CALIFORNIA- WE HAVE. FUNDED
STATE GRANTS FOR FOREST HEALTH-
AS WELL AS FOR FIRE PREVENTION
ACTIVITIES WE HAVE DEDICATED
STAFF ESTATE STAFF. THAT DO
PRESCRIBED FIRES- DEFENSIBLE
SPACE INSPECTIONS AND WE ALSO
HAVE A STATE CALIFORNIA STAFF
TO HELP REVIEW. WELFARE
MEDICATION PLANS FROM THE
UTILITY THIS IS A WIDE RANGE OF
ACTIVITIES. SO IF YOU TURN
THREE. WHEN WE WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT HOW CALIFORNIA SPENDING
INCREASED OVER RECENT YEARS
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THIS GRAPHIC
IS THE BOOK OF CALIFORNIA'S
BUDGET SO THEIR FIRE PROTECTION
AND SUPPRESSION OF FUNDING AS
WELL AS A RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
FIRE PREVENTION FUNDING- D.
THIS IS NOT THE ENTIRETY OF
CALIFORNIA'S BUDGET BUT THE
THIS IS THE VAST MAJORITY WHAT
YOU'LL SEE IS THAT OVER THE
PAST FIFTEEN YEARS TOTAL
SPENDING ON THESE PROGRAMS AND
INCREASED FROM ABOUT EIGHT
HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN TWO
THOUSAND FIVE SIX. CAN ESTIMATE
OF THREE POINT THREE BILLION
DOLLARS IN THE CURRENT FISCAL
YEAR THERE COUPLE OF UNDERLYING
TRENDS THERE SO IF YOU LOOK AT
THE BASED FIRE PROTECTION
BUDGET SO THIS IS THE CORE OF
THE DEPARTMENT'S FIREFIGHTER-
STAFF MANAGEMENT AND OTHER
EQUIPMENT INTO FACILITIES- THAT
HAS GROWN. STEADILY OVER THAT
TIME PERIOD. IF YOU LOOK AT THE
EMERGENCY SUPPRESSION SPENDING
SO THIS IS WHAT WE THINK OF IT
THE ECONOMY MERGING SEA FIND AS
WELL AS WHATEVER REIMBURSEMENT
THE ULTIMATELY RECEIVE FROM THE
FEDERAL OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
IF YOU WORK WITH. YOU CAN SEE
THAT THIS VARIES QUITE A BIT
FROM YEAR TO YEAR- CLEARLY IT
IN RESPONSE TO THE SEVERITY OF
THAT YEAR'S FIRE SEASON. AND I
THINK CRITICALLY NOTABLE- YOU
MAY HAVE SEEN THAT LAST WEEK
THE ADMINISTRATION RELEASED
THEIR REQUIRED QUARTERLY REPORT
FIRST QUARTER REPORT. ON THE E.
FIND WHICH ESTIMATED THAT THE-
THE STATE WOULD BE SPENDING
ABOUT ONE POINT THREE BILLION
DOLLARS FROM EACH FIND. IN THE
CURRENT FISCAL YEAR THAT WOULD
BE AN ALL TIME RECORD FOR THAT.
LASTLY IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP
SHADED AREA. OF THE STATE
THAT'S- STATE SPENDING ON
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FIRE
PREVENTION ACTIVITIES. WELL
YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A CORD TO
THINK REALLY ONE THE IT MAKES
IT A MUCH SMALLER SHARE OF
TOTAL SPENDING AND IN THE
DEPARTMENT RELATIVE TO FIRE
SUPPRESSION COSTS- BUT I WILL
NOTE THAT IF. YOU'LL SEE AN-
INCREASE IN- THAT SPENDING IN
MORE RECENT YEARS AND THAT
REALLY REFLECTS. THE ADDITION
OF GREENHOUSE GAS PRODUCTION
FUNDS. FOR THESE PROGRAMS LIKE
FORCE MANAGEMENT AND PRESCRIBED
FIRES- AND THAT WAS IN IN-
CONSISTENT WITH SB NINE OH ONE
PASSED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
ALL JUST KNOW YOU'LL YOU'LL
PROBABLY ALSO SEE THERE THAT
FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR
TWENTY TWENTY ONE. THE SPENDING
IN FOREST- IN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT FIRE PREVENTION DID
DECREASE AGAIN THIS LARGELY
REFLECTS THE FACT THAT THE-
STATE BUDGET DID NOT INCLUDE A
DISCRETIONARY EXPENDITURE PLAN.
FOR THE GREENHOUSE GAS
REDUCTION FUND REFLECTING-
QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY
RIGHT NOW ABOUT HOW MUCH
REVENUE WILL BE GENERATED. BUT
WITH AN EXPECTATION THAT THE
LEGISLATURE MAY COME BACK AND-
PAST EXPENDITURE. PLAN SOMETIME
IN THE FUTURE. IF YOU TURNED UP.
FOR STEADFAST I PROVIDE US SOME
OF WHAT OF THE KEY AUGMENT HAVE
BEEN IN RECENT YEARS A LOT
THREE YEARS FOR CALIFORNIA BOTH
FOR FIRE RESPONSE ACTIVITIES AS
WELL AS FOR FIRE PREVENTION AND
FOREST MANAGEMENT. I WILL GO
THROUGH EACH OF THESE OF COURSE
AND IN THE INTEREST OF TIME BUT
IF A FEW THINGS NO ONE YOU WILL
SEEN- SEVERAL AUGMENTATION IN
BOTH THOSE CATEGORIES OF
SPENDING A FEW MORE UNDER FIRE
RESPONSE AND UNDER PREVENTION
OF FOREST MANAGEMENT. YOU SEE
FEW LARGE. AUGMENTATIONS IN
BOTH CATEGORIES SO FOR EXAMPLE
UNDER FIRE RESPONSE. YOU SEE
THE FIRST LINE THERE THE-
REPLACEMENT OF THE STATE'S
HELICOPTER FLEET. AT TWO
HUNDRED EIGHTY FIVE MILLION
DOLLARS AS A ONE TIME COST. YOU
ALSO SEE MORE RECENTLY IN THE
CURRENT FISCAL YEAR- AND
AUGMENTATION FOR RELIEF
STAFFING SERVICE FOR ADDITIONAL
FIREFIGHTERS IN THE DEPARTMENT.
EIGHTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS ON
AN ONGOING BASIS. UNDER FIRE
PREVENTION AND FOREST
MANAGEMENT AYE AYE NOTED
ALREADY SB EIGHT NINE OH ONE
REQUIRED TO ANNUALLY ON A FIVE
YEAR BASIS. THE THAT GIGI R. F.
WOULD FUND ABOUT TWO HUNDRED
MILLION DOLLARS FOR FOREST
HEALTH FIRE PREVENTION. AND
PRESCRIBED FIRE CREWS THAT'S
THE FIRST TWO LINES THERE UNDER
THAT CATEGORY THE TOTAL TO TWO
HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS I WANT
OTHER POINT TO NOTE. IS THAT
YOU'LL SEE THE UNDER FIRE
RESPONSE ALL OF THE
AUGMENTATION AND HAVE BEEN
FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE'S
GENERAL FUND. WHEREAS THE FIRE
PREVENTION OF FOREST MANAGEMENT
ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN FUNDED
PRINCIPALLY THROUGH THEIR GIGI
R. F. AS WELL AS- SOME FROM
PROPOSITION SIXTY EIGHT THIS IS
NOT INCONSISTENT WITH HOW WE
FUNDED THESE ACTIVITIES IN THE
PAST. GENERALLY FIRE RESPONSE
IS FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL
FUND IN PREVENTION AND
MANAGEMENT CAN BE FUNDED
THROUGH VARIOUS SPECIAL FUNDS
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. LAST A
SECTION OF THE HANNAH IF YOU
TURN TO PAGE STAFF ASKED THAT I
SAY A FEW WORDS OF WHAT ARE THE
OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THE
LEGISLATURE SHOULD YOU. CHOOSE
TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR FIRE
PREVENTION AND FOREST
MANAGEMENT RELATED ACTIVITIES.
I SHOULD JUST NOTED THE OUTSIDE
OUR OFFICE DOES NOT HAVE A
PARTICULAR PROPOSAL THAT WE ARE
PROMOTING. OR OR SPECIFIC
RECOMMENDATIONS BUT I DID JUST
WANT TO WALK THROUGH WHAT ARE A
COUPLE OF THE OPTIONS THAT YOU
HAVE AVAILABLE IN THE
CATEGORIES OF OPTIONS AND WHAT
ARE. SOME OF THE KEY
CONSIDERATIONS YOU WOULD WANT
TO KEEP IN MIND. IN A WAY IN
THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS-
CERTAINLY ONE SET OF OPTIONS
AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT
GENERAL FUND OR STATE SPECIAL
FUNDS YOU COULD. LOOK AT
REDIRECTING SOME OF THOSE
RESOURCES WITH EXISTING
RESOURCES. AND SPENDING MORE ON
FOREST MANAGEMENT OR FIRE
PREVENTION ACTIVITIES- IT TO
THE EXTENT THAT THERE IS
ACTIVITIES REFLECT A HIGHER
PRIORITY. IN IN THE NEAR TERM-
YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT NEW TAXES
OR FEES ESTABLISHING THOSE ARE
INCREASING EXISTING TAXES OR
FEES TO SUPPORT. DIRECTLY
SUPPORT- MITIGATION AND
PREVENTION ACTIVITIES I JUST AS
AN EXAMPLE WE HAD A FIRE
PREVENTION SHE- PHENOMENON IS
S. ALREADY FEE. AND IN PAST
YEARS- UNDER THE SIMILAR-
APPROACH IN OF COURSE YOU ALSO
CAN LOOK AT GENERAL OBLIGATION
BONDS THEY NOTED PROPOSITION
SIXTY EIGHT HAVE BEEN USED. TO
PROVIDE SUPPORT MANAGEMENT
RESOURCES. THAT IS. AN OPTION.
IF YOU TURN THE PAGE SIX. IN IN
THINK ABOUT. HOW TO. DIFFERENT
OFF DIFFICULT OF KEY. THAT WE
FIGHT YOU CAN SEE THE FIRST IS
REALLY JUST AROUND. I IDENTIFY.
WHAT THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITY THAT
YOU TO SEE. IF THE NOTE EARLIER
THE ARE WHITE. OF DIFFERENT AT.
THE STATE CAN. TO HELP US
IMPROVE FOREST MANAGEMENT
PREVENTION ACTIVITIES SO WHAT
ARE THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES YOU
WANT TO TARGET. AND AT WHAT
LEVEL OF HOPE TO FIND HOW MUCH
REVENUE YOU WOULD NEED TO
GENERATE. AND ALSO THINKING
ABOUT IS THAT ONE TIME REVENUE
OR IS THAT AN ONGOING
OPERATIONAL PROGRAM SO THAT
MIGHT SUGGEST FOR EXAMPLE
WHETHER YOU WOULD WANT TO USE A
BOND OR- SOME OTHER ONGOING
REVENUE SOURCE. I'M ONLY WE
THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO
REALLY THINK ABOUT WHO SHOULD
PAY- AND IT COULD BE THAT YOU
HAVE. A COMBINATION OF SOURCES
BUT OFFER UNDER WANT TO THINK
ABOUT WHO THE BAND. OF CERTAIN-
PROGRAM SO INSTEAD CASES WE
THINK ABOUT AND IF THIS YEAR
HAS BEEN A VERY BROAD BASE AND
THEREFORE PERHAPS. YOU WANT TO
ALIGN YOUR REVENUE SOURCE-
WITH. A BROADER GROUP OF PAYERS
AND SO- YOU KNOW JUST AS AN
EXAMPLE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT
WILDFIRES WHILE MUCH OF THE
IMPACT IS LOCAL WE SAW THIS
YEAR IN PARTICULAR HOW MUCH OF
THE AIR POLLUTION THE AIR
IMPACT. WE'RE REALLY STATEWIDE
AND WENT FAR BEYOND JUST THE-
WILL BE OR. THE WILD LAND AREAS.
IN OTHER CASES THERE ARE
BENEFITS. THAT TEND TO BE MUCH
MORE DIRECTLY. BY STATE PROGRAM
AND THEREFORE MIGHT THERE MIGHT
BE AN ARGUMENT FOR HAVING THEM
PAY- WE- THINK ABOUT THAT-IN
THE CASE FOR EXAMPLE OF. OUR
OFFICES LOOK FOR EXAMPLE AT HOW
IMPROVE FOREST MANAGEMENT CAN
HELP- BENEFIT WATER QUALITY
WATER SUPPLIES AND SO IN THAT
SENSE- WATER AGENCIES SOMETIMES
ARE THE BENEFICIARIES. OF GOOD
FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND
SO YOU COULD THINK ABOUT ARE
THERE ARE WAYS TO GET THEM TO
CONTRIBUTE. YEAH AND IN FACT WE
KNOW THAT IN SOME CASES SOME
WATER AGENCIES ARE UNDERTAKING
FORCE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES IN
THE AREAS AROUND SURROUNDING
THEIR WATERSHEDS- AND THEN YOU
CAN ALSO SOMETIMES THINK ABOUT
THE POLLUTER PAYS PRINCIPLE ARE
THERE CERTAIN. CONTRIBUTORS TO
THE PROBLEM THEY SHOULD BE
PAYING A GREATER SHARE OF THE
COSTS. IN SO AN EXAMPLE THIS
MIGHT BE IT IN LOOKING AT
UTILITIES AND HOW YOU. UTILITY
INFRASTRUCTURE HAS CONTRIBUTED
TO FIRES IN PAST YEARS AND I'VE
BEEN IN CERTAIN AREAS- BECAUSE.
OF THE LEGISLATURE IN THE PAST.
LAST POINT ON IS JUST OF COURSE
AS A BUDGET COMMITTEE YOU'RE
WELL AWARE THERE NO FREE
LUNCHES THERE'S ONLY TRADE OFF
WITH ANY OPTION THAT YOU LOOK
AT- SO FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU LOOK
AT. REDIRECTING EXISTING
GENERAL FUND A SPECIAL FUND
RESOURCES- THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT THERE ARE FEWER RESOURCES
AVAILABLE FOR OTHER BUDGET
PRIORITIES TEXT TO YOU LOOK AT
INCREASING TAXES OR FEES THAT
MAKES SENSE BUT OF COURSE THERE
ARE THEN. CHEAPAIR THE
TAXPAYERS TO BEAR THOSE COSTS
AND YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IS
THAT FAIR IS THERE AN EQUITABLE
DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE COSTS
AMONG DIFFERENT GROUPS. AND
LASTLY IF YOU LOOK AT THE G. O.
BOND OPTION. AGAIN THAT CAN BE.
VERY APPROPRIATE BUT IT IS A
ONE TIME REVENUE SOURCE INTO
TECHNICALLY WE RECOMMEND USING
THAT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE OTHER
ONE TIME COSTS NOT FOR ONGOING
OPERATIONS- IN OF COURSE YOU
HAVE TO BE MINDFUL TO THAT. IT
DOES- THE BOND ARE A FORM OF
BORROWING AND SO THEN WE DO
HAVE TO PAY THOSE COSTS. AND WE
PAY THEM. WITH INTEREST OVER A
PERIOD OF TIME. SO THAT CONCLU
MY SOME REMARKS HAPPY TO TAKE
QUESTION YOU MIGHT THANK YOU
VERY MUCH FOR THE PRIEST. ALL
EXCUSE ME BEGIN A ONE CLASS ONE
OF SOURCE THAT YOU DIDN'T. WAS
THE- IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT-
IT IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT
THERE'S A- THERE SHOULD BE AN
TRUST- AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND
OF PREVENTING. FIRES AND- IN
PRESERVING RECREATIONAL LAND
RESOURCES- PROTECTING AGAINST-
THE CARBON THAT'S EMITTED WHEN-
FOREST BURNS AND THE LIST GOES.
ON AND ON. ARE THERE. I THINK I
KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS
QUESTION THAT ARE ARE THERE ANY
EXISTING- PLACES TO TURN IN
TERMS OF FEDERAL FUNDING OR
WOULD WE BE STARTING WITH
SCRATCH AND HAVING TO GO TO
CONGRESS AND- ADVOCATE FOR THIS
FROM THE- AS AS NEW FUNDING IF.
WE WERE TO CHOOSE TO DO SO. YES
IT IS A GOOD QUESTION- AND
CERTAINLY NO IN CALIFORNIA THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OWNS. THE
MAJORITY OF. THE WILDLAND AREAS
AND SO THEY CERTAINLY. HAVE
THEIR OWN RESPONSIBILITY TO
MANAGE THOSE LANDS. AND THEY
PROVIDE SOME FUNDING TO DO SO
BUT JUST ON THEIR LAND. THERE
IS NOT MUCH FEDERAL FUNDING
THAT IS PROVIDED TO STATE. FOR
PREVENTION AND MITIGATION
ACTIVITIES- CERTAINLY ON A FOR
EXAMPLE S. ARE ALIENS. DATE THE
ONE EXCEPTION I CAN THINK OF
IS. WE SOMETIMES READ FEDERAL
RECEIVE FEDERAL MEDICATION.
RIGHT ARE USUALLY IN THE
AFTERMATH OF THE DISASTER THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL
PROVIDE. FUNDING IN THE STATE
HAS SOME FLEXIBILITY HOW TO USE
THAT FUNDING SO IT COULD BE IF
TO. HELP IMPLEMENT PROJECTS
THAT WOULD MITIGATE DISASTER
BUT THATCOULD BE USED FOR
WILDFIRE MITIGATION FLOOD
MITIGATION OTHER TYPES OF
ACTIVITIES WHILE. AND SO WE AYE
I SHOULD KNOW SO WEAK YEAH IN
IN LIGHT OF THE DISASTERS THIS
YEAR WE PROBABLY EXPECT TO SEE
SIGNIFICANT MITIGATION FUNDS
ARE COMING FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AND- OVER THE NEXT
FEW YEARS. AND SO ONE THING YOU
MIGHT THINK ABOUT WE'VE
RECOMMENDED THIS IN THE PAST IS
THAT- WHERE IS YES TEND TO
HAVE. A FAIR AMOUNT OF
DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THAT MONEY
IS ALLOCATED THAT COULD BE AN
AREA WITH THE LEGISLATURE COULD
GET MORE ENGAGED. AND PROVIDE
SOME GUIDANCE ON WHAT YOU THINK
HOW DO YOU THINK THAT MONEY
SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED. THAT'S
INTERESTING. ALL RIGHT WELL
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT
RESPONSE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
THE DRESS. THANK YOU UGH IN THE
DOCUMENTS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY
THE LMAO- IT. THE POINTS OUT
THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE
FIRE SUPPRESSION AND FIRE
PREVENTION IN OUR STATE'S
BUDGET JUST ASYOU MENTIONED IN
YOUR DISCUSSION NOW. GIVEN THE
EXISTING OBLIGATIONS IN THE
GENERAL FUND AND NOW ESPECIALLY
WITH COVERT AND THE COSTS
RELATED TO COVERT WHAT NEW
REVENUE SOURCES SHOULD THE
LEGISLATURE CONSIDER TO ADDRESS
THE GAP. YEAH AND THAT WAS I
THINK IT'S A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION I MEAN WE CERTAINLY
SEEN WITH THIS IS VERY OF THE
FIRE SEASON THIS YEAR. THAT
THERE'S PROBABLY MORE- MORE
ACTIVE YOU NEED THAT COULD BE
DONE TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES
AND OUR COMMITTEE SAFER AND
THAT THE FORCE HEALTHIER WE
DON'T HAVE A PARTICULAR
RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT THE
RIGHT REVENUE SOURCE IS- BUT
YOU COULD THINK FOR EXAMPLE
ABOUT TO THE EXTENT THAT. IT
MIGHT LOOK A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON WHAT
SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES THAT YOU-
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO FIND SO IF
YOU WANT A FUN FORCED ME AS
HEALTH ACTIVE SO CLEARING FOR
AND THEM L. THAT MY THERE THERE
MIGHT BE REVENUE. YOU WANT TO
USE THEIR IF YOU TO FOR THE-
LOOK AT- THAT ACTIVITIES
SPECIFICALLY TO PROTECT
HOMEOWNER WITHIN THE S. ALREADY
THE STATE HAD THE FIBER FEE IN
THE PAST THAT- THE INTENT THERE
WAS TO. ENSURE THAT THE
PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN THOSE
AREAS WERE PAYING A FEE TO HELP
WHICH THEN AT THE END AND THAT
FEAR COULD BE TO PROTECT THOSE
TO. AND SO I THERE WAS A
BENEFIT. PAYS KIND OF PRINCE
AND PLAY THEIR SO YOU CAN AT
THOSE OF DOES BUT DIFFERENT
REVENUE SOURCES DEPENDING ON
THE- ACTIVE ONE OF. I THINK THE
ONLY A POINT I'D ADD BECAUSE
HE'S AREN'T MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
SAID YOU. A COUPLEDIFFERENT
YOU COULD HAVE CERTAIN FEES
ATTACK DE FOR CERTAIN THAT YOU
CAN USE TO FUND TO SUPPORT
OTHER ACTIVE WERE THERE MIGHT
NOT BE A CLEAR NERO SAID IF ANY.
ARE CLEAR THAT YOU TO TARGET IN
WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE THE BAND IS
MY BROADER. MISTER BROWN WHAT.
WHAT WAS THE OF MONEY WAS CHEN
BY US OR FEW THAT WAS EFFECT A
NOTE BROWN. **** AWAY A COUPLE
YEARS AGO HOW MUCH WAS THAT
GENERATING AND YEAH TO IF YOU
COULD ALSO SAY TO KNOW I KNOW.
AT THE TIME. OF THE FOR THAT
WERE LOS FROM THE FACE WERE
REPLACE I THINK BY FUND. AT.
ALPHABET FROM CAP AND TRADE AND
CAP AND TRADE HASN'T BEEN
PRODUCING MUCH REVENUE HAVE WE
BEEN ABLE TO UP WITH THE
FUNDING OF WAS ONE THE S. R.
AMFI. YES SO ESTERASE CHEN. I
DON'T HAVE EXACT BUT THEN IN
THE NAME OF A FULL OR FIFTY NO
DOLLAR AND YOU AND THEN AND
YOU'RE RIGHT. IS PART THE
EXTENT OF THE CAP AND TRADE
PROGRAM TO TWENTY THIRTY. THE
ACCELERATION E. Y. A LIMON.
WITH THE PROVISION THAT CAPS
TRADE A RATHER WOULD BE YOU TO
BACK FILL. THE REDUCED FEVER.
AND YES SO THE WAY THE PRO IS
STRUCK CURRENT THE X. PROGRAM
FOR CAP AND TRADE. IS THAT S.
ALREADY BACK PHILIP ACTUALLY
COME OFF THE IN SOME WAYS
SIMILAR. THE CONTINUOUS
APPROPRIATION THAT WE HAVE
WHERE THE SORT OF AT THE VERY
BACK ALSO GETS FOR PRIOR. IN SO
AT THAT IS CONTINUE TO BE FINE
IN THE- EXPENDITURE PLAN. EVEN
THE LEAN. THAT WE TO A YEAR SO.
THE FORTY TO FIFTY MILLION WAS
A TO BE. FOR AND THEN IN THE
CURRENT FISCAL YEAR- D. FIRST
QUARTER AUCTION THAT WE HAD WAS
BETTER THAN IT MAY NOT QUITE
THE SAME LEVEL THIS PAST YEAR
SO WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW THAT
NEXT THREE OPTIONS DO. BEFORE
WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH
REVENUES OF AVAILABLE FOR ALL
THE PROGRAM BUT AGAIN BECAUSE
THAT THAT'S ALREADY BACK STILL
ESSENTIALLY COMES OFF THE TOP
IT'S GIVEN FIRST PRIORITY- YOU
CAN FEELCONFIDENT THAT IT'LL
BE. IT'LL BE FULLY FUNDED HI HI
MS RIVAS. THANK YOU. YOU'VE
ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSING MY-
CONCERN WHICH IS THE
UNCERTAINTY. OF THE G. G. R. F.
AND HOW. YOU KNOW MOST OF THE-
FIRE PREVENTION AND FOREST
MANAGEMENT. I'M FUNDING IS
COMING FROM THE AUCTION
PROCEEDS AND IF- YOU KNOW NEXT
YEAR THERE ARE A LOT LOWER LIKE
THEY HAVE BEEN. OF WHAT HOW DO
YOU ANTICIPATE. BOB THAT WILL
BE ABLE TO FIND THE FIRE I MEAN
THE FOR PREVENTION AND
MANAGEMENT OF THE FORESTS.
RIGHT SO IN PARTICULAR WAS NOT
BEING FUNDED RIGHT NOW ARE THE
FORCE MANAGEMENT FIRE
PREVENTION GRANTS OF THE STATE-
THE- THE BUDGET DID ALLOCATE
SOME GINGER A FUNDING. FOR ITS
STATE STAFF SO THAT WOULD
INCLUDE FOR EXAMPLE THE
PRESCRIBED FIRE CREWS THE
THIRTY FIVE MILLION DOLLARS
THAT WAS- THERE IS SORT OF
ASSOCIATED WITH SB NINE UP ONE
BUT- YOU'RE RIGHT THAT IS OUR
SUBSEQUENT AUCTIONS BRING IN
RELATIVELY LITTLE REVENUE.
THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO
FULLY FIND ALL OF THE PROGRAMS
THAT WE HISTORICALLY FUNDED
INCLUDING THE- FORCE MANAGEMENT
FIRE PREVENTION GRANTS- IF
THAT'S THE CASE THE LEGISLATURE
THAT A COUPLE OF OPTIONS- BUT I
THINK TO THE EXTENT THAT- SO
ONE OPTION IS TO- CENTER THAT
WHATEVER REVENUE COMES AND
GOING TO THE FOR THE FIND. YOU
MAY NOT HAVE IT IN THAT CASE
YOU MIGHT SIMPLY NOT HAVE A
DISCRETIONARY EXPENDITURE PLAN
IN THE CURRENT YEAR THAT WOULD
MEAN THE END OF THOSE FUNDS ARE
GRANTED OUR ARCH THOSE GRANTS
ARE NOT FUNDED THIS YEAR BUT
THAT MIGHT MEAN THE MONIES.
AVAILABLE TO CUMULATE IN SPEND
NEXT YEAR THE OTHER OPTION NOW
IS THAT THE LEGISLATURE DOES
WANT TO PASS A DISCRETIONARY.
PLAY IN FOR TWENTY TWENTY ONE
SAY AFTER- AFTER YOU COME BACK
INTO SESSION IN JANUARY- THAT
CERTAINLY YOU COULD YOU COULD
CERTAINLY DO THAT BUT IF YOU
HAVE LESS REVENUE TOTALED IN
WHAT YOU'VE HAD IN THE PAST
ULTIMATELY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO MAKE SOME. CHOICES ABOUT
WHAT EUROPE WHAT TO PRIORITIZE
AND IF THAT IS THE FORCE
MANAGEMENT GRANTS THAT MEANS
OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'VE
HISTORICALLY FUNDED OUT OF G.
G. R. ASK. WOULD. HAVE TO
RECEIVE LESS FUNDING. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT THERE'S NO MORE
QUESTIONS THAN- FOR- A WELL
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION MISTER BROWN AND
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
AGAIN. SOMETIME AFTER A WEEK
AFTER WE START UP AGAIN IN
JANUARY. AND WE'LL MOVE ON NOW
AND INTRODUCE OUR SECOND
PANELIST WHO IS NICK JENSEN
NICK IS THE LEAD CONSERVATION
SCIENTIST WITH THE CALIFORNIA
NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY. HE WILL
HELP US GAIN A BETTER
UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENT
REGIONS OF OUR STATE IN TERMS
OF VEGETATION THEIR HISTORIC
BURN CYCLES THE IMPACT CLIMATE
CHANGE HAS HAD- AND ITS ECOLOGY
AND WHAT ALL THIS MEANS FOR
FIRE AND FIRE PREVENTION. MR
JOHNSON. GOOD MORNING FIRST OF
ALL I'D LIKE TO SINCERELY THANK
ASSEMBLYMEMBER BLOOM AND RESCUE
COMMITTEE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS MORNING.
I'M NICK JENSEN LEAD
CONSERVATION SCIENTISTS WITH
THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT
SOCIETY ALSO KNOWN AS SI NPS.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
WILDFIRE NATIVE PLANTS AND
CLIMATE CHANGE AND HOW THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS CAN AND INDEED
SHOULD INFORM THE WAY WE MANAGE
WILDFIRE GOING FORWARD. BEFORE
I GET STARTED ON MY TESTIMONY.
AT THE NATIVE CALIFORNIAN AND
ALLOWING A LIFELONG RESIDENT I
WANT TO SAY THAT I SINCERELY
FEEL FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE SUFFERED FROM RECENT
WILDFIRES. MY FRIENDS ARE AMONG
THOSE VICTIMS. I ALSO FEEL FOR
THE PURCHASE PONDERED FROM CAL
FIRE THE FOREST SERVICE AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT WHO RISKED THEIR
LIVES TO PROTECT PEOPLE
PROPERTY AND ECOLOGICAL
RESOURCES. IS THESE FOLKS WHO
ARE INHERITING A NEARLY
IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION. DRIVEN BY
SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT I WILL
ATTEMPT TO DISCUSS TODAY. THESE
FACTORS INCLUDE LAND
MISMANAGEMENT CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND POOR PLANNING DECISIONS. I
HOPE TO PRESENT A BALANCED
PERSPECTIVE ON THE CAUSES OF
AND SOLUTIONS TO THE CRISIS
WITHOUT DIMINISHING THE EFFORTS
OF THESE DEDICATED WORKERS AND
THE COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS
READING FROM WHAT. MY
ORGANIZATION ST PS IS A SCIENCE
BASED FIVE ONE C. THREE
NONPROFIT WHOSE MISSION. IS
PRODUCTION OF CALIFORNIA'S
NATIVE PLANTS AND HABITATS.
WATER ITSELF IS NOT NECESSARILY
A THREAT TO NATIVE PLANTS. IS A
PART OF THEIR NOT HAVE THEIR
ECOLOGY AND NATIVE PLANTS HAVE
LARGELY INVOLVED WITH FIRE. BUT
DUE TO A NUMBER OF COMPLEX
FACTORS WE FIND OURSELVES OUT
OF BALANCE TODAY. NOW I HAVE
BEEN STUDYING THE FLORA AND
HABITATS OF CALIFORNIA FOR MORE
THAN TWO DECADES. GOING WAY
BACK MY FIRST JOB AS A BOTANIST
WAS DISTINCTLY TIED TO FIRE IN
THE SIERRA NEVADA. AS A COLLEGE
STUDENT I SPENT FOUR GLORIOUS
SUMMERS WORKING ON HOW NATIONAL
FOREST. ADD TO THAT LOOKING TO
THE WEST OF LAKE TAHOE. I DON'T
HAVE THIS PERSPECTIVE BACK THEN
BUT I NOW REALIZE THAT NEARLY
EVERY PROJECT I WORKED ON
DURING THAT TIME PERIOD WAS
DIRECTLY TIED TO WILDFIRE AND
TO SOME DEGREE OUR LEGACY OF
MISMANAGEMENT IN SOME OF THOSE
FOREST HABITATS ALSO TO. TIED
TO FIRE SUPPRESSION. MUCH OF
THE SUMMERS I SPENT. BUT I
WOULD SERVING FOR RARE PLANTS
IN AREAS THAT HAD BEEN BURNED
IN PREVIOUS YEARS BY WILDFIRES.
PRIOR TO SALVAGE LOGGING
OPERATIONS. ALSO SPENT HUNDREDS
OF HOURS PULLING AN INVASIVE
SPECIES CALLED MUSK THISTLE ON
BOCA HILL WHICH IS LOCATED TO
THAT JUST IT JUST TO THAT I
GUESS SO TO THE NORTH OF
TRUCKEE. ALL RIGHT MUST THIS OF
THIS NASTY INVASIVE PLANT THAT
IS THE- AND YOU KNOW TOUGH TO
DEAL WITH. AND THAT PLANT WAS
ACTUALLY INTRODUCED TO THE AREA
ON FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT THAT
WAS YOU KNOW IT THAT WAS A YOU
KNOW OF COURSE NECESSARY TO
FIGHT A FIRE IN THE AREA BUT
WAS IS DIRECTLY TIED TO FIRE AS
WELL. I THINK ABOUT. YOU KNOW
BACK TO THAT TIME PERIOD OR
LIKE ALMOST TWENTY YEARS AGO.
BACK THEN WE THOUGHT IT TWENTY
THOUSAND ACRE FIRE WAS HUGE.
AND OUR FIRE OF THAT SIZE WOULD
BARELY EVEN MAKE THE NEWS.
TODAY I WOULD CONSERVATION
ADVOCACY FOR SI NPS AND HOPE
OKAY EITHER WE CONCERT CONSERVE
WHAT IS LEFT OF CALIFORNIA'S
IRREPLACEABLE SPECIES AND
HABITATS. GOVERNOR NEWSOME'S
RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER ON
CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY.
ALL PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THE
FACT THAT CALIFORNIA IS ONE OF
THE WORLD'S THIRTY SIX BUT
GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS.
APPROXIMATELY ONE THIRD OF OUR
FLOOR IS FOUND NOWHERE ELSE IN
THE WORLD. AND SIMILARLY LARGE
PERCENTAGES OF THE STATE'S
PLANT A RARE WITH MANY OF THE
SPECIES BEING PUSHED TOWARDS
EXTINCTION. NEARLY ALL THE
SPECIES BOTH COMMON AND RARE.
HAVE EVOLVED AND HABITATS THAT
ARE AFFECTED BY WILDFIRE. STEVE
REFERRED TO GATHER AND FOR
PATCHES OF VEGETATION OR YOU
CAN CALL IT MORE CULT MORE
SIMPLY HABITATS. EACH OF THESE
HABITATS HAVE THEIR THEIR OWN
UNIQUE RESPONSE TO FIRE. AND SO
IT'S WITH THAT FRAMEWORK IN
MIND THAT I SEE THE BIGGEST
RISK WE SEE IS THAT THERE'S A
BIT OF AN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF
THE CAUSES OF OUR WELFARE
CRISIS. AND ITS POTENTIAL
SOLUTIONS. IN THE MEDIA YOU
OFTEN HEAR THAT THE CALLS A
WILDFIRE CRISIS IS EITHER
FORCED MISMANAGEMENT FOR
CLIMATE CHANGE. SOLUTIONS WE
HEAR A LOT ABOUT INCLUDE FOREST
AND FUEL MANAGEMENT. AND
ACTIVITIES IT AND REALLY IT'S
MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT
IN CALIFORNIA THERE REALLY IS
NO ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION.
I THINK THAT IN SOME REGARD WE
SPEND TOO MUCH TIME TALKING
ABOUT ONE HABITAT HABITAT TYPES
WHICH ARE WHICH ARE FOR THESE
FORESTS. AND REALLY NOT ENOUGH
TIME TALKING ABOUT PLACES WHERE
SO MANY OF OUR FIRES IN
COMMUNITIES OF KIRK WOODLANDS
GRASSLAND AND CHAPARRAL. LIKE
THE PEOPLE THAT INHABIT THIS
GREAT STATE. CALIFORNIANSHAVE
HAD A REMARKABLY DIVERSE AND
COMPLEX IN OUR APPROACHES THE
WILDFIRE SHOULD BE THE SAME. IN
THE REST OF MY TESTIMONY I'M
GOING TO TALK THREE THREE OF
OUR MOST COMMON VEGETATION
TYPES FOREST CHAPARRAL AND
GRASSLANDS. CHANCES ARE THAT
EACH OF YOU HAVE AT LEAST ONE
OF THESE HABITATS TYPES IN YOUR
DISTRICT. SOME YOU PROBABLY
HAVE ALL THREE. ALL COMPARE AND
CONTRAST HOW YOU TO THESE
HABITATS ARE AFFECT BY WHAT.
AND HELP PLENTY CALLED YOU CAN
INFORM THEIR ASSOCIATED
MANAGEMENT. NEXT I'LL SHARE
WHAT WE DO AND DON'T KNOW ABOUT
THE NEXUS BETWEEN CLIMATE
CHANGE WILDFIRE IMPLANTS. LAST
I WILL DRAW SOME CONCLUSIONS
ABOUT HOW ECOLOGY CAN AND
SHOULD INFORM ACTIONS
ESPECIALLY THOSE NON FORESTED
REGIONS AND HABITATS. OTHER
TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT
ALREADY. THE STORY OF WILDFIRE
IN CALIFORNIA IS INEXTRICABLY
LINKED TO NATIVE TO THE NEED A
FLOOR OF OUR STATE. HOW FIRE
BEHAVES ON THE LANDSCAPE. IS A
COMBINATION OF THE RESPONSES OF
THOSE PLANS IN CONJUNCTION
WITH. OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS
LAND MANAGEMENT WEATHER
PATTERNS AND CLIMATE. WITH THAT
IN MIND I THINK WE NEED TO ASK
SOME QUESTIONS. WHAT DOES
VEGETATION CUT WHAT'S WHAT IS
THE TYPE OF VEGETATION IN A
GIVEN AREA TELLS ABOUT THE
FIERY GENES AND ASSOCIATED
RISKS. AND SECOND WHAT DO
HABITAT TYPES TELL US ABOUT HOW
WE SHOULD MANAGE FOR THESE
RISKS. TO GET SOME OF THESE
QUESTIONS I THINK LET'S START
WITH LOOKING AT THE FOURTH AND
I'LL FOCUS ON KIND OF THE MID
ELEVATION PART OF HER FOR ITS
THIS HERE IN ABOUT A. MANY
FORESTED AREAS. ESPECIALLY
THOSE AT MID ELEVATION HAVE
EXPERIENCE A DEFICIENCY OF
WILDFIRES. AND THAT THEY WANT
TO BIRD AT A GREATER FREQUENCY.
THIS IS IN PART DUE TO CENTURY
OR MORE BUT A CENTURY OR MORE
OF FIRE SUPPRESSION WHICH IS
LED TO MAKING MILITIA FINE
FUELS AND DENSE UNDERGROWTH AND
UNDERSTOREY. I MEAN IF YOU'VE
DRIVEN UP INTO THE SIERRA
NEVADA RECENTLY MY TO SEEN
HABITATS THAT ARE. SO THICK
WITH SMALL TREES THAT YOU CAN
YOU CAN BARELY EVEN SEE THROUGH
THEM. AND THIS IS A BIT MORE
YOU KNOW A BIT OR A LOT MORE
DENSE. THAN WE WOULD HAVE
OBSERVED. YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE A
CENTURY AGO. NOW WHEN FIRES
OCCUR IN THESE HABITATS- ONE
TERM THAT IS USED TO DESCRIBE
THOSE THOSE THAT DENSE GROWTH
OF UNDERSTOREY IS LADDER FUELS.
AND THAT THOSE FUELS CAN CARRY
THE FIRE INTO THE CANOPY
RESULTING IN SEVERE FIRE
CONDITIONS AND HIGH TREE
MORTALITY WHICH IS NOT
SOMETHING WE REALLY WANT TO SEE
THAT NECESSARILY. THESE FIRES
ARE ALSO A KOREAN SWAPS THAT
ARE SO LARGE AND WITH SUCH
RAPID HIGH SEVERITY. THAT
RECOVERY OF SOME AREAS IS
QUESTIONABLE. BUT HEREIN LIES
THE PARADOX. WITH THAT WE NEED
MORE FIRE IN THESE AREAS BUT
NOT IN THE FIRE THAT FIRE THAT
IS OF THE RIGHT KIND. FORSETT
HABITATS- PLACE WHERE THERE IS
ROOM ISN'T A ROOM FOR. SOME YOU
KNOW ACTUALLY A GREAT DEAL OF
OPTIMISM I WOULD SAY. IF WE
CHOOSE TO LISTEN TO SCIENTISTS.
AND OTHER GROUPS SUCH AS NATIVE
AMERICANS WHO HAVE A HAVE
MALENY OF LAND MANAGEMENT
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE.
ENABLE THAT KNOWLEDGE INPUT
ACTIONS THAT ARE BOTH
BENEFICIAL TO BOTH TO THE
HABITAT. AND PROTECTIVE OF
HUMAN COMMUNITIES. THESE
INCLUDE THINGS ACTIONS LIKE
PRESCRIBED TO MANAGE WILDFIRE.
AND HE CULTURALLY ECOLOGICALLY
INFORMED THING. WE CAN HAVE A
WIN WIN SITUATION. MOVING ON
FROM FOREST LET'S TALK A LITTLE
BIT OF TROUBLE ENTERS THOSE
HABITATS LIKE- LIKE CHAPARRAL.
DOMINATED BY SHRUBS. SOMETIMES
KNOWN AS AS CHAPARRAL IN SOME
PLACES COASTAL SAGE IT OTHERS
ARE ARE THOSE ARE HABITATS THAT
YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD OF. THE
CURRENT MANY PLACES STATEWIDE
BUT ESPECIALLY PROMINENT ALONG
THE COAST AND IN LOWER
ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. THEY'RE ALSO
EXTENSIVE AREAS OF THESE TYPES
OF HABITATS IN THE FOOTHILLS OF
THE SIERRA NEVADA. FIRE PLAYS A
VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE
MAINTENANCE OF CHAPARRAL
HABITATS. JUST LIKE IN THE
FORCE OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
THESE HOW DOES ABSOLUTELY NEED
FIRE AT THE RIGHT INTO INTERVAL
FOR THEIR CONTINUED EXISTENCE.
BUT IN MARCH CONTRAST TO THE
FOREST OF THE SIERRA NEVADA
SOME OF OUR CHAPARRAL HABITAT
HAS EXPERIENCE FIRE AT TOO
FREQUENT INTERVAL ESPECIALLY IN
AREAS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
SOME OF THESE ARE SOME OTHER
PLACES HAVE EXPERIENCE FIRE AT
WHAT WE CENTER THE PRETTY MUCH
THE NORMAL FIRE RETURN
INTERVALS. SO MORE FIRE THESE
TYPES OF HABITATS IS NOT
NECESSARILY A GOOD THING AT ALL.
AND EVEN MORE SO. HIRES A BIRD
TO FREQUENTLY OF THESE HABITATS
CAN HAVE DRASTIC ECOLOGICAL
CONSEQUENCES. ALTHOUGH MANY
SHRUBS GROW BACK OR RE SEED
AFTER WILDFIRE. THEY NEED TIME
TO DO SO. AND IF FIRE RETURNS
TO QUICKLY TO THESE HABITATS.
INVASIVE PLANTS LIKE AN ORANGE
LIKE NON NATIVE ANNUAL GRASSES
CAN TAKE OVER. AND IT CAN LEAD
TO SOMETHING THAT WE CALL TYPE
CONVERSIONAND WHICH LEAVES-
YOU KNOW WHICH ELIMINATES A
NATIVE HABITAT AS WELL AS
LEADING THAT HAPPENED AT THE
HABITAT THAT IS DOMINATED BY
NON NATIVE PLANTS EVEN MORE
VULNERABLE TO. SUBSEQUENT
WILDFIRES. FOR THAT REASON WE
NEED TO REDUCE FIRE AND
DISTURBANCE IN TRUCK DOMINATED
HABITATS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
THESE HABITS ARE ALREADYUNFORTUNATELY BURNING AT
PROBABLY THE RIGHT INTERVAL OR
ALREADY TO FOR AT TO FREQUENT
INTERVAL. THAT MEANS.
PRESCRIBED FIRE THESE TYPE OF
HABITAT IS NOT SUCH A GOOD
THING. AND SO WAS SOME OF THE
DISTURBANCE MECHANISM SUCH AS
LIKE MASTICATION- AND YOU KNOW
THINGS LIKE. ACCIDENTAL FIRES
THAT ARE SET BY HUMANS WOULD
NEED TO BE REDUCED AS WELL. FOR
THE CURRENT THESE TYPES OF
HABITATS THAT ARE OCCURRING YOU
KNOW IT'S JASON TO WORK RIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF CHAPARRAL
HABITATS. WE REALLY NEED TO
FOCUS ON HOLD A COMMUNITY HARD
HOME HARDENING A COMMUNITY
PREPAREDNESS THINGS LIKE MAKING
SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE
DEFENSIBLE SPACE. AND KNOW HOW
TO EVACUATED AND WE'RE TO
EVACUATE TO WHEN IT WENT
ESSENTIALLY THE WHAT IS AN
EVENTUAL WILDFIRE. CHERSON MINT
IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. SO
THERE'S A SOME PRETTY. MARKET
BECAUSE- BETWEEN THOSE TWO
HABITATS THE FORCES HERE TO
VOTE AND CHAPARRAL THERE IS TO
IT AND WHAT WE MIGHT PRESCRIBE
FOR ONE AREA IS NOT PRESCRIBED
WELL TO ANOTHER. FINALLY LET'S
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
GRASSLANDS AND MUSING GRASSLAND
IN A VERY LIBERAL SENSE- IT'S A
TERM THAT ENCOMPASSES A WIDE TO
HAVE WIDE RANGE OF HABITATS
FROM. YOU KNOW WHAT WE YOU KNOW
THOSE WILDFLOWER SUPER BLOOMS
THAT EVERYBODY GOES TO VISIT
WITH A IN A GOOD RAIN YEAR. TED
NATIVE PERENNIAL GRASSLAND. AND
IT TOO VERNAL POOLS EPHEMERAL
WETLANDS THAT ARE AMAZINGLY
FILLED WITH TONS OF RARE.
PLANTS AND ANIMALS. AND THE
OTHER OFFER INTERSPERSED WITH
OTHER. THEY CAN BE ADDRESSING
THE CHOPPER. OR IT TO. OR INTO
A LOT OF GRASS OCCURS I DO THE
AND WHAT. MUCH LIKE THE REST OF
OUR OF OUR FLORIDA MANY OR MOST
OF OUR GRASS AND PLANTS. HAVE
ALSO EVOLVED WITH FIRE. YEAH
BUT WE N THE PAST THESE BARS
WOULD HAVE BEEN PRETTY LOW YOU
KNOW LOW TO MODERATE INTENSITY
BECAUSE THEY WOULD'VE BEEN
SMALLER AMOUNTS OF FUEL
TYPICALLY IF ALL THESE PLANTS
IT WAS ONLY NATIVE PLANTS. BUT
UNFORTUNATELY MUCH OF OUR
NATIVE DOMINATED GRASSLAND
HABITATS AND EITHER BEEN
DEVELOPED. ORIGIN CONVERTED
INTO AGRICULTURE. AND WHAT
REMAINS IS OFTEN A MIX OF A
NATIVE SPECIES AND NON NATIVE
GRASSES. ALL TOO OFTEN THESE
NON NATIVE GRASSES OCCURRING
HUGE QUANTITIES AND ACTIVISTS
WATCHING YOU KNOW ESSENTIALLY
FLASHY FUELS TRIGGERING
DESTRUCTIVE AND FAST MOVING
WILDFIRES. TRAGICALLY ALSO A
NUMBER OF OUR GRASSLAND AND
WOODLAND HABITATS HAVE BEEN TO
HAVE BEEN- REGARDLESS OF THEIR
ECOLOGICAL VALUE. AND MANY OF
THEM HAVE VERY HIGH ECOLOGICAL
VALUE. HAVE BEEN TARGETED FOR
DEVELOPMENT AND ARE LOCATED
WITHIN THE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN
CLASSIFIED AS HIGH FIRE VERY
HIGH FIRE SEVERITY SO MY
ORGANIZATION HAS WORKED ON.
ADVOCACY RELATED TO A NUMBER OF
A LARGE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN
RECENT YEARS THAT EIGHT THAT
ARE OCCURRING GRASSLAND
HABITATS AND WOULD WOULD HAVE
ATTACKED THAT ARE YOU KNOW ALSO
IN VERY HIGH RISK HIGH RISK
AREAS INCLUDING YOU KNOW
DEVELOPMENTS ON TEJON RANCH
CALLED CENTENNIAL IN NORTH
NORTHERN L. A. COUNTY. HOLDINGS
CITY PROPOSED IN GRASSLAND
HABITAT IN HIGH FIRE OR VERY
HIGH FIRE SEVERITY ZONES. MORE
RECENTLY WE WORKED ON A PROJECT
CALLED ONE OF VALLEY AT LAKE
COUNTY. THAT IS DESIGNATED AS
HIGH VERY HIGH VERY HIGH OR
SEVERITIES OF. AND IT WAS
APPROVED IN JULY AND NOT LESS
THAN A MONTH LATER IN THE ALLEN
YOU LIGHTNING COMPLEX FIRE THAT
SAME AREA AT LEAST SUB AT LEAST
THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THAT
PROPERTY. THAT WAS A SLATED FOR
DEVELOPMENT. BURNT IN THAT FIRE
SO YOU HAVE A PROJECT APPROVED
AND THAT BURNED IN WITHIN A
MONTH. AND FORTUNATELY IT
WASN'T BUILT YET BUT WHAT HAVE
WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF
THAT COMMUNITY WAS ALREADY IN
PLACE. SO GENERALLY SPEAKING
WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT IN THIS
ECOSYSTEM THESE GRASSLANDS AND
WOODLAND ECOSYSTEM INVOLVES
REALLY. AVOIDING THAT CONFLICT
IN THE FIRST PLACE I GUESS I
COULD BE SAID FOR MANY OF THE
OF THE HABITATS AS WELL IN THE
STATE. AND WE'RE THESE AT WORK
MEETINGS ALREADY EXIST. WE TO
MAKE SURE THAT THAT HOME HARD
NEED A DEFENSIBLE SPACE IS PUT
INTO PLACE. AS WELL AS PROVIDES
COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS MEASURES.
SO SHIFTING GEARS A LITTLE BIT.
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE
INTERPLAY BETWEEN VEGETATION
HIRING CLIMATE CHANGE. I'M NOT
A CLIMATE SCIENTIST A BOTANIST
SO HOPEFULLY THIS IS A TO
COUNTY. HI CHANGES CERTAINLY.
IT CERTAINLY AND QUITE
LITERALLY ADDING FUEL TO THE
FIRE. BUT AS A SIDE IS A
BELIEVES DEEPLY IN THE URGENCY
OF CLIMATE CHANGE. I ALSO WANT
TO BE HONEST THAT IS NOT ALWAYS
EASY TO SEPARATE THE MEDIA
FACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE FROM
NATIONAL FOOT NATURAL PHENOMENA
LIKE OUR AUGUST HEAT WAVE. THE
ACCOMPANYING FREAK LIGHTNING
STORM THAT OCCURRED IN NORTH
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. IN A
HISTORIC DROUGHT THAT OCCURRED
A COUPLE YEARS AGO OF COURSE
SOME OF THESE FACTORS MAY BE
DRIVEN BY WILD BY CLIMATE
CHANGE AND RESEARCHERS ARE
CERTAINLY LOOKING AT THESE
FACTORS TO DIGEST DISSECT OUT
THE CLOCK BECAUSE IT'S- BUT
WHAT I WILL SAY. THINGS LIKE
DROUGHT AND HEATWAVES AND
LIGHTNING STORMS. HAVE BEEN A
LONG EVER IN CALIFORNIA FOR A
LONG TIME. AND MAY BE ACTUALLY
JUST EXACERBATED BY CLIMATE
CHANGE. SO CAN BE A CHALLENGING
THING TO DISSECT ALL THESE
THESE PIECES. BUT HERE ARE A
FEW THINGS THAT WE KNOW A FEW
TAKEAWAYS. FIRST LOOKING AT THE
SIERRA NEVADA. A STUDY BY-EMINENT FIRE SIGNED HIS JOHN
KEALEY AND ALEC SEIFERT IN
TWENTY SEVENTEEN SHOW THAT
THERE IS AN INCREASE IN ACREAGE
BURNED IN THE SIERRA NEVADA.
WHEN IT WAS LINKED TO HIGHER
SPRING AND SUMMER TEMPERATURES
EITHER THE CONDITIONS THAT YOU
WOULD EXPECT AND ARE
INGREDIENTS ARE OBSERVED IN OUR
CURRENT CURRENT. WELL THE
CLIMATE CHANGE. SO YOU KNOW YOU
HAVE IDEAL BURKE CONDITIONS
ESPECIALLY WITH HIGHER
TEMPERATURES AND LOWER
PRECIPITATION THIS DECREASE
PERCENTAGE OF PRECIPITATION.
FALLING AS SNOW. AND YOU KNOW
SO. YOU KIND OF YOU CAN START
TO LOOK AT THIS WITH A MIX OF
LATE. ADAM IN CONJUNCTION WITH
OUR LEGACY OF FOREST
MISMANAGEMENT AND PART OF THE
PERSON YOU CAN START TO SEE
KIND OF A WORST CASE SCENARIO
IN THE SIERRA NEVADA. LIKE I
SAID BEFORE THERE IS SOME REAL-
OPPORTUNITY FOR OPTIMISM IN
THESE HABITATS BECAUSE THERE
ISN'T THIS IS THE TYPE OF
HABITAT WHERE WE CAN DO SOME
MANAGEMENT. SECOND IN NON
FORESTED HABITAT FOR THE
SOUTHERN OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. THERE DOESN'T
APPEAR TO BE A ESPECIALLY
STRONG LINK BETWEEN INCREASED
TEMPERATURES AND INCREASED RISK
OF WILDFIRES. THIS IS WORK WAS
SUPPORTED BY THE BY RESEARCH BY
KEELY ENCIPHEREDAS WELL AS
FROM AND YOU KNOW IT A
PROFESSOR AT A COURT COLUMBIA
UNIVERSITY PARK WILLIAMS. AND
CO AUTHORS IN TWENTY NINETEEN.
THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE FACT
THAT THERE ISN'T THAT IT'S
ALMOST NEARLY AS WELL IT'S
NEARLY ALWAYS HOT ENOUGH AND
DRY ENOUGH FOR FIRES TO OCCUR
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I MEAN
WE DON'T I DON'T I LIVE THERE
UP UNTIL A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
AND THAT'S THAT THAT'S PRETTY
EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU
LIVE THERE. IN MANY CASES
WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE LARGE
FIRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
IS A MORE SO RELATED DEPRIVE A
PREVALENCE OF LUCK. ON STRONG
SANTA ANA WIND EVENT. AND IN
THE ABSENCE OF EARLY SEASON
PRECIPITATION. I'LL TALK ABOUT
THOSE SANTA ANA WIND EVENT WHAT
WE CAN DO WORK SOME
SUGGESTIONS. OF LOOKING AT IT
IN JUST A MINUTE OR TWO. THIRD
I'D LIKE TO HIRE A HIGHLIGHTED
AREA OF RESEARCH THAT IS
INCREASINGLY TYING TOGETHER.
CLIMATE CHANGE VEGETATION. AND
FIRE. IT IS CALLED VAPOR
PRESSURE DEFICIT AND THIS IS
REALLY A BOTANIST TRYING TO
EXPLAIN A CLIMATE TO LOGICAL.
CLIMATE SCIENCE. SO HOPEFULLY
IT'S NOT TOO A- TO- OUT OF- TO
CONVICT. ASSEMBLY VAPOR
PRESSURE DEFICIT MEASURES THE
ABILITY OF THE ATMOSPHERE TO
ACT AS AS WHAT IS IT ASSEMBLY
GIANT FUN SUCKING MOISTURE OUT
OF ALL THE FUEL THAT HAS THE
POTENTIAL. TO BURN. BUT WHAT IS
CLIMATE CHANGE HAVE TO DO WITH
THIS. WELL WE KNOW THAT THAT
CALIFORNIA'S CLIMATE HAS WARNED
WARMED BY ABOUT THREE DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT IN THE PAST CENTURY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT VAPOR
PRESSURE DEFICIT REACHED RECORD
LEVELS THIS YEAR. AND RICHARD
FIVE MICHAEL TALK TO COLLEAGUES.
PUBLISHED THIS YEAR. FURTHER
JUGGLING BETWEEN VEGETATION
ARIDITY THAT INCREASING VAPOR
PRESSURE DEFICIT AND
CONSEQUENTLY INCREASE VIRUS SO
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A SMOKING
GUN BETWEEN THESE TWO FACTORS
THIS CERTAINLY COULD BE A- OF
COURSE THAT'S NOT THE END OF
THE STORY. ACCORDING TO JOHN
KEALEY ESSENTIALLY NEAR
ESSENTIALLY ALL A 100% OF ALL
SANTA ANA. WIND DRIVEN FIRES
ARE CAUSED BY HUMANS. AND
FURTHER 99% OF THE- BUT 99% OF
ALL FIRES IN COASTAL AREAS OF
CALIFORNIA. AND HISTORICALLY
ARE NOT CAUSED ARE ARE NOT OF
NATURAL ORIGIN. SO IT'S A
POPULATION INCREASES SO WILL
THE NUMBER OF FIRE STARTS. AND
WILL NOT ISN'T HAS WOULD
INCLUDE IT MUST WE CHANGE THE
WAY WE ACT OR THE WAY WE PLAN
OUR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.
HORROBIN OF MY TESTIMONY THIS
MORNING I WANT TO LEAVE YOU
WITH SOME CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS. FIRST AND
FOREMOST. WE THE PLAN
PREEMPTIVE MEASURES AND
WILDFIRE RISK WITH NATURE AND
WITH BIODIVERSITY IN MINE. IN
THAT WE NEED TO TAILOR WIVES
WHILE KERR SOLUTION BY REGION
AND THE AND ALSO BY HABITAT.
FOR EXAMPLE. AND FIRST WHAT
SOLUTIONS LIKE PRESCRIBED FIRE
THAT ARE GOOD FOR SOME PROBLEM
ARCTIC OUR POTENTIALLY VERY
PROBLEMATIC FOR CHAPARRAL AND
OTHER TYPES OF HAVE HAS
DOMINATED BY TRUCKS. NEXT IS
NOT TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD BE
PRESCRIBED FIRE HOW WOULD BE
PRESCRIBED FIRE IS IT IS
IMPORTANT. SO THESE TO YOUR
TREATMENT TO LIKE PROVIDE FIRE
AND ECOLOGICAL BASE THE NAME.
NEED TO BE PLANTED IMPLIED
WITHOUT DIVERSITY IN MIND. FOR
EXAMPLE- AIDED A PRESCRIBED
FIRE THAT WOULD THAT WOULD BE
IMPLEMENTED IN THE SPRING WHEN
I STARTED WHEN FOR EXAMPLE. FOR
EXAMPLE LIKE A RARE PLANT WOULD
ALREADY GROWING COULD BE QUITE
DAMAGING TO THAT RARE PLANTS
THE SAME FIRE IMPLEMENTED THE
FALL AFTER THAT PLANT HAS SET
SEATS COULD BE BENEFICIAL TO
IT. SO THERE'S SOME NUANCES TO
THIS. SECOND THINGS LIKE
EMERGENCY FUEL BREAKS
FIREBREAKS. IF NOT MAYBE IT CAN
BE A CONDUIT FOR INVASIVE
SPECIES AND- CAN FURTHER
INCREASE THE THREAT OF WILDFIRE
IN THESE COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY
THESE PEOPLE PARTS AREN'T
MAINTAINED IN THE LONG RUN. I
WOULD SAY THAT INSTEAD WEEK WE
SHOULD REALLY. EMPHASIZE
SOLUTIONS THAT LEAD TO THE
MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF DATA THAT IS
THE LEAST AMOUNT OF HARM.
FINALLY I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS
THE CHANGES THAT WE CAN MAKE
STARTING NOW. I THINK IT'S SAFE
TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF
CRACKED THE FUNDING OF THE
IMBALANCE BETWEEN FIRE
PREVENTION. AND FIRE
PRESERVATION. ACCORDING TO KATE
GORDON. DIRECTOR OF
CALIFORNIA'S OFFICE OF PLANNING
RESEARCH. A DOLLAR SPENT AS A
QUOTA DOLLAR SPENT TODAY SAVES
YOU ABOUT SIX DOLLARS AND
FUTURE EMERGENCIES. THIS REAL
STITCHED IN TIME SAVES NINE
STATISTICS IS. ONE WILL FACE
PEOPLE SEE PEOPLE HOMES AND
LIVES. THIS IS NOT TO SAY WE
WILL NO LONGER NEED TO FIGHT
WILDFIRES THIS IS NOT GOING
AWAY. CLEARLY WE MUST CONTINUE
TO ENABLE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS
TO SAVE LIVES AND PROPERTY. BUT
THERE IS VAST ACREAGE OF FOREST
HABITAT COULD BE THAT COULD
BENEFIT FROM PRESCRIBED FIRE
ECOLOGY INFORM LAND MANAGEMENT.
THESE ACTIONS SHOULD NOT OCCUR
WOULD NOT ONLY BENEFIT HABITAT
BUT ALSO HELP TO PROTECT
COMMUNITIES THOSE COMMUNITIES
ARE INTERSPERSED WITHIN THAT.
YES WE KNOW THAT WINDERMAN
FIRES ARE PERHAPS OUR MOST
DANGEROUS AND DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.
CASE IN POINT BEING THE FLYERS
THAT YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE
NAMES OF. THE CAMP FIRE TUBBS
FIRE THE WILL THE FIRES TO
NEIGHBORS TO JUST NAME A FEW.
ADD THESE FIRE DEPARTMENT
INTEGRATED AND NANCED APPROACH
THAT INVOLVES SUCH THINGS AS
FIRST PREVENTED FIRES IN THE
FIRST PLACE KNOW THAT ALMOST
ALL THESE CARS ARE ARE ARE
STARTED BY HUMANS ONE WAY OR
ANOTHER. SECOND WE DO A BETTER
JOB PLANNING. IT DID BETTER JOB
OF PLANNING ENABLE DECISION
MAKERS TO SAY NO TO DEVELOPMENT
IN HIGH FIRE RISK AREAS. WHEN
WE ALLOW DEVELOPMENT IN THESE
AREAS WE PUT PEOPLE AND
COMMUNITIES IF FIRST RESPONDERS
AT RISK. THIRD WE NEED TO
ENSURE THAT EXISING
COMMUNITIES ARE RESILIENT TO
WILDFIRE AND THIS MEANS
DEFENSIBLE SPACE
RECOMMENDATIONS SUPPORTED BY
THE LATEST SCIENCE AND NOT
DRIVEN BY FEAR. TWENTY FOUR IN
ENABLING SWIFT EVACUATIONS AND
HARDENING HOMES SO THEY HAVE A
BETTER CHANCE OF SUPPLIERS
SURVIVING FIRES WHEN THEY
INEVITABLY OCCUR. FINALLY WE
CAN INVEST IN BETTER FIRE
PROTECTION OF WEATHER
FORECASTING TOOLS USING THE
LATEST TECHNOLOGY SO THAT FIRE
CREWS AND HOMEOWNERS CAN BETTER
PREPARE AHEAD OF THESE EVENTS.
HOPEFULLY WITH SOME OPTIMISM.
DESPITE OUR CURRENT CRISIS
THERE'S THIS IS STILL A TIME TO
LEARN AND LISTEN. WE NEED TO
LISTEN TO FIRE SCIENTISTS LAND
MANAGERS. NATIVE AMERICANS WITH
THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF
TRADITIONAL. KNOWLEDGE AND
FIRST RESPONDERS TO SEE
FIRSTHAND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THIS IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK
MOMENT. LASTLY WHEN WE LOOK AT
FIRE PREVENTION WE NEED TO GO
BEYOND SIMPLISTIC FUELS
MANAGEMENT TO TAKE A TAILORED
APPROACH. THAT IS INFORMED BY
HABITAT AND REGIONAL AND THE
REGION'S AT THEIR CURRENT.
KNOWING THAT. KNOWING WHAT WE
KNOW ABOUT THE STATE'S PART OF
OUR CITY AND OF OUR VARIETY OF
HABITATS THAT OCCUR HRE THANK
YOU STE THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR- THAT VERY INFORMATIVE
PRESENTATION I WOULD LIKE TO
OPEN UP THE QUESTION NINE BY
ASKING YOU. WHAT MAY BE A
SOMEWHAT PROVOCATIVE QUESTION A
MUTE IS. I SPEAK ABOUT THE NEED
FOR PLANNING- AND I'M WONDERING
IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO WEAR- AND
HOW- YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO US
WE CHANGE OUR PLANNING EFFORTS
BECAUSE TO SOME DEGREE BECAUSE
THERE THERE IS PLANNING THAT
TAKES PLACE ALREAD SO. WHAT WE
NEED TO DO TO DO A BETTER JOB
IN THAT RESPECT. YEAH THAT THAT
CERTAINLY IS A PRODUCTIVE
VOCATIVE QUESTION- AND OF
COURSE I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT
THE STATE GOVERNMENT WOULD
WOULD TAKE CONTROL OVER LOCAL
AUTHORITIES IN THEIR DECISION
MAKING. BUT I WILL SAY ONE
THING IS THAT. THERE ARE OTHER
YOU KNOW THERE ARE OTHER AREAS
OF THE I KNOW I KNOW OF THE
COUNTRY ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD
TO RISK LIKE LIKE FLOOD RISK.
WE'RE THERE IS A HEIGHTENED
DISINCENTIVE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF
TO OCCUR IN THESE AREAS. AND I
WOULD SAY THAT. IN SOME REGARD.
WE MAYBE AT SOME POINT IN THE
FUTURE FACE TO FACE WITH THE
TOUGH DECISION TO DO SIMILAR
THINGS. IT WITH REGARD TO
WILDFIRE RISK. IN THAT WE MIGHT
NEED TO START DIS INCENTIVIZING
DEVELOPMENT IN THOSE AREAS AND
INCENTIVIZING DEVELOPMENT
ELSEWHERE WE'RE SIMILAR REST ON
A CURB. I ALSO THINK THAT WE
COULD DO MORE TO DISCLOSE TO
PROTECT TO HOMEOWNERS FOR
HOMEBUYERS AND RENTERS ABOUT
THE RISK OF- OF WILDFIRES IN
THOSE AREAS BECAUSE THEN I
WOULD YOU KNOW. I HATE TO THINK
THAT MANY PEOPLE BY WHAT BY
HOMES IN THESE WILDLAND URBAN
INTERFACE I HAVEN'T REALLY
THOUGHT SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT THE
RISK ACTUALLY IS. AND MAYBE IT
COMES AS A SURPRISE WHEN THEY
EVACUATED AND IN THE WORST CASE
SCENARIO THEY LOSE THEIR HOMES.
SO I REALLY THINK IT SHOULD BE
MORE UP FRONT IN THOSE IN THOSE
TYPES OF- YOU KNOW THOSE
DECISION MAKING PROCESSES FOR
PEOPLE- AND THEN OF COURSE. YOU
KNOW WHEN LOCAL COMMUNITIES DO
THEIR PLANNING EFFORTS WE COULD
DO MORE TO ON. TO I THINK IT'S
A DEVICE DEVELOPMENT AND MORE
DENSE URBAN CORES RATHER THAN
OF COURSE. LEADING DEVELOPMENT
OCCUR IN THAT YOU KNOW THE
OUTER CITY LIMITS NOW. THIS OF
COURSE DOESN'T DEAL WITH THE
ALREADY EXISTING DEVELOPMENT
WHICH WHICH AREIN THE WILD
EVERITT URBAN INTERFACE WHICH
WE STILL NEED TO DO A LOT MORE
TO- TO MITIGATE FOR THOSE RISKS
THERE AND THAT THOSE AREAS AS
WELL. THANK YOU AND WHAT ABOUT
WHAT ABOUT AT THE OF THE STATE
LEVEL- ARE WE- STRUCTURE THE
WAY WE NEED TO BE- ARE THERE
CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD
RECOMMEND. TO THAT WE MAKE IN
ORDER TO. A BETTER ADDRESS THE
ISSUES THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED.
WELL YOU KNOW THERE WHAT I AM
BLANKING ON THE BILL THAT WAS
INTRODUCED THAT DID NOT MAKE IT
TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK WHICH
WOULD WOULD HAVE BAND-
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT
AND VERY HIGH FIRE SEVERITY
ZONES AS AS OWNED BY CAL FIRE.
THAT'S A BILL THAT THAT MY
ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED. AND
DONE. ALL RIGHT WE CERTAINLY
WOULD WOULD SUPPORT SIMILAR
LEGISLATION IN THE FUTURE AND
IT THAT'S A THAT'S A STEP I
SUPPOSE THE STATE COULD TAKE.
THE STATE LEVEL. THANK YOU ARE
THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. MS
FRIEDMAN. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR YOUR PRESENTATION- I HAVE
THREE QUESTIONS AND I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU WANT MAYBE I'LL ASK
THEM ALL THREE AND THEN YOU CAN
ANSWER THEM SUPPOSED TO COMING
BACK OF THAT WORKS FOR YOU
YEAH- THE FIRST ONE- IT'S A
LITTLE BIT LIKE MR BLOOM'S
QUESTION BUT INSTEAD OF ASKING
ABOUT PLANNING EFFORTS AS WE'RE
BUILDING NEW PROJECTS I'M
WONDERING OUTSIDE OF THE HOME
HARDENING AND WHAT INDIVIDUAL
PROPERTY OWNERS CAN DO TO MAKE
THEIR OWN PROPERTY MORE
RESILIENT. IF YOU HAVE IDEAS
ABOUT COMMUNITY WIDE RESILIENCY
OR RISK MITIGATION AND WHAT
THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR AN
ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT'S THE
FIRST QUESTION- THE SECOND ONE
IS ABOUT- THE DISCUSSION ABOUT
FUEL REDUCTION BY- THAT THERE'S
A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT FUEL
REDUCTION BUT THERE'S BEEN LESS
CONVERSATION ABOUT TYPES OF
FUEL AND I'M WONDERING HOW
CHANGING THE FUEL TYPE HOUSE
HOW COMMUNITIES CAN LOOK AT
CHANGING FUEL TYPES AS A PART
OF THAT AND I GUESS PART OF
THAT MY LAST QUESTION IS. IN MY
AREA AND I KNOW A LOT OF THE
STATE A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS
FROM THE FIRES AND CAN BE
ATTRIBUTED TO- INVASIVE NON
NATIVE PLANTS AND THE REPORT
THE ACTUAL REPORT. THAT WAS
GIVEN AS PART OF THE COMMITTEE
MATERIALS. THE IS A US LOOKING
AT THE CAUSE OF FIRES AND THEY
POINTED SPECIFICALLY EUCALYPTUS
IN SOME AREAS. AND I KNOW IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WERE. I
LIVE IN WERE A BUNCH OF US UP
HERE LIVE. A LOT OF THE NON
NATIVE GRASSES THAT ARE MIXED
IN WITH THE SHOPPER ALL I'M
TOLD ARE MUCH MORE FLAMMABLE
THAN FOR INSTANCE THE POPULAR
FAVORITE PLACE AND OTHER.
NATIVE SHRUBS NATIVE GRASSES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS
ABOUT HOW THE REST OF LARGE
SCALE RESTORATIONS OF THESE
NATIVE SYSTEMS CAN HAPPEN I'VE
HEARD. MIXED THINGS ABOUT
SEATING- IT SEEMS LIKE A NON
NATIVES ARE JUST THEY'RE JUST
IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH WHETHER
IT'S A RUN GO IN THE CREEKS OR
THE LEFTIST. IS IT IS THE
SOLUTION ROUNDUP I MEAN WHAT
WHAT DO WE DO TO DEAL WITH IS A
GOATS- WHAT CAN WE DO IT
ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE WAY
TO GET BACK TO THE- BETTER
ADAPTED NATIVE PLANTS. SO I
KNOW THOSE ARE THREE JUMBLE
QUESTIONS BUT- ANY COMMENT YOU
WANT TO MAKE ANY THAT WOULD BE
APPRECIATED. SURE I THINK THE
FIRST QUESTION I ASKED WAS ON
COMMUNITY WIDE RESILIENCE IDEAS.
WELL I THINK THAT- I THINK
THESE YOU KNOW IT INDIVIDUAL
COMMUNITY TO BE MADE STRONGER
IF. THERE IS TRULY DISPENSABLE
SPACE AND ALL OF THAT YOU KNOW
IN ALL THE HOMES THAT OCCUR IN
THEM. AND THAT COULD INCLUDE OF
COURSE YOU KNOW FROM OURS
PERSPECTIVE APPROPRIATE NATIVE
PLANT LANDSCAPING. I THINK ALSO.
I MEAN FOR ON MID WILDFIRE
MITIGATION MEASURES IN THE
AREAS AROUND THESE COMMUNITIES.
IN A IN THE IN A VERY JUDICIOUS
WHY FOR INSTANCE IF YOU WERE I
MEAN IF IT IT'S EASIER IN
PLACES LIKE THIS YEAR AND ABOUT
I SUPPOSE WHERE WE'RE BY- THE
AREAS THAT ARE KIND OF
DISTORTING IT'S KIND OF DISTANT
FROM THAT COMMUNITIES COULD BE
TREATED WITH PRESCRIBED FIRE.
AND THEN. THAT WOULD HOPEFULLY
LESSEN THE RISK OF THESE OF A
FIRE ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO
PENETRATE INTO THOSE EXISTING
COMMUNITIES. OF COURSE YOU KNOW
COURSE HOME HARDING IS A BIG
DEAL I THINK THAT'S ONE OF OUR
MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS AND I
WOULD SAY THAT IN A BILLION- I
MEAN IT'S- I'VE- THESE
SOLUTIONS ARE ALWAYS LIKE. FOR
ME IT'S A LITTLE BIT
FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WE TO SAY
WE WANT TO DO THESE THINGS BUT
THEN I'M THINKING LIKE. DO DO
HOMEOWNERS ACTUALLY HAVE THE
RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO
HARDEN THEIR HOMES. AND TO
CREATE DEFENSIBLE SPACE AND TO
ALTER THEIR LANDSCAPING SO. I
MEAN MAYBE THERE NEEDS TO BE A
SOME SORT OF GRANTOR OR LOW
INTEREST LOAN PROGRAM. THAT
ENABLES PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY DO
THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TELLING
THEM. IS NEEDED. IT'S NOT THE
PEOPLE ME NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE
THEIR HOME BURNED BY A WILDFIRE
IT'S JUST THAT THEY MAY NOT
HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY.
TO MITIGATE FOR THAT THOSE THAT
IT THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY
ASKED. NOW I WANT TO ADDRESS
THE WHOLE IDEA OF LAND A LARGE
SCALE RESTORATION I MEAN THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO
SEE AS AN ORGANIZATION I WOULD
LOVE TO SEE AS A AS A AS A AS A
PERSON WHO CARES DEEPLY ABOUT
THESE HABITATS. I REALLY THINK
THAT IT NEEDS TO BE A YOU KNOW
THAT A TOKEN APPROACH. SCALE TO
THE PROBLEM AND SKILL TO THE
AREA THAT WE WANT TO TREAT.
THERE ARE THERE ARE CERTAINLY
SOME CASES WHERE- THESE KIND OF
NON CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES MAY
BE MAY BE NEEDED I DON'T I'M
NOT SURE ABOUT GRAZING BY
CODES. BECAUSE THAT COULD ALSO
BE DAMAGING BUT BUT MAYBE. AND
I WOULD SAY THAT THE BEST THING
THAT WE CAN DO IS. X. IT IS
TRYING TO ENVISION WHAT WE WANT
TO SEE OUT OF THIS OUT OF THE
URBAN YOU KNOW THE WILDLAND
URBAN INTERFACE. AND THEN. AND
THEN TALK TO THE SCIENTISTS
TALK TO THE PRACTITIONERS TALK
TO. THE FIRE PREVENTION
PROFESSIONALS. AND TO WORK
TOGETHER TO DEVELOP THESE.
INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS THAT THAT
WILL THAT HAVE BOTH BY
DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY
PROTECTION IN MIND. AND
CERTAINLY YES ABSOLUTELY WE
NEED TO GET RID OF A LOT OF THE
INVASIVE PLANTS THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT'S SO EASY. I
MEAN IT'S NOT EASY IN IN
PRACTICE NECESSARILY BUT IT'S
SUCH AN EASY THING TO. FOR US
TO PROMOTE BECAUSE- IT IT HAS A
GREAT ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS IT
REDUCES FUEL LOADS. IT'S A WEEK
IT'S A WIN WIN SITUATION I LOVE
WIN WIN SITUATIONS SO. I DON'T
KNOW IF I'VE ANSWERED ALL YOUR
QUESTIONS YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO
ASK THEM AGAIN IF I DIDN'T DO A
GOOD ENOUGH JOB. THANK YOU MS
RAMOS. THANKS SO MUCH- IN ONE
OF THE QUOTES THAT SAID ALMOST
CATASTROPHIC FIRES OF THE PAST
FEW DECADES HAVE BEEN WIND
DOMINATED FIRES YOU ALSO TALKED
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. EARLY
THESE ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE
CAN'T CONTROL THEIR HAPPENING
AND WE JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH
THEM. NO I DIDN'T APPRECIATE
THE FACT THAT YOU SAID THAT
THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO LEAVE
HERE WITHOUT GIVING US SOME
HOPE SOMETIMES WHEN I HEAR
ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH
CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE HOMEOWNERS THAT
ARE. THAT WANT TO DEVELOP IN
FIRE PRONE AREAS NO MATTER WHAT
WHEN I WHEN I HEAR THESE
THINGS. SOMETIMES IT IT TAKES
AWAY WHATEVER HOPE I MIGHT
HAVE- BUT IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT
AS WE MOVE FORWARD WE HAVE TO
BE SURE TO HAVE. THE SCIENTISTS
WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE WHO'VE
STUDIED- IT SUCH AS YOURSELF AT
SOME POINT THEY HAVE YOU AT THE
TABLE. WHEN WE'RE PLANNING SO
MY QUESTION AND OF COURSE WERE
TOKENS OF SOMETHING SIMILAR TO-
CHAIR BLOOM AND- IS FRIEDMAN.
BUT IT. IS IT IS IT IN ZONING.
CLEARLY WE NEED MORE PLANNING-
IS IT IS IT A TEN YEAR PLAN SO
THAT WE START TO TURN THINGS
AROUND- WHAT IS IT THAT WE
NEED- SO THAT WE CAN SO THAT
THE STATE. CAN ACHIEVE SOME
NORMALCY WHEN IT COMES TO TWO
FIRES- WE CAN'T PREVENT THEM
BUT- WHAT CAN WE DO TO REALLY
HAVE A PLAN. THAT'S GOING TO
HELP US MITIGATE THE V. THE
DISASTER THAT WE'VE BEEN LIVING
WITH THE RECENTLY. YEAH IT I
THINK THAT THERE'S A REAL
ASPECT OF PEOPLE REALLY KIND OF
A DESPERATE AT THIS POINT IN
TIME I KNOW THE FIREFIGHTING
PERSONNEL DON'T LIKE THIS
SITUATION THE HOMEOWNERS DON'T
LIKE THIS SITUATION YOU AS AS
LAWMAKERS ARE ARE ARE REALLY- I
THINK STRUGGLING TO COME UP
WITH SOLUTIONS. AND I THINK
THAT THERE ARE THERE IS THERE
IS THAT THERE IS THAT THE NOW
SOLUTIONS SO AND FOR AND FOR
EXISTING COMMUNITIES SO FOR
INSTANCE. WE HAVE WE HAVE HOMES
I MEAN. WE YOU WE ALL HAVE SEEN
IT WE HAVE SEEN YOU KNOW IF
YOU'VE EVER WATCHED A WILDFIRE
ON THE NEWS. OR YOU KNOW JUST
IN RETROSPECT STUDY WHAT'S
HAPPENING. YOU KNOW THAT THESE
WIND DRIVEN FIRES THEY JUMPED
EIGHT LANES OF FREEWAY- THEY'LL
JUMP ACROSS THE RESERVOIR. YOU
DON'T SPOT A MILE AND A MILE IN
YOU KNOW. A MILE IN ADVANCE OF
THE FIRE FRONT. THERE ISN'T I
MEAN. THERE ISN'T YOU KNOW A
HUGE AMOUNT THAT WE CAN DO TO
PREVENT THOSE WILDFIRES FROM
PROGRESSING. NOW I DO LIKE THE
HOME HER NAME IS A REAL SO IS A
REAL PART OF THE SOLUTION WE
KNOW THAT IF YOU KNOW YOU
PREVENT THAT YOU KNOW- MEMBERS
FROM BEING SUCKED UP INTO THE
EAVES OF THE HOUSE IS AND I'M
SURE THE FOLKS FROM CAL FIRE
HOOK SPEAKER LATER TODAY
PROBABLY WILL WILL CAN DO A
MUCH BETTER JOB OF THIS KIND OF
AN ANSWER THAT I CAN'T. IT
PREVENTS IT WOULD PREVENT A LOT
OF HOMES FROM BURNING. ALSO
DEFENSIBLE SPACE IS A BIG THING
SO MAKING SURE THAT THOSE OF
THOSE HOMES HAVE DEFENSIBLE
SPACE. SO THAT WHEN. I FIRED IT
IS ADVANCING. IT'S NOT THAT.
THE FIREFIGHTERS DON'T HAVE TO
CLEAR BRUSH OR JUST KIND OF.
GIVE UP BECAUSE I ME THEY NEVER
GIVE UP BUT LIKE. THEY MIGHT
HAVE TO GET IN THERE BECAUSE IT
JUST REALLY IS INDEFENSIBLE IS
INDEFENSIBLE. NO THOSE ARE AND
THEN OF COURSE YOU KNOW.
KNOWING THAT THESE FIRES ARE
GOING TO OCCUR IN THESE
COMMUNITIES. WELL WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN
EVACUATE I MEAN THAT'S A THAT'S
A BIG THING. SO SECONDLY I
WOULD SAY LIKE PHOTO THAT'S FOR
THOSE THOSE YOU KNOW THOSE
AREAS THAT ARE THAT ARE NOW
THREATENED. I THINK WE NEED TO
DO WE HAVE NEED TO HAVE A REAL
HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT
WE CAN DO TO PREVENT. MORE OF
THESE COMMUNITIES BEING BUILT
IN THOSE- IN IN AREAS THAT ARE
AT A VERY HIGH FIRE RISK AND I
KNOW THAT THIS IS. A REALLY
COMPLEX ISSUE BECAUSE IT'S OLD
THERE'S LOCAL LAND USE
DECISIONS AND PRIVATE PROPERTY
RIGHTS AND THAT KIND OF THING
AND PEOPLE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
USE THEIR PROPERTIES. BUT I
WOULD SAY THAT THAT WOULD WE
DON'T DEVELOP IN THESE AREAS
IT'S KIND OF A THAT'S A WIN WIN
WIN WIN SITUATION AND THAT
WE'VE- ESSENTIALLY CREATED
CONSERVATION LAND. AS WELL AS
PREVENTED THESE AREAS FROM FROM
ACTUALLY BEING- YOU KNOW NEW
HOMES FROM BEING AT RISK. FROM
WILDFIRE. SO MAYBE THERE'S
SOMETHING WE CAN START DOING IN
INCOME CITY LANDOWNERS AND
MAKING IT AND DID AND
INCENTIVIZING CONSERVATION
INSTEAD OF. OF THE DEVELOPMENT
IN THESE AREAS AND I DON'T I
DON'T UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T. I
DON'T HAVE A I'M NOT A MAGICIAN
I DON'T HAVE ANY I MEAN I MEAN
I'M- NOT A MIRACLE WORKER I
GUESS I DON'T HAVE ANY. ANY
WORK OF ONE SIZE FITS ALL
SOLUTION YOU CAN WE CAN APPLY
TO THIS THIS THIS REALLY-
CHALLENGING CRISIS. WE DON'T
SELL YOUR SHORT. WHAT IS RISKY
TO JOIN ONE FOLLOWER IN THE
LITERATURE YOU GAVE US FOR
INSTANCE FOR FIRE FOREST YOU
SAID PRESCRIBED FIRES- AND
BURNING UP BUT FOR GRASSLANDS
YOU SAID THAT THAT THAT IT'S-
IT'S THAT THE- IT'S THE HOME.
AND BUILDING RESTRICTIONS AND
THEN FOR TWO CHAPARRAL YOU SAID
CONTROLLED BURNS ARE EXTREMELY
HARMFUL. SO IF AND FOR THOSE
YOU ALSO RECOMMENDED THE
HARDENING AND THE BUILDING
RESTRICTIONS. IT WHEN I TALK
ABOUT A TEN YEAR PLAN OR SOME
PLAN. YOU'RE RIGHT WE WANT
SOMETHING NOW BUT WE NEED TO
LOOK TO THE FUTURE. SO IF WE
LOOK TO THE FUTURE ARE THERE
THINGS THAT WE CAN DO IN
PUTTING TOGETHER A TEN YEAR
PLAN AND WHO WOULD YOU
RECOMMEND TO BE PART OF THAT.
PLANNING COMMITTEE. SO I'LL
JUST FOCUS ON THAT THE FOR THE
FOREST PORTION OF THIS SO. WE
CAN DO WE GET THIS I THINK THE
STATE AND OF COURSE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AS WELL THEY DO A
LOT MORE INVESTMENT IN- IN
PRESCRIBED FIRE- THAT'S
SOMETHING WE CAN DO NOW START
NOW AND INVEST. IN SUBSEQUENT
YEARS. IF WE WERE TO PUT A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF
INVESTMENT IN THAT IN
PRESCRIBED TIRE. AND SOME LAND
MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AND AREAS
THAT DESPERATELY NEED IT. WE
WOULD REPEAT A LOGICAL BENEFITS
AS WELL AS REDUCE FIRE RISK IN
THESE AREAS SO. I OULD SAY
THAT'S WHAT THAT'S ONE THING
THAT YOU CAN START NOW. AND IF
WE INVEST IN THE FUTURE. THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE GREAT
BENEFITS. ALSO I'D SAY THAT WE
CAN START YOU KNOW LIKE YOU
KNOW THIS IS. IT IS NOT
SOMETHING THAT'S HARD TO
PREDICT I MEAN ART NEXT YEAR
WILL PROBABLY BE ANOTHER BAD
FIRE YEAR WELL OKAY. WE KNOW
THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN SO
WE CAN START NOW. AS FIRE
SEASON HOPEFULLY DIES DOWN OF
THE OF COURSE WE'RE IN A RED
FLAG WARNING IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA AGAIN TODAY- BUT
HOPEFULLY THERE'S NO NEW FIRES
IN AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL START
RAINING SOON SO WE CAN ACTUALLY
START GETTING TO SOME OF THESE
PREVENTIVE MEASURES. AND DOES
INCLUDE THINGS LIKE THE HOME
HARDENING AND COMMUNITY
PREPAREDNESS. I THINK IT'S- ALL
OF US. TO NOT FORGET ABOUT
WILDFIRES WHEN IT STARTS
RAINING AND IN THE END OF THE
IF YOU KNOW IN. DECEMBER
NOVEMBER JANUARY WHENEVER IT
STARTS RAINING. AND THAT WE
ACTUALLY KEEP I MEAN. KEEP THE
FIRE LIT ON FIRE SO THAT
ACTUALLY WE DON'T ACTUALLY JUST
WE SAY LIKE OKAY GREAT THE
TIRES SEEMS OVER THE RISK IS
OVER WELL ACTUALLY. THAT'S OUR
TIME TO START PREPARING IT'S
OUR START TIME TO START. AARON
FOR THINGS LIKE BY PRESCRIBED
FIRE. IT'S OUR TIME TO START
FOCUSING ON ON ON MAKING SURE
THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO RESPECT
DEFENSIBLE SPACE. SO I MEAN I
THINK THERE'S A LOT WE CAN DO.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S AS
LONG AS WE KEEP ON INVESTING
THINGS I SEE THAT THE SITUATION
COULD GET BETTER- YOU KNOW IS
BECAUSE EACH CHANGE THAT WE
MAY. HOPEFULLY THAT'S WHAT THE
HOMELESS BETTER PROTECTED OR
FOURTH IT'S A BETTER. MORE
RESILIENT. SO IT ACTUALLY WILL
NOT BURN AT SUCH A HIGH
SEVERITY. MS RIVAS AND THEN
MISTER TANK HAS A QUESTION.
YOUR RECOMMENDATION AT THE END
OF YOUR PRESENTATION WAS THAT
WE NEED TO TAILOR. WILDFIRE
SOLUTIONS BY REGION AND
HABITAT- I KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY
DISCUSSED SOME OF YOUR- VIEWS
ON THIS BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT
EVALUATING OUR CURRENT STATE
EFFORTS IS THERE A PARTICULAR
REGION HABITAT THAT ONE WE'RE
DOING WELL AND THAT YOU WOULD.
OF SAY CALIFORNIA IS DOING
WELL- AND ANOTHER MAYBE THAT WE
SHOULD BE FOCUSING MORE OF OUR
EFFORTS ON. AFTER THAT'S A
THAT'S A THAT'S A HARD
QUESTION- I WON'T PRETEND TO
KNOW. TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON
EVERYWHERE IN THE STATE- I KNOW
THAT YOU KNOW WE CAN TAKE SOME
LESSONS FROM SOME OF THE AREAS
IN OUR IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS
LIKE SEQUOIA KINGS CANYON
SOMEBODY. WHERE THEY'VE BEEN
ACTUALLY ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN ON
A PRESCRIBED FIRE AND KIND OF
HABITAT MANAGEMENT FOR FOREST
HEALTH AND RESILIENCY OVER THE
DECADES AND SO YOU'LL SEE IN
THOSE AREAS WHERE THERE ARE. IT
DIDN'T OCCUR THE CONDITIONS OF
THOSE FORESTS ARE ARE MUCH
BETTER THAN YOU WOULD SEE AN
ADJACENT AREAS THAT ARE THAT
MIGHT BE PRIVATE FOREST LANDS
OR OTHER OTHER IS A NATIONAL
FOREST. THAT HAVE NOT RECEIVED
AS MCH EFFORT SO THERE ARE
EXAMPLES WE'RE WE'RE WE HAVE
DONE REALLY GOOD THINGS WITH
REGARD TO FOREST AND HABITAT
MANAGEMENT FOR THE RIGHT
REASONS. NOW I WOULD SAY. YOU
KNOW I'M YOU KNOW NOT TO NOT TO
BE A BROKEN RECORD HERE IN AND
FOCUSING ON THE SAME THINGS I
WOULD SAY THAT AS WE GET TO.
OBTAIN AREAS THAT AREN'T THAT
REALLY ARE IN THE WILD AND
URBAN INTERFACE WHERE THESE
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AT RISK-
HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN
CONSTRUCTED. I THINK THAT IT'S
A STATEWIDE WE COULD DO A
BETTER JOB OF PREPARING THOSE
COMMUNITIES FOR WILDFIRE AND
THAT IS YOU KNOW THAT KIND OF
THE CLASSIC THINGS DEFENSIBLE
SPACE THAT IS THAT IS PLANNED
YOU KNOW CORRECTLY. PROCREATE
LANDSCAPING- AND ALSO FOR YOU
KNOW AND YOU KNOW OF COURSE THE
HOME HARD NEED IS SOMETHING
THAT THAT REALLY WORK WE'RE
REALLY JUST YOU KNOW OVER AND
OVER AGAIN EMPHASIZING AS
SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE. AT IN
PLACE ESPECIALLY THOSE AREAS
WHERE WIND DRIVEN FIRES OCCUR.
SO I MEAN I SAY THE KNOW. AND
OF COURSE. OUR YOU KNOW. WE
DON'T HAVE GOOD I THINK IT JOB
AS- OUR FIRE FOR CREWS. BUT I
THINK WE ALSO OUR PRESCRIBED
FIRE CREWS BETTER. SO FUNDING
THOSE FOLKS HO HAVE THAT
KNOWLEDGE. IN THERE I PROBABLY
WHAT'S IN THEIR OFF SEASON OR
WHATEVER. WHEN THEY'RE NOT
FIGHTING FIRES THAT WE COULD
EMPLOY SOME OF THOSE FOLKS TO
DO SOME PRESCRIBED FIRE USE
THOSE SKILLS FOR. YOU KNOW FOR.
ALTERNATELY. FOR EIGHT GRAND
ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS. OUR NEXT
SPEAKERS WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO
ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES
BUT I WOULD CALL TO YOUR
ATTENTION- EVERYONE IN YOUR
PACKET THERE'S A HAND OUT-
THAT'S- THAT THAT- ACRONYM IS
CLOSED- IN LARGE LETTERS AT THE
TOP AND THAT'S IT- A
COLLABORATIVE- EFFORTS. IN
ORANGE COUNTY THAT ADDRESSES
MANY OF THESE ISSUES AND MAY
PROVIDE US WITH A MODEL THAT
WOULD BE APPLICABLE ELSEWHERE.
CHURTON THANK YOU MR HI JUST A
QUICK QUESTION YOU MENTIONED IN
YOUR- PRESENTATION SORT OF
BRINGING. ADDRESSING DRAMATIC
FUNDING IMBALANCE BETWEEN
FIREFIGHTING WILDFIRE
PREVENTION WHAT WOULD YOU
PROPOSE IN TERMS OF WILDFIRE
PREVENTION. WELL I WOULD SAY I
DON'T HAVE THE I DON'T HAVE THE
NUMBERS ON THE TOP OF MY HEAD
BUT I SEEM TO I SEEM TO
REMEMBER SOMETHING LIKE THAT WE
SPENT SOMETHING LIKE A HUGE
AMOUNT OF DOLLARS ON. ON FIRE
SUPPRESSION AND I THINK MAYBE
LIKE IS IT LESS THAN 10% ON ON
THE ON FIRE PREVENTION TEN
PERCENT. RIGHT OKAY SO I WOULD
SAY THE REAL EASY FIRST STEP
WOULD BE TO BRING THOSE TWO
CLOSER TOGETHER- I'M NOT SAYING
THAT WE AND I'M NOT SAYING TO
REDUCE THE AMOUNT WE SPEND ON
SUPPRESSION WE NEED TO DO THAT
WELL HOPEFULLY MAYBE OVER TIME
IF WE DO FIRE PREVENTION
EFFORTS. MAYBE WE'LL START TO
START STOP HAVING TO SPEND SO
MUCH MONEY AND SUPPRESSION. BUT
YOU KNOW I THINK THAT. SHOWS
THAT IF WE DO THESE KIND OF.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES. IT
ACTUALLY BECOMES CHEAPER FOR US
TO FIGHT THE FIRE FIGHT FIRES
IN THE FIRST PLACE AND WITH IT
THAT A KIRK. OR THIS PARTY
STILL BECOME AS LARGE. OR THEY
DON'T THREATEN THE COMMUNITIES
IN TH SAME WAY. AND SO REALLY
I THINK THIS IS A THIS IS YOU
KNOW WE'RE IF WE'RE IF WE'RE
LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO. SO
THERE. I THINK THAT THAT WE
COULD- IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A
MUCH RELIEF TO OUR FIREFIGHTING
PERSONNEL S WELL AS THEY
DIDN'T HAVE TO. YOU KNOW.
BEYOND AND YOU KNOW WORKING AS
HARD AS THEY CAN FOR MONTHS AND
MONTHS ON END MAYBE THAT FIRE
SEASON COULD GET A LITTLE BIT
SHORTER. MAYBE YOU COULD GET A
LITTLE BIT LESS INTENSE. AND WE
CANNOT BUT FEWER HOUSES BURNED
IN PURE PEOPLE'S LIVES THREATEN
TO THAT TYPE OF THING SO. I
THINK THAT THAT THAT. THAT YOU
KNOW DECREASING THAT GAP. WOULD
BE WHAT WOULD WOULD BE A
WONDERFUL THING. WHAT WHAT WHAT
AREASWE CAN DEFINITELY. REDUCE
THE AMOUNT OF OUT OF STATE OR
OUT OF AREA RESOURCES THAT WE
OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO BRING IN
WHEN. WE HAVE THESE PRETTY
CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES. IS SO.
WHAT YOU TO ONE OF THOSE
CHALLENGES HAS BEEN. REGARDING
WHETHER IT'S IN A VEGETATION
MANAGEMENT OR- PRESCRIBED BURNS
IS REALLY- NOT JUST THE- MONEY
BUT REALLY FINDING THE PEOPLE.
AND THE ORGANIZATIONS TO
EXECUTE IT SO. IF WE WERE ABLE
TO- INCREASE THE FUNDING IN
THIS AREA- DO YOU BELIEVE THAT
ORGANIZATIONS OR OTHER- OTHER
PEOPLE COULD REALLY. ABSORB
THAT KIND OF SCALE BECAUSE I
THINK THAT'S BEEN. ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES WE'VE BEEN HEARING
IS WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN
ACTUALLY SCALE. THESE
PREVENTION PROGRAMS. YEAH
THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD THAT'S A
GOOD QUESTION I THINK I THINK
WE CAN IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT
OF TIME- WELL COURSE WORK WE'RE
IN A IN A PRETTY BAD. ECONOMIC
STATE IN THIS IT RIGHT NOW
BASED YOU KNOW DO THE COVERAGE.
BUT YOU KNOW WE ALSO HAVE I
THINK THIS COULD BE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FIND YOU
KNOW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT-
THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT OF WORK.
THERE ARE ALSO YOUNGER PEOPLE.
WHO HAVE. WHO HAVE BEEN RAISED
WITH THAT WOULD YOU KNOW HAVE
GROWN UP WITH THIS WILDFIRE
CRISIS ON. ON THE FOREFRONT OF
THEIR MIND. THEY MAY HAVE BEEN
AFFECTED BY THESE FIRES THAT.
THAT WOULD PROBABLY JUMP AT THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE
SOLUTION. AND SO I WOULD SAY
FUNDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
AND TRAINING PROGRAM SO THAT WE
HAVE MORE PEOPLE TO DO THINGS
LIKE PRESCRIBED FIRE. WOULD BE.
I THINK AN INCREDIBLY USEFUL
THING. AND IT WOULD GET IT WE
KIND OF YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW KILL
TWO BIRDS AT THE SAME TIME HERE
AND THAT WE COULD PUT MORE
PEOPLE TO WORK. WHILE ALSO
SOLVING THIS THIS REALLY POTENT
PROBLEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION
MISTER JOHNSON THAT OBVIOUSLY
HAS- SPARKED A LOT OF
CONVERSATION HERE ON THE DIETS
AND TO I'M SURE WILL CONTINUE
TO DO SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON
TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER WHO IS
MICHAEL O'CONNELL THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE IRVINE RANCH
CONSERVANCY. AND MICHAEL HELP
US BETTER ON THE BETWEEN WE
DRIVEN. VERSUS YOU DRIVEN FIRE
AND THE APPROACH FIRE
PREVENTION MEASURES FOR EACH
AND I MAY HAVE STOLEN HIS
THUNDER A LITTLE BIT BY-
TALKING ABOUT- THE COAST
ORGANIZATION BUT I'M- SURE HE
CAN GO INTO A LITTLE GREATER
DETAIL ON THAT AS WELL. SO
WELCOME MR O'CONNELL. WELCOME
MR O'CONNELL. WHY DON'T WELL
WELL WE'RE A TRACKING DOWN MR
O'CONNELL MAYBE WE COULD TAKE
ROLE. THERE IS WE CAN HEAR YOU
YES. FOR A GREAT WE'RE GONNA
TAKE ROLES IS VERY BRIEF I
THINK YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW YES
CAN YOU HEAR ME. YEAH HI I CAN
RIGHT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A
LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY BUT WE'RE
GOING TO TAKE ROLE AND THAT'LL
JUST TAKE ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS.
HELLO FONG GARCIA MULLIN
PATTERSON RAY YES RIVAS TANG
FRIEDMAN. WELCOME MR O'CONNELL
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU
DIDN'T STEAL MY THUNDER AT ALL
YOU GET ME THE PERFECT A SEGUE
TO HER IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT
SO I APPRECIATE THAT UP. MISTER
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE MY NAME IS MICHAEL
O'CONNELL AND I'M THE PRESIDENT
AND CEO OF THE IRVINE RANCH
CONSERVANCY. WE'RE A NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION IN ORANGE COUNTY.
I'VE BEEN THE CEO OF THAT
ORGANIZATION SINCE ITS FOUNDING
IN- TWO THOUSAND FIVE AND
BEFORE THAT I SPENT THIRTEEN
YEARS WITH THE NATURE
CONSERVANCY INCLUDING SEVERAL
YEARS AS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
REGIONAL DIRECTOR. I ALSO SERVE
ON THE DEAN'S LEADERSHIP
COUNCIL FOR THE SCHOOL OF
BIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY
CALIFORNIA IRVINE. NUMB I'VE
BEEN WORKING IN- SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA SHRUBLANDS FOR THE
LAST TWENTY FIVE YEARS BOTH IN
PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF
THOSE SYSTEMS. AND SO I WANT TO
SPEAK FROM THAT TODAY. THE
IRVINE RANCH CONSERVANCY IS A
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WE
MANAGE ABOUT THIRTY THOUSAND
ACRES OF PUBLIC LOCALLY OWNED
PUBLIC LAND COUNTY AND CITY
LAND IN ORANGE COUNTY MOST OF
IT PART OF THE HISTORIC IRVINE
RANCH. AND OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP
THOSE LANDS HEALTHY AND
RESILIENT AND PROVIDE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO
ENJOY THEM AS WE BEGAN MANAGING
THAT LAND WE DID WHAT LAND
MANAGERS OFTEN DO WHICH WAS TO
DO AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT THE
THREATS TO THE HEALTH AND
RESILIENCE OF THOSE LANDS WERE.
AND IT TURNS OUT NO SURPRISE
THAT THE SINGLE GREATEST THREAT
TO RESILIENCE OF OUR LANDS THAT
WE MANAGE AS WELL AS MOST OF
THE SHRUBLANDS ACROSS SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA IS TOO FREQUENT
FIRE- SO WE BEGIN TO LOOK INTO
THAT. ONE THERE'S ONE POINT
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU
WITH TODAY MORE THAN ANYTHING
ELSE IF YOU DON'T RMEMBER
ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT MY
TESTIMONY IT'S THIS. AND THAT
IS THAT CALIFORNIA ESSENTIALLY
HAS TO FIRE CHALLENGES AND WE
ARE CURRENTLY RESOURCE TO AND
STRUCTURED AND IMPLEMENTED TO
REALLY ONLY ADDRESS ONE OF THEM
A MORE CONVENTIONAL CHALLENGE
AND WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT IT EARLIER- WHICH IS THE
FUEL DOMINATED FIRES. WE ALSO
HAVE HEARD THAT THERE ARE
NGUYEN DOMINATED FIRES ON I
WANT TO DRAW THE DISTINCTION A
LITTLE BIT MORE FOR YOU BETWEEN
THOSE BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO
UNDERSTAND THOSE DIFFERENCES
THEN YOU CAN START TO BUILD
SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO DEAL WITH
THEM. SO FUEL DOMINATED FIRES
GENERALLY HAVE TO DO WITH
HAVING TOO LITTLE FIRE PLUS
PASSED SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES
OVER THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS
THAT HAVE CREATED ESSENTIALLY A
TENDER BOX- THAT CAUSES FIRES
TO BE MORE. SEVERE LARGER AND
MORE CATASTROPHIC WHEN THEY DO
OCCUR THERE PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY
THE FUEL LOADS IN THESE
SYSTEMS. AND THE SOLUTIONS TO
THEM ARE LARGELY VEGETATION
MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS THINNING
FORESTS AND PRESCRIBED FIRE IN
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE
HEARD ABOUT. CATASTROPHIC FIRES
ARE INCREASING IN THOSE SYSTEMS
OVER TIME DUE TO A NUMBER OF
FACTORS. AND IT'S ALSO
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WITH
FUEL DOMINATED FIRES IGNITIONS
ARE NOT NECESSARILY EXCLUSIVELY
HUMAN CAUSED. LIGHTNING IS
OFTEN AND HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN
A- SOURCE OF IGNITION IN THOSE
SYSTEMS. BUT I WANT TO SPEND
MOST OF MY TIME TALKING ABOUT
WIND DOMINATED FIRES BECAUSE
IT'S A VERY VERY DIFFERENT
SYSTEM AND IT'S REALLY CRITICAL
THAT WE UNDER. STAND THAT SO
THAT WE CAN START TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT.
CATASTROPHIC FIRES IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA SHRUBLANDS
ESSENTIALLY SANTA BARBARA TO
SAN DIEGO. ARE DRIVEN PRIMARILY
BY STRONG SEASONAL WINDS AND
THEY ARE LARGELY INDEPENDENT OF
FUELS. THE SPREAD OF THOSE
FIRES IS CAUSED BY WIND NOT BY
FUELS. WIND DRIVEN FIRES ARE
NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SUPPRESS
THROUGH CONVENTIONAL ATTACK.
WE'VE HEARD HOW THE EMBER CAST
CAN GO ACTUALLY UP TO FIVE
MILES DOWN WIND. AND LIGHT
HOUSES ON FIRE IN THE INTERIOR
OF COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOT
EVEN ON THE WILDLAND EDGE AND
THAT MEANS IT'S AN EXTREMELY
UNCONVENTIONAL SITUATION.
COMPARED TO HOW WE'VE
TRADITIONALLY THOUGHT ABOUT
WILDFIRE AND FIGHTING WILDFIRE.
IN OUR SYSTEM FIRES ARE
OCCURRING 90% MORE FREQUENTLY
THAN NATURAL RETURN INTERVALS
THESE SHRUBLANDS HAVE ADAPTED
TO A SEVENTY TO A HUNDRED AND
FIFTY YEARS- RETURN INTERVAL ON
FIRE WHICH MEANS THE FIRE
HAPPENS AGAIN EVERY SEVENTY TWO
HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS. AND
WE'RE GETTING FIRES IN THE
SYSTEMS EVERY SEVEN TO TEN
YEARS WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S 90%
OUT OF WHACK THERE'SALL KINDS
OF PROBLEMS THAT THAT CAUSES
ONE OF THEM IS BAD IT CAUSES
CONVERSION OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY
HARDER TO BURN FUELS INTO
FLASHY FUELS THAT ARE EASIER TO
IGNITE. AND THEY KERRIER THE
KERRY THE FIRE UP MORE EASILY
AS WELL SO IT'S KIND OF THIS
DOWNWARD SPIRAL. IT'S ALSO
IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT IN OUR
NGUYEN DOMINATED SYSTEMS LIKE
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SHRUBLANDS
99% OF THE FIRES ARE HUMAN
CAUSED EITHER ACCIDENTAL OR ITS
INTENTIONAL AND THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF VERY COMPLICATED
DIFFERENT TYPES OF IGNITIONS.
FROM CAR- CATALYTIC CONVERTERS
BURSTING TO POWER LINE FIRES TO
ARSON- TO ACCIDENTAL- EIGHT
SOURCES OF ALL TYPES BUT 99% OF
THE FIRES THAT WE GET OR HUMAN
CAUSED SO FIRE PREVENTION IS
PARAMOUNT IN WIND DRIVEN
SYSTEMS. OVER 90% AND THIS IS
I'M TALKING ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY
SO WE'VE LOOKED AT THE
HISTORICAL IGNITION DATA IN
ORANGE COUNTY. AND IT TURNS OUT
THAT 90% OF THE IGNITION'S FOR
FIRES OCCUR ALONG ROADWAYS AND
UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE. NINE
OUT OF TEN A. MISSIONS. AND
ONLY 10% OF IGNITIONS. WHICH
OCCURRED DURING THESE WIND
EVENTS BECOME CATASTROPHIC
FIRES AND THOSE OF THE FIRES
THAT DO THE MOST OF THE DAMAGE
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
LEVERAGE AND I THINK THAT'S THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING WHEN WE'RE
TRYING TO DEAL WITH WILDFIRES
WHERE'S OUR LEVERAGE IN SOLVING
THIS PROBLEM. IT TURNS OUT THAT
IN NGUYEN DOMINATED SYSTEMS
THERE IS A AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF
LEVERAGE IN IGNITION PREVENTION
DURING SANTA ANA WIND EVENTS IN
OUR REGION IT'S BETWEEN
EIGHTEEN AND TWENTY FOUR DAYS A
YEAR WE JUST GOT FOR OUR SECOND
ONE. OF THE YEAR OVER THE
WEEKEND AND THERE ARE SEVERAL
MORE PREDICTED FOR THE MONTH OF
COMING UP IN NOVEMBER BUT IF WE
CAN PREVENT OR REDUCE IGNITIONS
DURING JUST THOSE EIGHTEEN TO
TWENTY FOUR DAYS A YEAR IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WE HAVE
MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN TERMS
OF THE- THE SCALE OF THE
PROBLEM OF WILDFIRE. AND IT
TURNS OUT THAT WHEN THAT
IGNITIONS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE
THESE WINDOWS VENTS ARE
ACTUALLY PRETTY EASILY
SUPPRESSED IN ORANGE COUNTY
THIS YEAR WE'VE HAD OVER TWO
DOZEN FIRE IGNITIONS AND NONE
OF THEM MADE THE NEWS BECAUSE
THE FIRE AUTHORITY AND THEIR
PARTNERS IN THE LOCAL FIRE
DEPARTMENTS JUMP ON THEM RIGHT
AWAY. AND THEY KEEP THEM TO TWO
ACRES OR LESS CERTAINLY FAR
LESS THAN TEN ACRES THAT'S
BECAUSE THE WINDS ARE NOT
DRIVING THEM IN FACT JUST THIS
WEEKEND THERE WAS AN IGNITION
THAT OCCURRED IN TO PAYING A
CANYON. IN THE SANTA MONICA
MOUNTAINS AND IT WAS RIGHT
AFTER THE WINDOW VENT OCCURRED
AND THE FIRE WAS STOPPED AT
LESS THAN TWO ACRES AND IT WAS
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WIND TO
DRIVE IT. SO IF I LEAVE YOU
WITH NOTHING TODAY IT'S V
JUST THAT THAT WE HAVE TO FIRE
PROBLEMS AND WE HAVE SPENT MOST
OF OUR TIME TRYING TO ADDRESS
THE CONVENTIONAL PROBLEM. OF
FOREST FIRES WHEN IN FACT WIND
DRIVEN FIRES IN SHRUBLANDS ARE
EQUALLY IMPORTANT AND THE FACT
AN EQUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND
BECAUSE A LOT OF DAMAGE THERE'S
A LOT OF LEVERAGE AND THERE. SO
THE SECOND THING I WANT TO TALK
TO YOU ABOUT IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN
DOING IN ORANGE COUNTY TO TRY
TO DEAL WITHTHAT AND I THINK
IT DOES PRESENT PREVENT OR
PRESENT A GOOD MODEL FOR HOW WE
MIGHT DEAL WITH THIS. IT BACK
IN TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN AND
FOURTEEN THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE
AUTHORITY CHIEF. RECOGNIZE
SOMETHING FUNDAMENTALLY
IMPORTANT WHICH WAS THAT. THIS
IS A PROBLEM THAT IT ISN'T
POSSIBLE FOR THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT TO SOLVE ALONE. IN
FACT WHAT HE SAID WAS THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT SO YOU CALL AFTER
THE FIRE BREAKS OUT. AND OUR
PROBLEM IS ONCE THE FIRE BREAKS
OUT IN ITS WIND DRIVEN THERE'S
NOT A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO. AND
THAT'S A REAL ISSUE AND SO WHAT
HE DID. WAS HE CONVENED A GROUP
THAT WE CALL THE COUNTY OF
ORANGE AREA SAFETY TASK FORCE.
WHICH IS COAST BUT IT'S THE
FIRE PREVENTION WORKING GROUP.
AND IT'S MORE THAN TWO DOZEN
AGENCIES ORGANIZATIONS LAND
MANAGERS- UTILITY COMPANIES
ROAD AGENCIES. EVERYONE WHO HAS
A PART. IN WORKING ON THE ISSUE
OF WIND DRIVEN FIRES IN OUR
SYSTEMS. AND WE'RE ALL TOGETHER
AND WE'RE ALL WORKING ON IT.
AND IT'S A SITUATION WHERE.
THERE ISN'T ANY FINGER POINTING
THERE ISN'T ANY BLAME BEING
CAST EVERYONE IS BROUGHT
TOGETHER BY THE SAME GOAL WHICH
IS REDUCING. THE FREQUENCY THE
SPREAD AND THE SEVERITY OF
THESE WIND DRIVEN FIRES. SO THE
LAST SIX YEARS AND MY ROLE IN
IT IS THAT I WAS NOMINATED- BY
THE GROUP TO BE THE
FACILITATOR. OF THAT GROUP AND
SO I HAVE BEEN THE FACILITATOR
FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS. AND
WE'VE DEVELOPED A COMMON
AGENDA. FOR THE GROUP ON WHAT
WE WANT TO DO WHAT WE'RE TRYING
TO GET DONE- THAT INVOLVES THE
COMPLEXITY OF TRYING TO DEAL
WITH THE WIND OF ADS. THE
TRICKY THING IS BECAUSE IT'S
NOT A FUELS BASED SOLUTION. ON
WIND DRIVEN FIRES AND
SHRUBLANDS. THERE ARE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT ELEMENTS TO IT RIGHT
SO WE'VE GOT 83% OF OUR FIRES
IN ORANGE COUNTY ARE IGNITIONS
AND ORANGE COUNTY START. ALONG
PRIMARY ROADWAYS. THAT MEANS
THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT OF
THE COUNTY AND CALTRANS NEED TO
BE INVOLVED. THEY AREN'T
NECESSARILY STARTING THE FIRES
THEM SELVES AND SO BRINGING
THEM TO THE TABLE IN GETTING
THEM TO WORK ON THESE SOLUTIONS
WITH EVERYONE ELSE IS REALLY
IMPORTANT. LIKEWISE WITH THE
UTILITIES WE HAVE 11% OF OUR
IGNITIONS STARTING ALONG
UTILITY QUARTERS AND BRINGING
SAN DIEGO GAS AND ELECTRIC
WHICH SERVES THE SOUTHERN
PORTION OF ORANGE COUNTY. AS
WELL AS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
EDISON TO THE TABLE AND WORKING
CONSTRUCTIVELY HAS BEEN A
CRITICAL ELEMENT OF IT. THE
CURRENT FIRE CHIEF OF THE
ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY
BRIAN FENNESSY HAS DOUBLE OR
TRIPLE DOWN ON THIS IDEA
BECAUSE HE REALIZES THAT A
COHESIVE APPROACH WHERE
EVERYONE IS WORKING TOGETHER.
IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN
ADDRESS THOSE THINGS THE FIE
DEPARTMENT DOESN'T HAVE IT IN
THEIR POWER TO DO ALL THE
THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY. IN
ORDER TO PREVENT THESE KINDS OF
FIRES. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING
TOGETHER WE'VE HAD A LOT OF
SUCCESSES AND THOSE ARE IN THE
LITTLE FACT SHEET. THAT IS PART
OF YOUR PACKET I WOULD ALSO
ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ AND TAKE
A LOOK AT THE- THE PEER
REVIEWED PAPER ON WEDNESDAY
VERSUS FUELS THAT'S INCLUDED AS
WELL. THAT'S SORT OF THE
FOUNDATIONAL PIECE OF SCIENCE
THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO
FIRE REGIMES AND THEY'LL GIVE
YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT HERE. SO THE LAST
THING I WANT TO MENTION. AND
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS IS THAT IS WHAT ARE
THE SOLUTIONS THAT WERE WORKING
ON WHAT WHAT HAVE WE DEVELOPED
WHAT IS OUR COMMON AGENDA. N
ORANGE COUNTY THAT EVERYBODY IS
PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION
ON- AND THAT'S THREE THINGS AND
WE ACTUALLY HEARD ABOUT MOST OF
THEM- IF NOT ALL OF THEM TODAY
BUT THERE ARE THREE THINGS AND
ALL THREE OF THEM HAVE TO BE
DONE. EFFECTIVELY IN ORDER TO
GET AHEAD OF THIS AND MANAGE
THIS- CATASTROPHIC FIRE
PROBLEM. THE FIRST THING AND I
CANNOT EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH
IGNITION PREVENTION DURING WIND
EVENTS. IGNITION PREVENTION
ALONG ROADWAYS IGNITION
PREVENTION ALONG POWER LINES
AND IGNITION PREVENTION IN
AREAS THAT ARE HOT SPOTS FOR
THOSE IGNITIONS WE CAN LOOK AT
THE HISTORICAL DISTRIBUTION. OF
CATASTROPHIC FIRE IGNITIONS AND
WE CAN FIND OUT THAT THEY
ACTUALLY OCCUR IN AREAS WHERE
THERE'S A CONVERGENCE OF HIGH
TECHNICIAN IN HIGH SPREAD
POTENTIAL. AND IF YOU CAN DEAL
WITH IGNITIONS IN THOSE AREAS
YOU HAVE REDUCE THE PROBABILITY
OF CATASTROPHIC FIRE. THE
COMMISSION PREVENTION ABOVE ALL
ELSE. THE SECOND THING AND
WE'VE TALKED SOME ABOUT IT
TODAY'S IS STRUCTURE
RESILIECE- IT TURNS OUT THAT
IN ORANGE COUNTY 80% OF THE
STRUCTURES THAT HAVE BURNED. IN
THE LAST TEN YEARS DO NOT MEET
BASIC FIRE CODES- MANY OF THEM
ARE IN THE INTERIOR OF
COMMUNITIES THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE
NOT BURNED DOWN BY THE FIRE
FRONT. SO THEY'RE NOT HELPED BY
IT BY DEFENSIBLE SPACE OR EVEN
FUEL MODIFICATION ZONES THEY
ARE BURNED DOWN BY THE EMBER
CAST. FROM ALL I'LL TELL YOU
JUST A LITTLE STORY TO
ILLUSTRATE THIS SO I LIVE IN A-
HIGH FIRE PRONE AREA- NEAR A
WILDERNESS PARK IN ORANGE
COUNTY AND- I WAS UP ON MY ROOF
THIS SUMMER- PUTTING SCREENING
OVER MY FENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT
NO MEMBERS WOULD GET AND IF WE
EVER HAD A FIRE. AND I STOOD UP
AND I TURNED AND LOOKED AT MY
NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. AND
SHE'S IN HER LATE EIGHTIES AND
SHE'S ON A FIXED INCOME AND
SHE'S ON THE HOUSE FOREVER AND-
I LOOK HER. AND SHE HAD CEDAR
SIDING. CEDAR SHAKES ON HER
ROOF AND A YARD FULL OF PAPER
BARK EUCALYPTUS TREES. AND I
THOUGHT THERE'S MY FIRE PROBLEM
IT'S NOT MY HOUSE IT'S THE
HOUSE NEXT DOOR. AND WHAT THAT
ILLUSTRATES IS NOT ONLY AND
SHE'S NOT A UNIQUE SITUATION
WHAT WHAT WE HAVEIS WE HAVE
COMMUNITIES. THAT HAVEN'T BEEN
PREPARED AND ARE NOT RESILIENT
FOR FIRE. THE ORANGE COUNTY
FIRE AUTHORITY ACTUALLY HAS A
PROGRAM THAT THEY CALL READY
SET GO WHICH IS REALLY WELL
DONE THERE'S A WEBSITE ABOUT
IT. IT'S VERY CLEAR- HOW TO GET
PREPARE NOT ONLY YOUR HOME AND
YOURSELF TO BE READY TO- FOR A
FIRE AND ALSO TO EVACUATE FOR A
FIRE. IT REACHES A FRACTION OF
THE PEOPLE THAT IT NEEDS TO AND
THE PROGRAMS AND THE AND THE
COST. OF FIXING SOMEONE LIKE MY
NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE SHE CAN'T
AFFORD IT AND WE'VE GOT TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH
THAT- SHE ACTUALLY HAS A- A
LARGE PALM TREE THAT EVERY YEAR
GETS REALLY RATTY AND FULL OF
DEAD FRONDS. AND YOU KNOW WE'VE
OFFERED TO ACTUALLY PAY TO HAVE
THAT- TRIMMED EVERY YEAR
BECAUSE IT'S AS MUCH A FIRE
RISK TO MY HOME AS IT IS. TO
HER HOME SO STRUCTURE
RESILIENCE IS THE SECOND LEG OF
THE STOOL THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED
THROUGH THE- THE COAST WORKING
GROUP. AND THEN THE THIRD THING
AND I CAN'T EMPHASIZE THIS
ENOUGH IS NOT LANDSCAPE SCALE
FUEL REDUCTION IN SHRUBLANDS.
ALL OF THE SCIENCE SHE POINTS
OUT THAT THAT MAKES VERY LITTLE
DIFFERENCE ON THE SPREAD OF
FUELS IN TROUBLING IS BECAUSE
THEY'RE DRIVEN BY WIND. NOT BY
FUELS. IN SAN DIEGO IN TWO
THOUSAND SEVEN FOUR HUNDRED
THOUSAND ACRES BURNED. A THIRD
OF THAT LAND HAD BURNED ONLY
FOUR YEARS PREVIOUSLY WHICH
MEANT THAT IT WAS ALL JUST
ANNUAL GRASSES THAT CARRIED THE
FIRE. SO WHAT WE NEED THOUGH IS
WE NEED STRATEGIC FUEL
MODIFICATION ZONES- AND THEY'RE
ALSO KNOWN AS DEFENSIBLE SPACE
THERE'S A LOT OF SCIENCE THAT
SHOWS THAT A THIRTY METRE.
ENVELOPE AROUND THE PERIMETER
OF A COMMUNITY CREATES NOT ONLY
DEFENSE ABILITY FOR
FIREFIGHTERS BUT IT ALSO- IT
MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF
THE RESILIENCE OF THE PERIMETER
OF THOSE COMMUNITIES. AND NOT
JUST REMOVING VEGETATION
COMPLETELY THE TYPE OF FUEL
THAT OCCURS IN THOSE FUEL
MODIFICATION ZONES IS ALSO
REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT WE'VE
DONE A PROJECT WITH THE CITY OF
NEWPORT BEACH- WHERE WE CREATED
WHAT WE'RE CALLING A WATER WISE
FUEL MODIFICATION PROJECT.
WE'RE IN THE FUEL MODIFICATION
ZONES AROUND ONE OF THEIR
COMMUNITIES WE ACTUALLY LANTED
HEVIER FUELS AND MORE FIRE
RESISTANT FUELS NATIVE FUELS.
LIKE CACTUS AND REALLY WOODY
VEGETATION THAT ACTUALLY IS
LESS FIRE PRONE THEN THE ANNUAL
GRASSES THAT OFTEN INVADE A- A
POORLY MAINTAINED FUEL
MODIFICATION ZONES SO IT'S NOT
JUST THE DESIGNATION OF THESE
ZONES IT'S ACTUAL. RIGOROUS
MAINTENANCE OF THESE ZONES- IF
YOU GET UP IN A HELICOPTER AND
FLY OVER SOME OF THE
COMMUNITIESIN NORTHERN
NORTHEAST ORANGE COUNTY- LIKE
YOUR BEINDA AND BREA YOU'LL
SEE BACKYARDS. THAT BORDER UP
TO WILD LANDS THAT HAVE
ABSOLUTELY NO DEFENSIBLE SPACE
BEHIND THEM EVEN THOUGH THERE
IS A DESIGNATED FEL
MODIFICATIONS ON THERE. AND
THAT'S JUST ASKING FOR TROUBLE
SO WORKING TOGETHER IS REALLY
THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.
IS AN UNCONVENTIONAL PROBLEM
AND WE ARE SET UP TO DEAL WITH
CONVENTIONAL PROBLEMS LIKE OF
FOREST FIRES AND FUEL
TREATMENTS WHEN IN FACT IT
INVOLVES PREVENTION OF
IGNITIONS ALONG ROADWAYS. AND
SURVEILLANCE- TO PREVENT ARSON.
ALL MENTION ONE OTHER PROGRAM
WE'RE WORKING ON AND THEN- ALL
ALL TAKE WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU
HAVE. AND THAT IS- A PROGRAM
THAT MY ORGANIZATION RUNS BUT
THAT IS FUNDED BY THE COUNTY OF
ORANGE THE CITY OF IRVINE AND
THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH. IT'S
CALLED ORANGE COUNTY FIRE WATCH.
AND IT'S A VOLUNTEER RUN
ORGANIZATION MY ORGANIZATION
SIMPLY ADMINISTERS THE PROGRAM
WE TRAIN THE VOLUNTEERS WE
DEPLOY THEM AND WE HAVE THREE
HUNDRED AND FIFTY VOLUNTEERS
THAT ARE TRAINED BY THE ORANGE
COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY. AND WHAT
THEY DO IS DURING HIGH WIND
EVENTS THEY ACTUALLY ARE
STATIONED OUT ON THE LAND- IN
AROUND THE PERIMETER MOSTLY
ALONG ROADWAYS MOSTLY IN PLACES
WHERE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF
IGNITIONS. AND THEIR GOAL IS TO
BOTH PREVENT INTENTIONALLY
MISSIONS LIKE ARSON AND THEY'RE
ALSO TO REPORT AS QUICKLY AS
THEY POSSIBLY CAN ANY IGNITIONS
THAT THEY MIGHT SEE SOMETIMES A
MATTER OF FIVE OR TEN MINUTES
IN RESPONSE. BY THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT CAN BE THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FIRE BEING
KEPT SMALL AND ONE THAT GETS
OUT OF HAND AND CAN BURDENS
LARGE MANY THOUSANDS OF ACRES
ON A LANDSCAPE AND DO LOTS OF
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AS WELL. SO
THIS PROGRAM HAS ACTUALLY BEEN
IN PLACE INCE TWO THOUSAND AND
SEVEN- IT WAS RECENTLY ENHANCED
BY A GRANT THAT WE GOT- FROM
THE CALIFORNIA FIRE SAFE
COUNCIL FUNDED BY SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA EDISON TO CREATE-
MALT WE BOUGHT MONITORS THAT
ARE ATTACHED TO A HIGH SPEED
WIRELESS NETWORK. THAT SERVE AS
VIRTUAL FIRE TOWERS AND SO
PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY NOT
PHYSICALLY ABLE TO GO OUT AND
STATIONTHEMSELVES. OUT AROUND
THE PERIMETER OF THESE LANDS ON
FIRE WATCH THEY ACTUALLYSIT IN%
THE IN THE OPERATIONS CENTER
WITH THESE AND CONFIRM MAN FIVE
OR SIX VIRTUAL FIRE TOWERS AT
THE SAME TIME. AND THAT HAS
BEEN A BIG SUCCESS IN ADDITION
TO JUST RAISING THE AWARENESS
IN ORANGE COUNTY. SO I WANTED
TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING- I
THINK THAT IT'S A MODEL FOR
PLACES AROUND THE STATE I
CANNOT SAY AT ALL THAT WE'VE
GOT THIS THING LICKED BY ANY
MEANS EVERY TIME THE WIND BLOWS
IT'S WHITE KNUCKLE TIME AROUND
HERE. AND BUT WE ARE ALL
WORKING TOGETHER AND THAT'S THE
ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE
ABLE TO CAN TO TACKLE THIS
REALLY UNCONVENTIONAL PROBLEM.
OF WIND DRIVEN FIRES IN
SHRUBLANDS IS A PARTICULARLY IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SO THANK
YOU AGAIN I'M GRATEFUL TO BE
ABLE TO DELIVER TESTIMONY FROM
DOWN HERE. AND I'M HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
HAVE. THANK YOU- VERY-
INTERESTING PRESENTE AND- OF
THE MAGNIFICENT BEGIN WITH A-
COUPLE OF. QUESTIONS THIS ISSUE
OF ADMISSIONS- ALONG ROADWAYS.
HAS VEXED ME SINCE. THE FIRST
TIME I BECAME AWARE OF IT WAS A
FIRE I THINK IT WAS NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA THAT WAS. STARTED BY
A CAMPER THAT IT PULLED OFF THE
ROAD- NEEDED TO SERVICES
VEHICLE I THINK. AND THE FIRE
STARTED UNDERNEATH. THE VEHICLE
AND BEFORE THE DRIVER WAS
VIRTUALLY OUT OF THE CAR- IT
ALREADY TRAVELED UP THE- OF
THE- THE EMBANKMENT- THAT WAS
NEARBY. AND IT BECAME A VERY
VERY LARGE FIRE WHAT WHAT
STRATEGIES- ARE BEING
CONSIDERED. TO DEAL WITH THAT
VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. YEAH THAT'S
A THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND
IN FACT- THE SOURCES OF
IGNITION ALONG ROADWAYS ARE
ACTUALLY HIGHLY VARIED AND
PRETTY COMPLICATED THEY RANGE
AS I MENTIONED FROM WE HAD ONE
CALLED THE FREEWAY COMPLEX FIRE
WHERE A CATALYTIC CONVERTER
BURST AND I DON'T YOU KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT CATALYTIC
CONVERTERS BUT THEY'RE INTENDED
TO OPERATE AT ABOUT. FIFTEEN
HUNDRED DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND
THEY ARE MADE OF CERAMIC AND
THEY MELT AT TWENTY FOUR
HUNDRED DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND
IT BURST AND UP PIECES OF
MOLTEN CERAMIC CAME OUT THE
TAIL PIPE AND LIT. AT LEAST A
DOZEN IGNITION POINTS ALONG THE
ROADWAY WE'VE HAD FIRE STARTED
BY MAINTENANCE PRACTICES WE'VE
HAD FIVE STARTED BY PEOPLE
PULLING OFF INTO THE DRY GRASS-
WITH A HOT UNDERCARRIAGE IN
THEIR CAR AND STARTING FIRES
WE'VE HAD CHAINS DRAGGING LIKE
WHAT YOU WERE DESCRIBING. WHAT
ALL THAT LEADS TO IS IF YOU TRY
TO FOCUS ON THOSE SOURCES OF
IGNITION YOU'RE GONNA DRIVE
YOURSELF CRAZY BECAUSE THERE'S
SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS. WHAT
WE ARE FOCUSING ON IS HARDENING
THE ROADWAY AGAINST ALL KINDS
OF IGNITION SOURCES IF YOU MAKE
IT HARDER FOR FIRE TO GET OFF
THE ROAD BECAUSE AN ACCIDENTAL
SOURCE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
THAT YOU CAN. PREDICT OR YOU
CAN NECESSARILY EVEN PREVENT%
LIKE YOU CAN IF YOU WITH ARSON
DETERRENCE- IF YOU- IF YOU IF A
FIRE STARTS ON THE EDGE OF THE
ROADWAY AND IT CAN'T GET OFF
THE ROADWAY INTO THE DRY BRUSH
OR INTO THE WILD LANDS. THEN
YOU'VE CONTAINED IT AND SO WHAT
WE I THINK WE NEED TO THINK
ABOUT IS WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT
THE ROADWAYS. AS NOT THESE OPEN.
SYSTEM TO OPEN PATHWAYS THROUGH
OUR WILD LANDS BUT THEY NEED TO
BE CLOSED CORRIDORS ALMOST LIKE
A TUNNEL THAT FIRE CAN'T GET
OUT OF. AND THERE ARE MANY
DIFFERENT WAYS YOU COULD DO
THAT YOU COULD DO IT BY. SIMPLY
REMOVING VEGETATION FAR ENOUGH
ALONG THE EDGE IN CERTAIN
PLACES AND I'M NOT ADVOCATING
THAT EVERYWHERE IN FACT IN SOME
AREAS. RESTORING HEAVIER FUELS
RIGHT DOWN TO THE ROAD THAT MAY
BE A BETTER STRATEGY WE HAVE A
TOLL ROAD IN ORANGE COUNTY THE
SAN JOAQUIN HLLS TOLL ROAD.
AND IT HAS SOME VERY VERY STEEP
HILLS WHICH TURNS OUT UP HILL
GRADES IS WHERE A LOT OF THESE.
ACCIDENTAL IGNITIONS OCCUR
BECAUSE YOU GET A CAR BACK
FIRING OR WHATEVER. AND WE HAD
FAR FEWER IGNITIONS CATCH AND
BECOME FIRES ON THAT TOLL ROAD.
AND ALLOW IT WE DON'T THERE'S
NEVER BEEN A SCIENTIFIC STUDY
DONNA BUT A LOT O THE FOLKS
WHO'VE BEEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE
A VERY VERY LONG TIME. I
BELIEVE VERY STRONGLY THAT ONE
OF THE REASONS IS BECAUSE MANY
PARTS OF THAT TOLL ROAD HAVE.
HEAVY FUELS RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD
ROADBED SO WHEN A CHAIN DRAGS
IT'S NOT GOING TO CATCH A WOODY
BRANCH ON ON FIRE LIKE IT WOULD
FLASHY FUELS. SO KIND OF A LONG
WINDED ANSWER BECAUSE IT'S VERY
COMPLICATED BUT THE MAIN POINT
IS WE NEED TO LOOK AT HARDENING
THESE ROADWAYS TO MAKE IT
HARDER FOR IGNITIONS TO GET OFF
OF THEM. SO THAT THAT'S A VERY
INTERESTING RESPONSES AND- IT
IT DOES LEAVE MAY TO SUGGESTED
THAT PERHAPS IN ADDITION TO.
WHAT YOU SUGGESTED CHANGES TO
THE ROADWAY THAT THAT NEED TO
BE MADE THAT WE ALSO NEED TO
EDUCATE MOTORISTS- SO THAT
MOTORISTS DON'T MAKE SOME OF
THE MISTAKES THAT YOU'VE
IDENTIFIED- IT SOUNDS LIKE
THERE COULD BE A ROLE FOR
CALTRANS IN THIS- AT AND AS
WELL THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR
VEHICLES- BOTH AGENCIES HAPPEN
TO BE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF
THIS SUBCOMMITTEE SO THOSE ARE
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE MAY WANT
TO HELP. GOING FORWARD THE
OTHER QUESTION I HAD FOR YOU.
HI IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE MADE A
LOT OF. PROGRESS IN IDENTIFYING
THE RISKS AND TO- COLLABORATING
AND WHAT THE SOLUTION SHOULD
BE- WITHIN COAST. WHAT ARE THE
NEXT STEPS FOR YOU HOW DO YOU
IMPLEMENT TESE- THESE PLANS.
FOR AT. OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS
WITH COAST HAS BEEN NUMBER ONE
GETTING EVERYONE TOGETHER AND
COLLABORATING TOGETHER AND
SHARING THE AGENDA AND THE WAY
I LIKE TO SAY IT IS EVERYONE IS
BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE PROBLEM
EVEN THOUGH NONE OF US ARE
INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE WHOLE PROBLEM IT'S LIKE
IT'S EVERYONE'S PROBLEM AND NO
ONE'S PROBLEM AND SO BRINGING
PEOPLE TOGETHER AND HAVING
EVERYONE BE RESPONSIVE IS A KEY
THING IDENTIFYING WHAT THE
SOLUTIONS ARE IS ALSO REALLY
REALLY IMPORTANT BUT THE NEXT
STEP IS THE HARDEST STEP WHICH
IS ACTUALLY. THESE SOLUTIONS
NEED TO BE PROPERLY RESOURCE
THEY NEED TO BE PROPERLY
STRUCTURED MEANING THEY NEED TO
HAVE THE PROGRAMMATIC
STRUCTURES WITHIN THE AGENCIES
THAT HAVE A ROLE OR PART OF THE
SOLUTION TO BE IMPLEMENTED
CALTRANS FOR EXAMPLE- A
CALTRANS WE WORK VERY CLOSELY
WITH THEM PARTICULARLY-
DISTRICT SEVEN AND DISTRICT
TWELVE. OF CALTRANS AND THEY-
THEY CAN WORK REAL HARD ON
THEIR ROADSIDE MAINTENANCE
PRACTICES BUT THAT'S ONLY
DEALING WITH THE THINGS OF THE
FIRES THAT THEY MIGHT
POTENTIALLY START THEY IF WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE A SOLUTION THAT'S
BROUGHT THROUGH CALTRANS IT
NEEDS TO BE BOTH PROPERLY
RESOURCE BUT IT NEEDS TO BE
PROPERLY STRUCTURED WITHIN THAT
AGENCY IN ORDER TO BE
IMPLEMENTED SO- NOW WE'RE
LOOKING AT THE REAL TOUGH PART
WHICH IS FIGURING OUT HOW TO
GET BOTH THE FUNDING AND POLICY
SOLUTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO.
IMPLEMENT IGNITION PREVENTION
STRUCTURE RESILIENCE AND
STRATEGIC FUEL MODIFICATION
ZONES. GREAT THANK YOU LET US
KNOW WHEN YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE
THE MONEY'S GOING TO COME FROM-
ANY ANY OTHER QUESTIONS
BUSINESS FRIEDMAN. THANK YOU AM
I REALLY REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
PRESENTATION IT WAS VERY VERY
HELPFUL SO THANK YOU FOR THAT-
I HAVE A I GUESS A QUESTION
OBSERVATION AND- YOU KNOW. IT
SEEMS TO ME AND MAYBE I'M WRONG
THAT THERE ARE- AS MUCH AS
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT-
SOURCES OF IGNITION. THAT ROAD
CREWS OR CREWS WORKING IN HIGH
FIRE BRUSH LANDSCAPING CREWS
ECCENTRICITY MIKE THEY ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR A FAIR AMOUNT
OF IGNITIONS. A FEW YEARS AGO.
I HAD. SUGGESTED I THINK THE
CALTRANS THAT MAYBE WE MANDATE
THAT THESE KINDS APPROVAL AT
LEAST HAVE TO HAVE A SMALL FIRE
EXTINGUISHER WHICH ARE VERY
INEXPENSIVE. YOU KNOW PURCHASE
ANY HOME DEPOT AND I WAS TOLD
THAT THERE JUST WASN'T ENOUGH
SOURCES OF IGNITION AND THAT
MAYBE. YOU KNOW SOMETHING TO
LOOK INTO BUT MAYBE THEY
WOULDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO USE
THEM BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU
HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT.
WHETHER THAT COULD BE SOMETHING
THAT WOULD BE USEFUL- YOU KNOW
TO SAY YOU KNOW MY- MY
HUSBAND'S A LANDSCAPE
CONTRACTOR AND IT'S SOMETHING
HE'S ALWAYS WONDERED BECAUSE
YOU KNOW WE SEE THESE GUYS KIND
OF WORKING UP IN THE WHOLE
SIDES ALL THE TIME. WITH
CHAINSAWS FOR INSTANCE IN THE
MIDDLE OF SUMMER. AND IT JUST
SEEMS LIKE YOU KNOW OBVIOUS
RISK FOR SOME KIND OF IGNITION
AND- IF YOU SEEN ENOUGH OF THAT
THAT YOU THINK THIS IS AN AREA
WORTH LOOKING INTO. THAT'S A
GREAT QUESTION AND- I WOULD
START BY FIRST- AGAIN NOTING
THAT. WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY
TRYING TO PREVENT EVERY SINGLE
IGNITION WERE ONLY TRYING TO
PREVENT. THE THAT LITERALLY THE
10% OF THE IGNITIONS THAT
OCCUR. DURING WIND EVENTS THAT
WILL BECOME CATASTROPHIC FIRES.
SO WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN ROAD
SIDES. AND WE HAVE TO DO
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE. AND HAS
TO OCCUR SOMETIME. IF IT
OCCURS- IN MAY IF IT OCCURS
EVEN IN JUNE OR SOMETIMES EVEN
JULY WHEN THERE'S NO WINS. THEN
IF A FIRE IS STARTED. ARE AT
LEAST OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT IN
ORANGE COUNTY- IS EXTREMELY
WELL RESOURCE TO GET ON THOSE
IGNITIONS REALLY QUICKLY AND
KEEP THEM FROM BECOMING. MAJOR
FIRES. SO IF YOU IF YOU REALIZE
THAT. THEN YOU CAN START
THINKING ABOUT. SHOULD WE
REALLY BE DOING MAINTENANCE ON
ROADSIDES DURING WIND EVENTS.
PROBABLY NOT. SHOULD WE REALLY
BE DOING LANDSCAPING WITH CHAIN
SAWS OR METAL BLADED WEED
WACKER. DURING WIND EVENTS.
PROBABLY NOT. AND SO. THAT IS
WHERE YOU CAN FOCUS. THE
EFFORT. I KNOW THAT DISTRICT
TWELVE IN PARTICULAR- OF
CALTRANS HAS. MADE SOME
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. TO THEIR-
MAINTENANCE POLICIES AND
PRACTICES RECENTLY- TO IMPROVE-
OR REDUCE THE- THE CHANCES FOR
ROADSIDE IGNITION. AND THEY'VE
ALSO WORKED WITH THE ORANGE
COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY AGAIN IT
WAS YOU KNOW. OF THIS PLATFORM
OF COAST. AND TO DO SOME
TRAINING OF THEIR CREW SAID
THAT THEY DO KNOW HOW TO USE A
FIRE EXTINGUISHER. WHEN IT'S
ISSUED TO THEM. THE TRICKY
PART. IS IT ONLY TAKES ONE
SPARK. DURING THE WINDOW VENT.
TO CAUSE THAT PROBLEM. AND SO
WE CAN'T. MAKE A MISTAKE DURING
THAT TIME. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO
SAY WELL WE'VE IMPROVED OUR OUR
PRACTICES WHEN WE LET DOWN OUR
GUARD ONE TIME WE HAD A MAJOR
FIRE IN ORANGE COUNTY OVER A
DECADE OR SO AGO MAYBE EVEN
MORE THAN THAT AND IT WAS
SOMEONE WHO LIVED OUT IN THE
WILD LAND AREA- AND WAS
WELDING. DURING A WIND EVENT
JUST DECIDED TO GO OUT AND WELD
IN HIS BACKYARD DURING THAT
TIME AND HE SPARKED OFF A VERY
LARGE FIRE AND IT WAS ONE
MISTAKE THAT CAUSED IT. SO
AGAIN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
FIRES JUST DIDN'T OCCUR
HISTORICALLY IN THE SYSTEM
THEIR WORK THE SOURCES OF
IGNITIONS THAT THEY HAVE NOW.
AND IF WE IF BUT BUT WE DON'T
HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THEM-
I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME FOR
PEOPLE WHO SAY WELL WE CAN'T
PREVENT EVERY IGNITION WE DON'T
NEED TO PREVENT EVERY NATION WE
JUST NEED TO PREVENT THE ONES
THAT ARE GOING TO BECOME.
CATASTROPHIC FIRES THANK YOU
THAT IS VERY THAT'S REALLY
INTERESTING AND I THINK VERY
ELIMINATING- THANK YOU. AND ONE
OTHER THING I'LL SAY IT'S
REALLY JUST AN OBSERVATION SO
BASED ON SOMETHING YOU SAID
ABOUT THINKING RETHINKING SOME
OF THE FIRE BREAKS IN THESE
AREAS. BECAUSE WEN YOU REMOVE
ALL THE PLANTINGS YOU GET THE
NATIVE GRASSES AND IT'S I MEAN
THEY'RE THE NON NATIVE GRASSES
AND IT'S VERY HARD TO. TO KIND
OF. OVERCOME THAT AND TO USE
THE NATIVE PLANTS- AS A AS A
DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRE BREAK-
SOMETHING I'VE OBSERVED ALSO IS
EVERY YEAR OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT
FOR INSTANCE SENDS OUT. THE
DEFENSIBLE SPACE NOTICES AS
THEY SHOULD AND PEOPLE TEND TO
INTERPRET THAT AS- THAT MEANS I
NEED TO GO OUT AND CUT
EVERYTHING OFF MY WHOLE SIDE.
THROUGH THE CYCLE OF HOMEOWNERS
GOING OUT AND HIRING AN
EDUCATED CREWS TO CLEAR CUT
EVERYTHING OFF THE HILL THE
NEXT TIME IT RAINS THE HILL
COLLAPSES INTO THE STREET. I.
THE VERY LEAST THERE'S NOTHING
LEFT TO. AFTER THAT. BUT AN
AMBER. AND THOSE PEOPLE'S
HOMES. SO DOING BETTER
EDUCATION ABOUT WHAT DEFENSIBLE
SPACE REALLY MEANS ANY
IMPORTANT HAPPENED PORTENTS OF
HAVING A LIVE PLANT MATERIAL.
AND THE APPROPRIATE PLANT
MATERIAL WHICH ARE OFTEN
NATIVES. IN THESE AREAS. IS
SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE WE
SHOULD FOCUS MUCH MORE ON AND
PUT A LOT MORE RESOURCES IN.
BECAUSE WE'RE SENDING THE WRONG
MESSAGE OUT. YOU KNOW I
KNOWINGLY PEOPLE ARE NOT
FOCUSED ENOUGH TO DO THE DEEP
DIVE INTO THE RESEARCH INTO IT.
SO THEY KIND OF DO WHAT THEY
THINK TEY'RE BEING TOLD AND
IT'S THE WRONG THING. SO IT'S
NOT A QUESTION BUT JUST
SOMETHING I THINK THAT WE
SHOULD ALL TRY TO. MAYBE WORK
WITH OUR COMMUNITY IS A LITTLE
BIT BETTER AND I. YOU MAY NOT
HAVE THAT IN MR MULLINS IN YOUR
AREA BUT IN MY ARE IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA THIS IS A COMMON.
KIND OF. MISTAKE THAT. PEOPLE
MAKE IT IT'S REALLY. MAKING OUR
COMMUNITIES LESS RESILIENT TO
FIRES NOT NOT MORE SO AND TO
OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS. LIKE
LANDSLIDES AND IT'S JUST A- I
WAS JUST A PERPETUATING CYCLE
OF PEOPLE SEE THEIR NEIGHBORS
TO AND THAT'S THEY THINK
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DOING IT
AND NO ONE'S REALLY CORRECTING
THEM. GIVE MS GARCIA HAS
QUESTIONS- YES I THANK YOU FOR
YOUR PRESENTATION- THE FIRST
QUESTION IS ABOUT THE EDUCATION
OUT RICHARD DOING TO.
INDIVIDUALS ARE WE TALKED A LOT
ABOUT CALTRANS. AND THE ROADS
AND THINGS THAT WE GET TO THE
FROM THE GOVERNMENT SIDE THE
CAN YOU DESCRIBE A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THE EDUCATION THAT YOU'VE
BEEN DOING TO INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE IN THESE FIRE PRONE AREAS
AROUND NGUYEN EPISODES AND
WHAT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL THERE.
SURE THANK YOU VERY MUCH- SO
MUCH MY ORGANIZATION DOESN'T
DIRECTLY DO EDUCATION WITH
INDIVIDUALS BUT THEY'RE ALL OF
THE PARTICIPATING
ORGANIZATIONS. IN COAST A LOT
OF THEM ARE MUNICIPAL
GOVERNMENTS THAT DO EDUCATION
WITH THEIR RESIDENTS- THE
ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY IN
THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS DO A
LOT OF. OF EDUCATION AS WELL I
THINK THE MAIN THING THAT
PEOPLE. HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET
RESIDENTS TO REALIZE IS THAT WE
OFTEN THINK ABOUT. THE
EMERGENCY STARTING WHEN THE
FIRE BREAKS OUT. BUT IN FACT
THE EMERGENCY IS ACTUALLY WHEN
THE WIND STARTS BLOWING BECAUSE
THAT'S WHEN THE RISK. BECOMES
UP IRRETRIEVABLE IF YOU HAVE AN
IGNITION AND SO- FOR EXAMPLE
THE- THE CALTRANS AND THE-
ORANGE COUNTY- TOLL ROAD
AGENCY. USE THEIR SIGNS THEY'RE
THERE FOR. THEIR LIGHT UP SIGNS
ALONG ROADWAYS DURING RED FLAG
WARNINGS TO. EDUCATE MOTORISTS
ABOUT THAT- AND THEN THERE OF
PROGRAMS LIKE I MENTIONED LIKE
READY SET GO. THAT THE ORANGE
COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY HAS- BUT
I DO THINK HAVING SAID ALL OF
THAT. THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A
LOT MORE EDUCATION BOTH EVENT
BASED. MESSAGING WHICH ARE
DESCRIBED AS THERE'S A THERE'S
A WIND COMING- AND LONG TERM
MESSAGING WHICH IS. HOW DO YOU
HARDEN YOUR HOME HOW DO YOU-
YOU KNOW HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE
THAT YOU DON'T DO THINGS THAT.
ENCOURAGE A FIRE HOW DO WE AS A
COMMUNITY REDUCE THE RISK OF
FIRE SO THERE'S A LOT MORE TO
BE DONE IN THE EDUCATION REALM.
THANK YOU AND THEN I KNOW THAT
HE LEFT US WITH. THE LINGERING
LEFT UP WITH FIGURING OUT HOW
TO FIND THE WORK IN THE
PLANNING THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING
I DO THIS COAST. DO YOU HAVE
ANY IDEAS OF. HOW THEY NEEDS TO
BE DONE OR HOW THAT WILL BE
DONE. IN THE LEAD TO PRESS. ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN
LOOKING AT IT AT LEAST IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS THAT-
LOT OF THE COUNTIES ARE
ACTUALLY CONTRACT COUNTIES TO
CALIFORNICA FIRE. DOESN'T
ACTUALLY OPERATE IN IN ORANGE
COUNTY THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE
AUTHORITY IS THE CONTRACT OF
THE ALREADY AND I KNOW THE SAME
IN LA. I BELIEVE IN TORRANCE
SANTA BARBARA THEY'RE ONLY SIX
CONTRACT COUNTIES IN- IN
CALIFORNIA I KNOW MORAN IS ONE
OF THEM BUT MOST OF THEM HAPPEN
TO BE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
AND I THINK ACTUALLY THE- PART
OF THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE IS
THAT THE ENTIRE WILD FIRE
APPARATUS IF YOU WILL- HAS BEEN
BUILT AROUND THIS IDEA OF
FOREST FIRES AND CONVENTIONAL-
APPROACHES TO. BOTH FIRE
MANAGEMENT AND FIRE PREVENTION
AND A LOT OF THE WORK IS BEING
DONE ON THE GROUND. AND SO-
FUNDING LOCAL AUTHORITIES LIKE
THE ORANGE COUNTY FIRE
AUTHORITY TO DO FIRE PREVENTION
WORK THAT IS THE RESULT OF
COLLABORATIVE. DEVELOPMENT
WOULD BE WOULD BE ONE WAY TO DO
IT I THINK THE SOLUTIONS ARE
OUR LOCAL AND THEIR REGIONAL
THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY
STATEWDE. TO BE REAL HONEST I
DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT HOW THE
BUDGET WORKS TO BE ABLE TO
SUGGEST SOME SPECIFIC. FUNDING
SOURCES BUT I WILL TELL YOU ONE
THING- AND THE PREVIOUS.
SPEAKER MENTIONED IT IS THAT
THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF VALUE
IN DOING FIRE PREVENTION
PARTICULARLY IN THE WIND.
DRIVEN SYSTEMS- WHERE- YOU CAN
PREVENT A FIRE THAT MAY COST
TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO
SUPPRESS WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY
WRITTEN A BLANK CHECK. FOR FIRE
SUPPRESSION IN CATASTROPHIC
FIRES AS WE PROBABLY SHOULD I'M
NOT ARGUING WITH THAT BUT WE
HAVEN'T INVESTED THE VERY VERY
SMALL AMOUNT OF HIGHLY LEVERAGE
FUNDING IN FIRE PREVENTION TO
PREVENT THAT AND IN THIS CASE I
WOULD SAY THAT IT AN OUNCE OF
PREVENTION IS WORTH. PROBABLY A
TON OF CARE IN THIS IN THIS
CASE. THE THREAT. THANK YOU
THANK YOU FOR JUST FOR THE
DEBIT OF THE QUESTION. BUT
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION THIS WAS VERY
INFORMATIVE AS MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE SAID. AND I ALSO THINK THE
PRIOR SPEAKER AND I WANT TO ASK
YOU ALSO. IT WHEN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT WIND. AND WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE THESE ARE
THINGS THAT WE CANNOT CONTROL.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH
THE PREVENTION AND THE PLANNING
JUST AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED HERE.
WHAT ZONING OR PLANNING PULP
POLICIES DO YOU FEEL WOULD BE
HELPFUL. IF A STAKEHOLDERS
COMMITTEE IS PUT TOGETHER WHO
ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS WHO SHOULD
BE PART OF THAT AND AS I
MENTIONED IN THE PRIOR WITH THE
PRIOR SPEAKER SHOULD THIS BE A
FIVE YEAR PLAN A TEN YEAR PLAN
WE NEED SOLUTIONS TODAY BUT WE
ALSO NEED TO PLAN. FOR THE
FUTURE. SO WHAT WHAT WOULD WHAT
WHAT WE THINK YOU I'M GLAD YOU
ASKED ME THAT BECAUSE I WAS. I
WAS WANTING TO ANSWER IT
EARLIER. WHAT I WOULD SAY IS A
COUPLE OF THINGS ONE IS WITH
REGARD TO CLIMATE CHANGE
THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGE BEING SORT OF
THE PROBLEM AND BEING THE
DRIVER OF A LOT OF THIS IT
TURNS OUT THAT- AT LEAST WITH
REGARD TO WIND DRIVEN FIRES
IT'S THE WIND THAT WILL ALWAYS
BE THE PROBLEM CLIMATE CHANGE
MAY MAKE IT WORSE IT MAY MAKE
IT RATHER THAN EIGHTEEN TO
TWENTY FOUR DAYS A YEAR OF
WINDOWS VENTS IT MAY MAKE IT
TWENTY FOUR TO THIRTY SIX DAYS
OF WIND OFFENSE THEY MIGHT BE
STRONGER WE DON'T KNOW BUT WHAT
I WOULD SAY IS WITH REGARD TO
THE SOLUTIONS THEY STILL REMAIN
THE SAME. WHETHER YOU'RE
PREVENTING IGNITIONS EIGHTEEN
DAYS A YEAR OR THIRTY DAYS A
YEAR IT'S STILL ABOUT
PREVENTING IGNITIONS AND SO
THAT IS WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
AND ONE OF THE REASONS I HAVE
SOME HOPE IS THAT UNLIKE A LOT
OF OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS
HURRICANES EARTHQUAKES TO NAME
A COUPLE- THIS IS A PREVENTABLE
PROBLEM IF WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO
DO IT AND IF WE ALL WORK
TOGETHER AND SO I THINK THE
WHAT YOU MENTIONED STAKEHOLDERS
I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO
BE AT THE TABLE ARE THE ONES
WHO HAVE A ARE ARE RESPONSIVE
TO THIS AND SHARE SOME OF THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FIRE
PROBLEM AND WE'RE REALLY
FOCUSED. ON THE FIRE PREVENTION
PART OF THAT WITH REGARD TO
PLANNING ALL I'LL JUST SAY THIS
ABOUT THAT WHICH IS- I DO THINK
WE NEED TO STOP BUILDING IN
AREAS THAT ARE HIGHLY FIRE
PRONE THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY
SENSE TO PUT NEW COMMUNITIES
OUT IN AREAS EVEN IF THEIR FIRE
HARDENED IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY
SENSE TO DO THAT BUT EVEN IF WE
NEVER BUILT ANOTHER HOUSE OUT
IN THE IN THE FUTURE IN THE
FIRE PRONE WILDLANDS THE RECENT
ESTIMATE OF THE HOUSES THAT ARE
VULNERABLE IN CALIFORNIA IN THE
WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE AS WE
BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND AMBER CAST
AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS
WENT FROM. JUST OVER THREE
HUNDRED THOUSAND HOMES TO ALL
OVER THREE MILLION HOMES.
NOTHING CHANGED OTHER THAN OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE RISK
WAS AND SO WE HAVE A HUGE HUGE
NUMBER OF HOMES THAT ARE
ALREADY AT RISK. EVEN IF WE
DON'T DO ANYMORE BUILDING IN
THE WILDLANDS WHICH I DON'T
THINK W SHOULD DO. SO WE'VE
GOT TO WORK ON THOSE
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALREADY
THERE. AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO
ADDRESS NOT ONLY THE FIRE FRONT
WHICH IS PEOPLE'S TRADITIONAL
CONCEPTION OF- IF WE STOP THE
FIRE FRONT THEN WE'LL STOP THE
PROBLEM. NO IN FACT WHEN YOUR-
FIRE IS THROWING EMBERS AND
BRANDS FIVE MILES DOWN WIND AND
LIGHTING HOMES ON FIRE. ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF A TEN LANE
FREEWAY. THAT'S A PROBLEM THAT
IS REALLY HUGE AND I THINK WE
DO HAVE THE RIGHT STAKEHOLDERS
AT THE TABLE FOR THAT. I JUST I
WANTED TO FIND ME- MISTER
CHAIR. I WANT ONE OF THE
COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE IS THAT
THE WITH YOUR- GROUP SOMETHING
THAT WAS IMPORTANT IS THAT
THERE IS NO FINGER POINTING IN
THE YOUNG THAT WE JUST WANT TO
FIND SOLUTIONS IT ISN'T TO FIND
SOMEBODY RESPONSIBLE IT AN
INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP IT'S JUST
TO FIND OUT AS A GROUP. TO FIND
OUT WHAT IT WHAT ARE THE BEST
SOLUTION SO I APPRECIATED THAT
AND WANTED YOU TO KNOW THANK
YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WELL
THANK YOU VERY MUCH- FOR- FOR
YOUR REMARKS THEY'VE BEEN VERY
HELPFUL AND TO AN INFORMATIVE
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT. WE
ARE GOING TO MOVE ON NOW. A TO
OUR FINAL PRESENTATION- WHICH
IS GOING TO COME FROM- A MAN
WHO- OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS I'VE DEVELOPED A GREAT
DEAL OF RESPECT FOR A JEEP TOM
PORTER OF CAL FIRE I THINK IT'S
WORTH NOTING- THAT- CHU
PORTER'S BACKGROUND IS IN
FORESTRY- THAT CAME FIRST IN
HIS LIFE AND FIRE FIGHTING-
FOLLOWED. TO AFTERWARDS BUT
DUTCH REPORTERS GOING TO GIVE
US AN OVERVIEW OF CALIFORNIA'S
FIRE PREVENTION AND HEALTHY
FORCE PROGRAMS- AND- AS WELL
SPEAK ABOUT THE METHODOLOGY
THAT CALIFORNIA- USES FOR
ALLOCATING THOSE FUNDS AND THE
TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WERE
FUNDED AT ITS- ALSO WORTH
NOTING THAT- THE- THE CHIEFS
DEPARTMENT. IS YOU KNOW I THINK
IT'S UNFORTUNATE AND PERHAPS IN
THESE TIMES THAT THE NAME HAS
BEEN TRUNCATED TO CALIFORNIA
BECAUSE THE AGENCY IS SO MUCH
MORE AND ACTUALLY THE REAL NAME
IS DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND
FIRE PROTECTION AND THAT IT'S
THAT FORESTRY PEACE. WRIT
LARGE- AND THE VARIOUS- A TYPES
OF- HABITAT AND TERRAIN WE HAVE
ACROSS THE STATE THE ARE KEY TO
OUR ABILITY TO- DO FIRE
PREVENTION WORK BUDGET PORTER.
WELL. WELL THANK YOU CHAIR
BLOOM AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE- I'M TAKING OFF MY
MASK BECAUSE I AM NOT IN FRONT
OF THE ANYBODY BUT SCREEN AND I
PROMISE NOT TO TOUCH THE MIKE.
AGAIN GOOD MORNING- ARE GOOD
AFTERNOON I'M SORRY IT. MY NAME
IS TOM PORTER I AM- THE STATE
FORESTER FOR CALIFORNIA AS WELL
AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE
PROTECTION- AND- THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE
TIME TO SPEAK ABOUT THE TOPIC
OF WILDFIRE MITIGATION. IS I'M
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH MY NOTES
SOME OF THE STATE- PRETTY
CONCISE IN A FEW AREAS ALLOW
FOR QUESTIONS TO FILL IN SOME
OF THE GAPS BECAUSE I THINK YOU
HAVE SPECIFIC- NEEDS FOR THIS
THAT ARE- A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE
OF SOME OF MY NOTES SO- I'D
LIKE TO START BY TALKING ABOUT
JUST JUST THE FIRE SEASON A
TINY BIT. THIS SEASON WHILE
WE'RE STILL IN THE IN THE KIND
OF- LATTER STAGES OF THE PEAK
SEASON- IT'S NOT OVER YET AND-
RIGHT NOW WE ARE ALREADY OVER
EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED
WILDFIRES STARTED ACROSS THE
STATE IN VARIOUS- TYPE SOUND-
PLACES EVERY EVERY PIECE OF THE
STATE HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY
WILDFIRES THIS YEAR- WE HAVE
COLLECTIVELY BURNED. IN THOSE
WILDFIRES- FOUR POINT ONE
MILLION MORE THAN FOUR POINT
ONE MILLION ACRES- THE LRGEST
FIRE- IN STATE HISTORY IS STILL
BURNING THAT IS THE AUGUST
COMPLEX AT WELL OVER A MILLION.
ACRES NINE THOUSAND STRUCTURES
HAVE HAVE BURNED THIRTY ONE
LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST TO THESE
WILDFIRES AND RIGHT NOW- WE
HAVE SIX OF THE TWENTY LARGEST
FIRES IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY-
THAT OCCURRED JUST SINCE AUGUST
FIFTEENTH OF THIS YEAR. THIS
REALLY STARTED JUST BEFORE
THAT- THAT LIGHTNING HAPPENED-
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND WE HAD A COUPLE OF
FIRES THAT HAD TAM
DEPLOYMENTS- IN- IN- FRESNO
COUNTY AND IN. NEAR GILROY. IN
SANTA CLARA UNIT. AND THOSE
FIRES- IT KIND OF STARTED
THINGS OFF. ONCE WE HAVE THE
LIGHTNING SEEDS WHICH WAS WELL
OVER ELEVEN THOUSAND- STRIKES
JUST IN SEVENTY TWO HOURS AND
OVER A WEEK PERIOD OF TIME OVER
FOURTEEN THOUSAND STRIKES-
THOSE FIRES- WERE ACROSS THE
LANDSCAPE FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO
COUNTY TO FRESNO- COUNTY
PARTICULARLY ON THE WEST SIDE.
ALL THE WAY NORTH INTO- MODOC
COUNTY- AND ALL THE WAY UP TO
COSTA DEL NORTE COUNTY AND WE
ALSO KNOW THAT OREGON AND
WASHINGTON- RECEIVED
SIGNIFICANT LIGHTNING FROM THAT
C. H. THAT'S C. H. R. I. HAS
BEEN COMPARED TO- THE BIG BURN
UP NINETEEN TEN- AND IN FACT.
MORE THAN DOUBLE THE SIZE OF
THAT- THAT PARTICULAR- WIND
DRIVEN FIRES PREVENT IN THE
FORESTED AREAS OF. OF THE
PACIFIC NORTHWEST. SO THEN WE
HAD LABOR DAY COME ALONG. THAT
WEEKEND GAVE US WINDS SO OUR
LIGHTNING CAUSED FUEL DRIVEN
FIRES THROUGHOUT THE STATE THEN
STARTED TO THROW INTO WIND
DRIVEN FIRES- WE'VE HEARD ABOUT
THE FAIR FIRE PART OF THE NORTH
COMPLEX THAT BURNED INTO- TO-
LAKE ORVILLE AREA AND THE
OUTSKIRTS OF ORVILLE PROPER WAY
AT ONE POINT WE WERE CONCERNED
THAT IT WOULD RUN ALL THE WAY
INTO THE CITY OF OROVILLE.
THANKFULLY A LOT OF WORK THAT
HAS BEEN DONE PRIOR- AND THEN A
VALIANT EFFORT TO- TO- KEEP
THAT FIRE FROM CROSSING- AND
GETTING DEEP INTO THE CITY
AREA- KEPT IT OUT AND
THANKFULLY THE WIND STARTED TO
LAY DOWN AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE
SOME OF THE KIND OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE WERE SEEING
AND- YOU'VE HEARD A LOT MORE
I'M SURE- AND I HAVE STORIES
UPON STORIES AND WE'RE
BUILDING- THE- KIND OF THE BIG
PICTURE OF WHAT HAPPENED- SINCE
AUGUST FIFTEENTH- IT WILL
INCLUDE WHAT HAPPENS FOR THE
REST OF THE SEASON AS WELL. AND
SO WHAT I WANTED TO COME BACK
TO THOUGH IS REALLY- THE
IMPORTANCE OF. AND ALL OF THE
ABOVE APPROACH WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT FIRE PREVENTION.
AND MITIGATION OF THE SITUATION
WE FIND OURSELVES IN- IT IS
TRULY AN ALL OF THE ABOVE
APPROACH THAT'S NEEDED- THIS
YEAR SHOWS ONCE AGAIN. THAT
FIRE I CAN AND DOES OCCUR
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE. OF
FROM OREGON TO MEXICO FROM THE
BEACHES TO THE DESERT. IT CAN
BE ANYWHERE ANYTIME- AND IT MAY
BE FUELS IT MAY BE- FUELS AND
WIND- IT MAY BE TOPOGRAPHY
DRIVEN FIRES THAT OCCUR BUT
FIRES ARE GOING TO HAPPEN
THROUGHOUT THE STATE EVERY YEAR
AND I THINK SOME OF THE
PREVIOUS- SPEAKERS TALKS TO THE
MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE. AND THIS
IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO EXPECT
IN THIS TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT
CERTAIN POPULATIONS IN OUR
STATE ARE PARTICULARLY
VULNERABLE TO WILDFIRE THREATS.
CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIANS DO LIVE
IN WILDLAND INTERMENT INTERMIX
AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE
SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS WE
WEEK- AND THOSE AREAS ARE ARE
PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE- YOU
HAVE. LOTS OF VEGETATION TYPES
MIXED IN WITH- WITH-
DEVELOPMENT- AND THAT IS A
RECIPE FOR CONCERN AND WE HAVE
METHODS AND- DIFFERENT PROGRAMS
THAT CAN HELP US TO REDUCE
THOSE THREATS AND CONCERNS ONE
OF THOSE IS OF COURSE-
DEFENSIBLE SPACE- AS WELL AS
HOME HARDENING- AND THEN FUEL
REDUCTION PROJECT WORK ON THE
PERIMETER TO- HEARTENED
COMMUNITIES AGAINST- AMBER
CAST. AND THEN THERE FOR A
REDUCING THEIR THREAT THE ALSO
I MEAN ALSO CITIES ARE NOT- OUT
OF THE WOODS EITHER- WE HAVE
EXAMPLES OF OAKLAND REDDING
SANTA ROSA MANY MORE AND THOSE
ARE AREAS THAT OR PRETTY HIGHLY
URBANIZED IN MANY AREAS- AND
THAT ARE ALSO VERY MUCH
VULNERABLE TO THE SAME KIND OF
STE- SITUATIONS THAT CAN OCCUR
WHEN WE HAVE WILDLAND FIRES- OF
ANY TYPE IN ANY SIZE DURING THE
WRONG KIND OF. WEATHER
CONDITIONS. ADAPTING TO
WILDFIRE IN CALIFORNIA'S DRY
MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE REQUIRES.
SYSTEMATIC ALL OF THE ABOVE
TYPES OF APPROACHES. THIS MEANS
THAT WE NEED TO IDENTIFY AND-
AND MAP FIRE HAZARD ZONES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE WE NEED TO
PROTECT NEIGHBORHOODS AND
COMMUNITIES FROM WILDFIRE
THROUGHOUT THE LANDS LANDSCAPE.
THROUGH LANDSCAPE SCALE FUEL
REDUCTION AND FORESTRY- TYPES
OF PROJECTS. WE NEED PLANNING
PLANNING AND COMMUNITIES- THAT
PLAN FOR RESILIENT- GREEN BELTS
AND- AND FUEL REDUCTION AROUND
THOSE COMMUNITIES AS A MENTIONS
TO REDUCE THAT AMBER CAST AND
INTENSITY OF FIRE AS IT COMES
CLOSER AND CLOSER TO STRUCTURES.
WE NEED TO ENSURE COMMUNITIES
HAVE PROPER EVACUATION ROUTES
WATER SUPPLIES AND FIRE
PROTECTION RESOURCES THAT ARE
ASSOCIATED AND IN THOSE
COMMUNITIES BOTH SPEAKERS
PREVIOUS TO ME TALKED ABOUT A
LOT OF THOSE ISSUES AND THOSE
ARE THINGS THAT. THAT CAN HELP
IN THE PREVENTION OF FIRES AS
WELL NOT ONLY BE IN THE
RESPONSE TO FIRES. THE BUILDING
HOMES OUT OF EMBER RESISTANT
MATERIALS WHILE MAINTAINING A
HUNDRED FOOT DEFENSIBLE SPACE
ZONES- BY REMOVING DEAD AND THE
DEAD AND DOWN OVERGROWN
VEGETATION IS ALSO CRITICAL
TOTALLY AGREE WITH NOT MOVES
GAPING- A DEFENSIBLE SPACE
AREA. I THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT THAT IS NOT WHAT
THE REGULATIONS REQUIRE- IT IS
A HEALTHY LANDSCAPE AND DOES-
ALLOW FOR NATIVE PLANTS AND
FIRE RESILIENT PLANTS TO BE IN
THAT MIX. ONE LAST SPARK IS
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND
THERE'S A CAMPAIGN- AND ONE
SPARK CAN BE ONE TOO MANY ONE
LESS COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN A CATASTROPHIC
SITUATION AND- AND- NOT. IT IS
IMPORTANT FOR IT TO UNDERSTAND
THAT NO INDIVIDUAL TASK OR
PROGRAM IS A SILVER BULLET. I
BELIEVE I BELIEVE FOR THE
PREVIOUS- SPEAKERS ALSO TALKED
TO THIS- THIS IS NOT AN EASY
PROBLEM TO FIX. AND EACH OF
THESE EFFORTS WORKS IN
CONJUNCTION WITH EACH OTHER TO
PREVENT AND PROTECT AGAINST
WILDFIRES. EACH WITH EACH. IT
REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN
THE TOOLBOX THAT MUST BE
ADAPTED TO THE USED IN A
PARTICULAR SETTING- AND WEATHER
PATTERNS VEGETATION TYPES
TOPOGRAPHY AND IN THE BUILT
ENVIRONMENT WHAT THIS MEANS IS-
WE NEED TO DO AS PRACTITIONERS-
WE NEED TO HAVE ALL OF THE
TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX AVAILABLE
TO US TO TUNE THE ABILITY. TO
IN THAT OVERTIME IN SOME CASES
THAT WILL BE MORE EFFORT AND
HOME HARDENING AND LESS IN FOR
FOREST MANAGEMENT- IN OTHER
AREAS IT WILL BE OPPOSITE OF
THAT OF BASED ON BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION THAT ALREADY IS IN
PLACE BUT BASED ON WHAT THE
VEGETATION TYPES ARE THAT ARE
IN THE- NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
THAT SURROUNDS. WELL IT'S TRUE
THAT FIRES CAN BE DRIVEN. BY
STATE BY CERTAIN FEATURES LIKE%
TO RAIN WIND FUELS- OUR BEST
STRATEGY IS TO PREVENT
CATASTROPHIC. TO PREVENT
CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES TO USE
EVERY APPROPRIATE TOOL- EIGHT
TO THE ADVANTAGE THAT WE HAVE-
AND THAT INCLUDES MAINTENANCE A
ONCE WE HAVE THAT SYSTEM OF-
PROTECTION IN PLACE. FIRES RE
DYNAMIC HI I JUST FOR A COUPLE
OF EXAMPLES- IN A- THEY CAN BE.
DOMINATED BY WIND AT ONE POINT
ONE POINT AND THEN BY FUELS AT
ANOTHER POINT- THEY CAN BE
START OUT AS FUELS FIRES THEY
COULD START OUT A SMALL GRASS
FIRES- THEY COULD TURN INTO
WIND DRIVEN FIRES OR REMAIN
FUELS FIRES OR IN SOME CASES-
ACTUALLY BECOME CLING DOMINATED
FIRES WERE STARTING TO SEE THAT.
OFTEN THE NOT WHERE A FUEL ST
FIRE. THE AGENT OWN WEATHER AND
WE AND THEN IT BECOMES A WIN
DRIVEN FIRE ONLY TO THE FOLLOW
MORNING MANY MANY TURNED BACK
INTO A FUEL FOR. SO THERE IS NO
SIMPLE ANSWER TO THIS- AN
EXAMPLE OF A- DOMINATED FIRE-
IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THE
CREEK FIRE I'M SORRY NOT TO
CREDITS TO RECENT THE CAMPFIRE.
AGAIN NOW. IT WAS A CAMPFIRE
CAN'T ENDS IN. SAN DIEGO THAT I
HAD A PLUME DOMINATED EPISODE
THAT PUT UP A PYROTECHNIC
BUBBLE THAT FLOATED ABOUT TWO
THIRDS OF THE WAY ACROSS THE
UNITED STATES BEFORE IT-
DISSIPATED- THAT WAS- IN A
CHAPARRAL. DOMINATED ECOSYSTEM
WE FIRES IN IT IN KIND OF THE
HOPE WOULD LEAD. GRASS INTERMIX
CHAPARRAL SYSTEM- JUST
RECENTLY- ASK THE- S. U.
COMPLEX- HENRICO STATE PARK
ALMOST THE ENTIRE STATE PARK
BURNED UP IN THAT. EVENT I'M
GONNA SAY THAT OUT THERE IS A
LOT OF GOOD FIRE THAT OCCURRED
ON THEIR- THE TRAGIC THING IS
THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY
STRUCTURES THAT WERE DESTROYED-
IN IN THAT EVENT AS WELL. BUT
IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF- CHAPARRAL-
FIRE BURNING IN NON WIND
CONDITIONS- TO THE TUNE OF
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES
AND YES THERE WAS GRASS IN THE
MIX THERE WAS OAK WITH AND I
LITTLE BIT OF CONNOR FOR HERE
AND THERE- BUT A LOT OF THAT
FIRE WAS IN FACT. CHAPARRAL
TYPE- COASTAL AND. HARD
CHAPARRAL TYPE. FUELS BUYERS BY
WIND THIS HAPPENS- IN A IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. A ALSO HOW
IN CALIFORNIA THIS AND IT
REALLY DEPENDS ON WHEN THE FIRE
STARTS- WINDOW CAN BE SOMETHING
THAT HELPS WITH THE IGNITION OF
A FIRE IN THE EVENT OF POWER
SUPPLY SPARKING DUE TO HIGH
WINDS SLAPPING THE LINES
TOGETHER OR- BREAKING THE
LINES- BUT IT ALSO CAN CAUSE-
IN IN OTHER CASES- A CONDITION
OF OTHER TYPES- A LOT OF
LIBERAL ELECTRICAL- SOME OF
THEM ARE ARSON- BUT MANY ARE
JUST PEOPLE DOING WHAT THEY
THINK IS A GOOD THING OR NOT
THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT
THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN THINKING
ABOUT. THERE'S AN EDUCATION
OPPORTUNITY- THAT SPARKS OF
FIRE AND THEN THE WIND CARRIES
IT FASTER THAN THEY CAN DO THAT
THEN THEY CAN PUT IT OUT RIGHT
NEAR THERE- THEM CHAU EVERY AN
EXAMPLE OF A FIRE THAT I WANTED
TO BRING UP WAS THE CRANSTON
FIRE IN. IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY-
THAT FIRE BURNED UP SLOPE AND
WITH THE WIND TO- IDYLLWILD AND
AS IT. ENCROACHED UPON
IDYLLWILD IT IMPACTED A FUEL
BREAK THAT HAD BEEN PUT IN THE
CHAPARRAL AROUND THE- THE
FRENCH OF IDYLLWILD AT THE KIND
OF CHANGES THE TRANS. FROM
FROM- CHAPARRAL INTO- KIND OF
SCATTERED- PINE TREES AND- MORE
IF MANZANITA TYPE. OF THAT FIRE
GLANCED OFF OF THAT AND WAS WAS
ABLE TO BE HELD ON THE EDGE OF
THAT WITH MINIMAL STRUCTURE
LOST. AND OUT OF A SHOOT THAT
WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE FIRE
DIRECTLY IN THE IDYLLWILD AND
TAKEN OUT THE CENTER OF TOWN-
THAT IS THAT IS ONE PLACE WHERE
WE HAVE VERY MUCH VERY
RECENTLY. USED A FUEL BREAK
THAT HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR
APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN TO TWENTY
YEARS- AND MAINTAINED- AND IT
SAVES THE TOWN OF IDYLLWILD.
THE THOMAS FIRES ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF- WHERE FUEL
REDUCTION- BOTH IN- FIRES THAT
HAD OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY BUT
ALSO BURNS AND FUEL REDUCTION
WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE BY- A
VENTURA COUNTY FIRE- AND EVEN
INTO SANTA BARBARA- THE THOMAS
FIRE DID REDUCE IN INTENSITY
AND- WAS- RENDERED-
CONTROLLABLE IN AREAS
PARTICULARLY ON THE FLANKS AND
THE HEEL OF THE FIRE THAT'S
THAT. THAT'S THE RIGHT SIDE
LEFT SIDE AND THE BACK OF THE
FIRE AS A AS A FIRE IS RUNNING
WITH THE WIND AWAY FROM YOU.
AND JUST FOR PERSPECTIVE-
OFTENTIMES VERY MUCH IN THE
FIRST PHASE OF A WILDFIRE UNDER
WINDY CONDITIONS ABOUT 90% OF
THE FIRE PERIMETER IS ACTUALLY
VERY MUCH AFFECTED BY FUEL
REDUCTION PROJECTS- AND BY
REDUCED FUELS WHETHER IT'S OUR
PREVIOUS WILDFIRE. A ROAD-
EIGHTY- TRAIL AND SOME CASES
THOSE THAT 90% OF THE FILE FIRE
DOES HAVE- IT DOES ACT REACT.
POSITIVELY MEANING IT'S REDUCED
OR IT STOPS- BECAUSE THE WINDS
BLOWING IN THE OPPOSITE
DIRECTION THAT WIND DRIVEN
PORTION OF THE FIRE IS
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO
CONTEND WITH AND THAT'S WHERE
WE DEFINITELY NEED A WHOLE
SYSTEM. OF REDUCING AMBER CAST-
REDUCING INTENSITY OF FIRE AS
IT COMES INTO A COMMUNITY
HAVING A NON CONDUCT NON-
IMMEDIATELY COMBUSTIBLE- IT'S
URIEL IN AND AROUND THE
STRUCTURE AREA AND THEN A
HARDENED HOME ONCE WE HAVE THAT
SYSTEM IN PLACE- THEN WE HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY TO. USE THESE
OTHER. FEATURES TO HERC FIRES A-
AT THROUGH COMMUNITY IN AND
THAT IN A MATTER THAT THAT WILL
BE- PUT US IN A PLACE WHERE
WE'RE LIVING WITH WILDFIRE AS
OPPOSED TO LIVING AGAINST
WILDFIRE. SO ALL OF THE ABOVE-
IN SOME OF THE NOTES THAT- DR
JENSEN- PROVIDED FROM NEED TO
THINK PLAN SOCIETY- YOU TALKED
ABOUT- HAVING ALL OF THE TOOLS
IN THE TOOLBOX AVAILABLE- FOR-
THE PLAN COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT-
ALSO I BELIEVE FOR THAT'S
IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY
RESILIENCE AND FUEL REDUCTION.
MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE BOARD AND
I. WANT TO STOP SHORT OF TRYING
TO BRING THIS TO A ONE OR TWO
OPTIONS- THIS IS THIS ISN'T. A
VERY COMPLEX SYSTEM IT MOTHER
NATURE ON ITS SIDE- WE THE ONLY
THING THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO DO IS DEVELOP
SYSTEMATIC APPROACHES THAT BEST
HAVE THE CHANCE OF. REDUCING
THE THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITIES-
THROUGH. AB MARIETTA OPTIONS
AND HAVING ALL OF THOSE
INGREDIENTS ARE TOOLS IN THE
TOOLBOX A READY TO GO AS WERE-
IT DOING COLLABORATIVE PLANNING
OF A PROJECT WORK AND I
ABSOLUTELY AGREE- THE
COLLABORATIVE PRINT PLANNING IS
ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY- ACTUALLY
THE REGIONAL AIR SAFETY TO. FOR
THAT WAS MEETING BEFORE I LEFT
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA I WAS THE
CHAIR OF FOR ABOUT THREE AND A
HALF YEARS AND- THAT WAS A BODY
THAT SPAWNED INTO THE- COAST.
AND MASSED IN THE MOUNTAIN
AREAS THAT'S MOUNTAIN AREA
SAFETY TASK FORCE AND FAST
FOREST AREA SAFETY TASK FORCE-
AND SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR AND
VERY- APPRECIATIVE OF THOSE-
EFFORTS AND THE COLLABORATION
THAT GOES INTO- THOSE- TYPES OF
PROGRAMS. SO THE- THE FOR THE I
WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
BEFORE COME TO QUESTIONS IS-
ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS- AND I KNOW
YOU'RE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH-
HOW THE CCI FUNDS HAVE BEEN
ALLOCATED- AND- THANK YOU L. A.
O. FOR THAT ANALYSIS THAT WAS
HELPFUL TO HEAR THIS MORNING-
THE WE HAVE BASICALLY THREE
PLACES THAT THOSE FUNDS- KIND
OF. CIPHERIN INTO AND THEIR
FIRE PREVENTION RANT AND FUELS
WORK TYPE OF- PROJECTS AS WELL
AS FOREST MANAGEMENT FOREST
HEALTH MANAGEMENT. AND THEN
THE- PIECES AND PARTS OF THE-
SB NINE OH ONE AND THAT KIND OF
HOLISTIC APPROACH TO- REDUCING-
FIRE THREAT BUT ALSO INCREASING
FOREST HEALTH. AND SO ALL OF
THESE EFFORTSARE USED IN IN
CONJUNCTION IN THAT ALL OF THE
ABOVE APPROACH WE'VE GOT THAT
DEEP WILDLAND ALL CALL IT WE'VE
GOT THE INTERMIX AREAS WE'VE
GOT THE FIRE DEFENSE-
IMPROVEMENT AREAS AND THE
DEFENSIBLE SPACE. AND THEN WE
NEED THAT FINAL PIECE THE HOME
HARDENING REALLY- OF ARMOR THIS
ENTIRE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO
LIVING WITH WILDFIRE. AND SO
PREVENT- THE PREVENTION PIECE
IS REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE
REDUCE THAT THAT- THREAT OF
FIRE IN AND AROUND THE
COMMUNITY ITSELF. IN SOME CASES
AROUND THE HOME. BUT THAT IS
ACTUALLY THE HOMEOWNERS OF
RESPONSIBILITY SO WE DO HAVE-
PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH
THOSE THAT ARE VULNERABLE THOSE
THAT NEED IT FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE CAN'T DO THE WORK
THEMSELVES- AND ARE GRANT
PROGRAMS ADDRESS THAT- OUR
FOREST MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS-
FORCED HEALTH. ARE TYPICALLY
POINTED OUT LARGER LANDSCAPE
LEVEL TREATMENTS AND INCREASING
THE HEALTH OF FORESTS- EIGHT
WHILE REDUCING THE THREAT OF
WILDFIRES TEARING THROUGH THOSE
FORESTS AND BEING- TURNED INTO
SMOKE THAT EVERY CALIFORNIA NOW
HAS IN THEIR LUNGS THAT IS THE
INTENT THERE. THE COMBINATION
OF THESE PROGRAMS GIVES GRANT
OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE
STATE AND- WE HAVE GRANTS THAT
HAVE BEEN- UTILIZED FOR THESE
PROCESSES FOR THESE PROGRAMS IN
FORTY FOUR OF THE FIFTY EIGHT
COUNTIES- AND WE LOOK TO
INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS- IT IS
NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE THAT IF
YOU GET A PRIOR EIGHT EIGHT
GRANT YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE
NEXT ANOTHER GRANT THE NEXT
TIME. WE'RE LOOKING TO GOOD
PRODUCT PROJECTS ACROSS THE
LANDSCAPE THAT HAVE CO
BENEFITS- INCLUDING WATER
QUALITY INTERESTS- REDUCING
CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE OF COURSE
BUT HABITAT PROTECTION-
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES- WE
HAVE- IT SPECIFICALLY. FUNDED
FOUR PROJECTS THAT- TO THE TUNE
OF FIVE MILLION DOLLARS THAT
OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT- ONE
OF THOSE ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN.
WE'RE GONNA FOR US YEAR AND
KNOW IS A BIG ISSUE FOR US WE
DON'T HAVE THE FOREST AND FUELS
WORKERS THAT WE NEED TO. DO THE
WORK THAT NEED TO DO WHEN WE
HAVE- INCREASE IN FUNDING AND
SO WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING TO HELP
WITH THAT AND HOW WE ARE
WORKING WITH. OUR NATIVE-
CALIFORNIANS ARE CALL THEM BUT
THEY'RE NOT SO MUCH THERE
THERE. THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF
CALIFORNIA. WHO HAVE
TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL
KNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE TAPPING
INTO AND FINDING THEM FOR SOME
OF THEIR- WORK THAT THEY NEED
TO DO AND WANT TO DO TO
INCREASE- MANAGEMENT OF THE
LANDSCAPE- THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE FINDING
IS THERE IS THERE IS I WANT TO
GIVE YO I'M GONNA I'M GONNA
COME TO THAT WHOLE THING. WE
ARE. MANAGING A SYSTEM AND
EMBARKING ON DECADES OF WORK
THAT NEED TO BE DONE UNDER THIS
SYSTEM AND PROBABLY SOME TWEAKS
THAT NEED TO BE DONE AS WELL
BUT ONE ONE POINT OF INTEREST-
WE DO HAVE A CLAIMANT GOAL THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO MEET WITH THESE
DOLLARS- THE CLIMATE INVESTMENT
PROGRAMME FUNDS. AND A FOREST
MANAGEMENT IS THIS IS THIS VERY
PROGRAM I'M TALKING ABOUT
FOREST HILL HORST MANAGEMENT
FOR NOT EVER FOR TWO THOUSAND
NINETEEN- THAT WAS THE SECONDS-
MOST- IMPORTANT. WORKSHOES
QUESTER OR- STORE CARBON OF ALL
OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE AT
WORK WERE UNDERTAKEN IN ALL OF
THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN PUT
INTO THAT- SECOND ONLY TO-
CLIMATES- CLIMATE SMART%
AGRICULTURE. AND SO THIS REALLY
DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ALL
OF THE AREAS THAT WE'VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT AND YOU'VE BEEN
HEARING TODAY. AND IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO-
LOOK AT THE VALUE THAT WE'RE
GAINING AND YES THIS IS A
HORRIBLE HORRIBLE WILDFIRE
SEASON- BUT IT IS- THIS IS THIS
DEPARTMENT IS UNIQUELY PLACED
AND HAS IS UNIQUELY STAFF. TO
BE ABLE TO UTILIZE ALL ASPECTS
OF IT- OF ITS- TOOLBOX TO
INCREASE FOREST HEALTH FIRE
PREVENTION- RUN GIGI R. F.
PROGRAMS- WE ARE ALSO RUNNING
OUR NORMAL REGULAR- RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
DEMONSTRATION FOR US URBAN
FORESTRY PROGRAMS
REFORESTATION- NURSERIES
PROGRAMS. FIRE PREVENTION
PROGRAMS AND FIRE AND LIFE-
IT'S ENGINEERING- PROGRAMS- AS
WELL AND SO THOSE ARE ALL OF
THESE THINGS ARE ARE- WORKING
TOGETHER UNDER- THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE
PROTECTION- TO DEVELOP THIS
HOLISTIC APPROACH- WITH A
DECADES LONG VIEW. AND A- A-
PICTURE OF THE AND HOW YEARS
THAT IS- CALIFORNIANS LIVING
WITH WILDFIRE- I DO HAVE WITH
ME- IN CASE THERE ARE SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS- AT ANCELOTTI'S-
ASSISTANT DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
CLIMATE AND INJURY IN ENERGY AS
WELL AS DANIEL BURLAP.
ASSISTANT DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF-
WILDFIRE PLANNING AND
ENGINEERING AND FIRE
ENGINEERING INVESTIGATION-
SHOULD THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
NEED TO BE ANSWERED- WITH THAT
I AM HAPPY TO TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS OF THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE
HERE SORRY THANK THANK YOU VERY
MUCH CHIEF PORTER- I KNOW HOW
BUSY YOU'VE BEEN OVER THE LAST-
TWO MONTHS AND- AND I KNOW
THAT- THAT. TO BE HERE TODAY
HAD TO CHANGE UP YOUR SCHEDULE
A LITTLE BIT AND I JUST WANT
YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE
YOUR PROVIDING THE INSIGHT THAT
REALLY ONLY YOU CAN PROVIDE TO
THE FOREST SO KNOW THAT IT'S
APPRECIATED TO I KNOW WHAT
MISTER MULLIN HAS A- HAS A
QUESTION. I THINK WE SHARE NOW
JUST WANT TO REITERATE THE-
NOTE OF THANKS AND APPRECIATION
TO THE DIRECTOR OF FOR YOUR
GOOD WORK AND AN EXTRAORDINARY.
TIME THAT WE'RE ALL LIVING
THROUGH. IN CALIFORNIA AND I
APPRECIATE THE CALL FOR AN ALL%
OF THE ABOVE STRATEGY AND ALSO
APPRECIATE THE DELINEATION OF
THE PANOPLY OF PROGRAMS THAT-
ARE UNDER YOUR- BRAWL I JUST
HAVE A FAIRLY BROAD QUESTION
ACTUALLY AND- LOOKING FOR YOUR-
HONEST OPINION HERE THERE'VE
BEEN SOME UP FAIRLY HIGH
PROFILE EXAMPLES WHERE FIRES
WERE SPARKED. BY THREE LAMBS ON
NATIONAL FOREST LAND I BELIEVE-
THE BOBCAT FIRE. IS ONE SO HOW
CAN WE- ENSURE STRONGER
COLLABORATION BETWEEN UTILITIES
AND STATE AGENCIES WHEN IT
COMES TO VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
ON BOTH PUBLIC OR OR STATE
LANDS AND PRIVATE LANDS AND
SORT OF HOW CAN ALL THAT FIT
TOGETHER. ALL ON THE VEGETATION
MANAGEMENT FRONT INSERTED WHERE
WHERE CAN WE GO FROM HERE. WELL
THANK YOU- THANK YOU FOR THAT
CONVERSATION OR THAT QUESTION
IT'S AND IT IS AN ONGOING
EFFORT- THANK CPUC- AND
WILDFIRE THREAT REDUCTION
PROGRAM THAT THAT- IS BEING
BUILT THERE IS PART OF THE
ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION- IT IS
IT THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR- AND
IT'S STILL FLEDGLING AND JUST
STARTING TO- STAND UP IT IS
THAT THAT WHOLE- DEPARTMENT IS
GONNA MOVE UNDER- THE RESOURCES
AGENCY AND BE- SISTER
DEPARTMENT TO. CALIFORNIA WE
ARE ALREADY WORKING VERY
COLLABORATIVELY AND CLOSELY ON
THESE- IT THESE TYPES OF
ISSUES- AND WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING DILIGENTLY- PARTLY
THROUGH- REQUIREMENT- DURING
BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS WITH
PG&E IN PARTICULAR BUT WITH ALL
OF THE UTILITIES- ON. KIND OF
WHAT WHAT WHAT THE NEXT PIECES
ARE. THE UTILITIES HAVE A HUGE
PART IN THIS IN THAT THEY ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING A- A
SAFE AND EFFECTIVE. OUR SYSTEM.
AND SO. WE ON THE REGULATORY
SIDE ARE LOOKING AT AREAS WHERE
WE MAY NEED TO STRENGTHEN OR-
CHANGED THOSE REGULATIONS. BUT
IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT
THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS
SAFE- AND EFFECTIVE SYSTEM AND
SO WHAT- WE DO HAVE A LOT OF
RULES AND REGULATIONS THAT ARE
IN PLACE- IF THEY- ACT OF GOD
TYPE OF INCIDENT HAPPENS- THEN
ADD AND A UTILITY CAUSES A FIRE
BASED ON THAT- THAT'S NOT
NECESSARILY A NEGLIGENT FIRE.
AND THEREFORE- THERE ARE PLACES
WHERE WE HAVE FIRES THAT ARE
CAUSED BY UTILITIES THAT ARE
NOT- DUE TO- NEGLIGENT OR LACK
OF- REGULATED- SPACE- WE NEED
TO LOOK AT IT AS A AS AGAIN A
HOLISTIC. APPROACH WE NEED TO
LOOK AT WHAT THE WHAT THE-
VEGETATION LOOKS LIKE IN AN
UNDER- LINES THAT CAN-
POTENTIALLY CAUSE FIRES- BUT WE
ALSO NEED TO- INSURE THAT THOSE
HARDENING THE INFRASTRUCTURE
AND HARDENING OF THE ELECTRICAL
SYSTEM. ARE OCCURRING AND WE
ARE DOING THAT- THERE ARE
THOUSANDS OF MILES AND HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF POINTS OF
CONTACT THAT NEED TO BE. LOOKED
AT AND MAINTAINED BY THE
UTILITIES- THEY ARE WORKING ON
THAT- AND WE NEED TO HOLD THEM
TO ACCOUNT AND- ADDS TO A
MAINTENANCE- LEVEL THAT ENSURES
WE DON'T GET TO PLACES LIKE WE
WERE WITH THE CAMPFIRE ON THE
CARIBOU- DISTRIBUTION LINE-
THAT OCCURRED. NEAR PARADISE.
WELL IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE WE'VE
HEARD OF MISTREATMENT AND THEN
THE ADDRESS SORRY. I CHIEF
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
PARTICIPATING TODAY SO IT'S
GOOD TO SEE YOU AYE DEEP
APPRECIATION FOR YOUR WORK IN
THE WORK OF YOUR ALL THE MEN
AND WOMEN OF YOUR AGENCIES SO
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME I
KNOW YOU'RE BUSY. RIGHT NOW SO-
THE- FIRST IS WHAT I DID TO
JUST VERIFY THAT. CALIFORNIA'S
FIRE BRADFORD- PREVENTION
PROGRAMS. ARE NOT CURRENTLY BE
FUND BEING FUNDED RIGHT NOW AND
I'M WONDERING. IN YOUR
ESTIMATION. WHAT WE'RE MISSING.
BY NOT FUNDING THEM WHAT IS
WHAT IS NOT HAPPENING NOW
THAT'S PUTTING US IN A MORE
DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE
WE'VE CHOSEN TO NOT FIND.
PREVENTION THAT'S. THANK YOU
MEMBER FRIEDMAN THAT THAT THAT
IS- IT'S AN OPEN ITEM- I
BELIEVE THAT- THE LEGISLATURE
WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT- THAT
BUDGET ITEM- THE ONLY PIECE OUT
OF THE- THE FUNDING THAT THAT-
DID OCCUR FOR THIS YEAR- I
THINK L. A. MENTIONED THIS
MORNING IS THE PIECE THAT THAT
COVERED THAT- THAT SHIFT OF
FUNDS THAT WAS REQUIRED AFTER
THE FIRE PREVENTION OR S.
ALREADY FEE WENT AWAY SO WHERE
WE ARE IS FOR THE GRANTS AS YOU
JUST MENTIONED- THOSE ARE
CURRENTLY FUNDED- HOWEVER
THAT'S NOT- THE END OF THE
STORY- WEDO EXPECTS TO- HERE
THAT EITHER THERE'S A COURT
MARTIAL- OUT OF THAT FUNDING
THAT COMES TO US- FOR THOSE
GRANT PROGRAMS- OR HOPEFULLY-
THAT AMOUNT IN FULL- SO- IF
THE- BOOK IS OPEN ON THAT-
WE'RE HOPING FOR. FUNDING THANK
YOU HAVE HI CONCUR WITH YOUR
HOPE FOR THAT. BUT SECONDLY IN
TERMS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
WHICH HAS VERY DIFFERENT- FIRE-
PROGRAMS THEN THE FORESTED
HEAVILY FORESTED AREAS IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. WHAT ARE
THE KIND OF PROJECTS THAT
GROUPS WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL IN
SUBMITTING IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA TO UTILIZE CAL
FIBERS LOCALIST SISTANCE. AND
HEALTHY FAR AS GRANT PROGRAM.
THAT IS AN ABSOLUTELY GREAT
QUESTION AND WITH SHORT TIME- I
AM GOING TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU
ON MORE SPECIFICS BUT I'M GONNA
GIVE YOU- THE ANSWER- THAT WE
WILL WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH
COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA- COLLABORATIVELY TO
ENSURE THAT WE CAN TAILOR-
THEIR PROJECTS TO FIT ONE OF
THE PROGRAMS OR VICE VERSA
DEPENDING ON. ON WHERE THOSE
THOSE SSUES MIGHT BE BUT BUT
TRULY- THESE PROGRAMS ARE
AVAILABLE TO ALL PARTS OF
CALIFORNIA AND ALL VEGETATION
TYPES OF CALIFORNIA WE JUST
NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT ONE- AND
MAKE SURE THAT THE PROGRAM- IS-
MEETING ALL OF THE SEAQUEST
DANDER IT'S- THAT ARE REQUIRED-
IN THE PLANNING PHASES AND THEN
ALSO- MEETING THE INTENT OF
COLLABORATION AND SOME OF
THOSE. THOSE MET THOSE- CO
BENEFITS THAT I WAS MENTIONING-
WE DEFINITELY WOULD WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN SEEING THAT THEY
MEET- OR HAVE A PARTNER SUCH AS
NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY- OR OTHER
CONSERVANCIES IN THE AREA
INCLUDING THE NATURE
CONSERVANCY WHO'S DONE.
INCREDIBLE WORK ON THE SANTA
ROSA PLATEAU UP ON THE- ORANGE
COUNTY RIVERSIDE COUNTY-
BOUNDARY WITH PRESCRIBED FIRE-
AS WELL AS OTHER FEL REDUCTION
TREATMENTS AS WELL FOR
RESTORATION OF THE NATURAL
HABITAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH
CHIEF. MS REST. THANK YOU CHIEF
IT'S BECOME OF ABSOLUTE
PLEASURE GETTING TO KNOW THE
WORK THAT YOU DO AND I WANT TO
JOIN MY COLLEAGUES IN THANKING
YOU AND THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN
WHO WORK WITH CAL FIRE I'M IN
MY AREA CHIEF MONTHS HE'S BEEN
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TO WORK
WITH AND HAS IN FACT JOIN US
FOR TOWN HALL- WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY
THE FACT THAT DURING THE VERY
BUSY SEASON CHIEF MONTHS SHE
WAS ABLE TO TAKE SOME TIME. TO
JOIN US IN THE TOWN HALL TO
HELP WITH PREPAREDNESS AYE I AM
EVER SO GRATEFUL TO HIM. I
JUST. WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
USING ONE WORD. AND THAT IS
HOPE. I MENTIONED THIS EARLIER
THAT WHEN WE- SEE WHAT CLIMATE
CHANGE IS DOING SEE WHAT THE
WIND IS DOING- WHAT ART
UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THE
UTILITIES ARE DOING. IT THE
THINGS THAT ARE- SOME OF THOSE
ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR
CONTROL SOME OF THOSE WE TRY TO
REGULATE. BUT KNOWING THAT WE
HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
THERE HAS TO BE A PLAN. NOT
JUST FOR THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR
BUT A LONG RANGE PLAN THAT
INCLUDES ALLOF THE
STAKEHOLDERS AND AYE AYE DOUBTS
THIS OF THE OTHERS. I WOULD ASK
THIS OF YOU ALSO. WHO ARE THE
STAKEHOLDERS THAT MUST BE AT
THE TABLE TO PUT TOGETHER THE
PLAN. THAT TAKES SAYS. TWO OPEN
UP A PLACE A PROTECTION TEN
YEARS FROM NOW. THANK YOU AND I
APPRECIATE THE QUESTION AS AS-
MMHM THE OTHERS SPEAKERS IT DID
AS WELL IT IT IT IS IT IS A
BROAD GROUP AND IN MANY CASES-
BUT I WOULD SAY AT THE STATE'S
AT THE STATE LEVEL- WE TRULY.
DO HAVE A COLLABORATION GOING
ON IN THESE AREAS- DOESN'T MEAN
THAT WE COULDN'T DO- BETTER JOB
AND HAVE MORE- INTERACTION-
COLLABORATIVELY BUT IT IS THE
FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE IT IS CAL
FIRE- IT IS OUR STATE LAND
MANAGERS WHERE- WE ASK THE
STATE- ONLY CONTROL THE
DECISION MAKING FOR LAND
MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON 3% OF
THE GROUND. BUT ALL OF US WHO
ARE ARE IN THAT- HAVE THAT
RESPONSIBILITY NEED TO BE
LOOKING AT AREAS WHERE WE CAN
BE EXAMPLES AS STATE STEWARD
STATE LAND STEWARDS- TO-
PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES FROM
THOSE HAZARDS THAT EXIST ON OUR
LAND- BUT ALSO SHOW THEN. THE
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ADJACENT
AND THE LANDOWNERS OF RANCHES
AND FOREST LANDS- WHAT TRUE
GOOD- MANAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE AND
SO THOSE I THIN THERE WE ARE
FOUR KIND OF RIGHT NOW GOING
FORWARD WE EXPANDED THAT TO-
REALLY- RIGHT NOW AND EVEN MORE
IN THE FUTURE- BUILD THAT
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM SO EVERY
SINGLE CALIFORNIA. NO MATTER IF
YOU LIVE IN THE TIMBER LIVE IN
THE IN THE CHAPARRAL LIVE AT
THE BEACH LIVE IN THE DESERT
DOESN'T MATTER YOU NEED TO KNOW
THAT THIS MATTERS TO YOU. ALL
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE
MATTERS TO YOU AND I THINK
AFTER THIS IS. IT YOU DIDN'T
REALIZE THAT YOU ACTUALLY EVERY
CALIFORNIAN HAS CALIFORNIA'S
FORESTS IN THEIR LUNGS RIGHT
NOW THAT IS STILL. SITTING
THERE- ITHINK THAT IT'S SO
EASY AND EASY SELL TO GO ALL
WAIT. YEAH THAT I DIDN'T SEE I
DIDN'T SEE FIRE BUT THAT SMOKE
CAME FROM A LONG WAY AND IT IS
AFFECTING ME SO THESE ARE
THINGS THAT THAT ARE BROAD AND
WE NEED TO DO IN THE BROADER
SENSE OF LAND MANAGEMENT TALK
ABOUT THOSE THAT HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY DO
SOMETHING RIGHT NOW. AND USE
THAT AS AN EXAMPLE TO EDUCATE
THE OF POPULATION AND- THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO GO ON
AND ON AND ON YES FOR THE NEXT
TEN YEARS BUT FOR DECADES. TO
HAVE A CULTURE A HUNDRED YEARS
FROM NOW- AS I WAS STRANGE TO
LOOK AS A FORESTER. THAT NEEDS
TO BE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
HOW DO WE SET. EVERYTHING UP SO
THAT IT'S BETTER A HUNDRED
YEARS FROM NOW. THANK YOU. WELL
THANK YOU VERY MUCH I THINK
THAT'S A GREAT- OPTIMISTIC GUY
AND FORWARD THINKING NOTE TO
END ON I MISSPOKE EARLIER IN
THE MEETING WHEN I SAID I KNOW
HOW BUSY YOU ARE- THE REALITY
IS I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW BUSY YOU
ARE- AND- SO WE- AS AS EVERYONE
IS SAID TO ARE GRATEFUL FOR
YOUR PARTICIPATION TODAY AND
LOOK FORWARD TO MORE
CONVERSATIONS AS WE MOVE
FORWARD TO A INTO THE- NEXT
SESSION IN JANUARY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU GENTLEMEN MEMBERS
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO PUBLIC
COMMENT AND LETS US START WITH.
THE ONE PERSON WHO'S IN THE
RELICS OF ONE PERSON WHO WAS
GOING TO GET PUBLIC COMMENT.
WELCOME GOOD AFTERNOON MR
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS MAKE ON
BEHALF OF HUMBOLDT MENDOCINO
REDWOOD COMPANIES OF APPRECIATE
THE TIME WILL BE VERY BRIEF-
FIRST WE DID WANT TO APPLAUD
THE STATE IN ITS- LEADERSHIP
AND- EFFORTS. IN GHG EMISSION
REDUCTIONS- HOWEVER WE THINK
THAT WE'VE GOT TO. GIVE SERIOUS
ATTENTION TO LAND AND FOREST
MANAGEMENT IN THE STATE. AND WE
HAVE THREE MAIN SUGGESTIONS- AT
THIS POINT. THE FIRST IS WE
THINK THAT WE NEED A SINGLE
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBLE WHO CAN
FIRST DIRECT- AN ORGANIZED
PROJECTS AROUND THE STATE. I
CALIFORNIA HAS- STATED A POLICY
OF TRYING TO- TREAT ABOUT FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND ACRES IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA EACH YEAR.
WITH OVER THIRTY THREE MILLION
ACRES OF FOREST LAND IN THE
STATE- ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT
REALLY IS NOT GOING TO MAKE
MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE. SECOND WE
THINK OF THAT WHILE FITTING IS
A VERY IMPORTANT WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE TO RE INTRODUCE PRESCRIBED
FIRE. AND PART OF THAT REQUIRES
A PROGRAM OF ESTABLISHING SOME
LIMITS ON LIABILITY. ABSENT
NEGLIGENCE OF COURSE TO SOME
INSURABLE AMOUNT FOR THE
LANDOWNER. AND THEN THE THIRD
IS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT BIOMASS
WILL AND HAS TO PLAY AN
IMPORTANT ROLE. IF WE DO I
TREAT ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED
THOUSAND ACRES PER YEAR WHAT DO
WE DO WITH THAT MATERIAL AND
ESSENTIALLY YOU HAVE A CHOICE
OF. YOU KNOW OPEN PILE BURNS.
OR TRANSPORTING IT TO A BIOMASS
FACILITY WHICH AT LEAST
ACCORDING TO SOME STUDIES SUCH
AS THE PLUMAS FAIR BOARD IT
RESULTS IN A SUBSTANTIAL
REDUCTION. IN A CAR BEEN IN
KNOX IN PARTICULAR MATTER. SO
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH- YOU ARE SUBCOMMITTEE
NUMBER THREE OF COURSE
CHAIRWOMAN FRIEDMAN. IS NATURAL
RESOURCES COMMITTEE THE
CHAIRMAN OUR BOARD LIKE STALL
SAY. WE CAN I HAVE FIVE AT OUR
WHEN WE PROPERLY MANAGE OUR
FORESTS OR WE CAN HAVE I WHEN
MOTHER MADE NATURE DECIDES AND
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN-
COMBAT IN A NUMBER OF YEARS
WHICH AS YOU WELL. KNOW HAS
RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF DOZENS
OF LIVES YEAR BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS OF LOSSES THROUGHOUT
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND SO
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
ALL OF YOU THANK YOU RESEARCHER
THANK YOU VERY MUCH IT LOOKS
LIKE WE HAVE SOMEBODY OUT AND-
CAPITOL PARK. WAITING TO SPEAK.
WELCOME SIR. YEAH MISTER CHAIR
MEMBERS BRENDAN TO IT ON BEHALF
OF THE CALIFORNIA AIR POLLUTION
CONTROL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
REPRESENTING THE EXACT
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS FROM ALL
THIRTY FIVE LOCAL AIR DISTRICTS
I'M HERE TO HIGHLIGHT THE
IMPORTANCE OF A CONTINUING THE
TWO MILLION DOLLARS OF FUNDING
FOR LOCAL AIR DISTRICT GRANTS
FOR INCREASING MONITORING OF
PRESCRIBED BURNS ALSO PUBLIC
PUBLIC OUTREACH WHICH IS VERY
IMPORTANT FOR OUR CHANGING
PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF PRESCRIBED
FIRE. AND OTHER RELATED WORK AS
REQUIRED BY S. B. T. SIXTY
OTHER PROGRAMS ALREADY HAVING A
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT DURING THE
FIRST YEAR ALONE OF THE PROGRAM
THEIR DISTRICTS ARE VERIFIED
CLOSE TO THIRTY EIGHT HUNDRED
PRESCRIBED FIRES OVER A HUNDRED
NINETY THOUSAND ACRES WERE
TREATED WITH PRESCRIBED FIRE
INSURANCE THIRTY THREE FIRES
WERE MONITORED WITH THE DAMS OR
STATIONARY MONITORS USING THE
PROTOCOL DEVELOPED BY CARBON
CAPCO EXPANDING PER. FIRE WHICH
WILL REQUIRE A LOCAL AIR
DISTRICT ROLE WILL BE KEY TO
MEETING THE GOAL OF TREATING
ONE MILLION ACRES OF VEGETATION
ANNUALLY. BEGINNING IN TWENTY
TWENTY FIVE AS IDENTIFIED IN
THE RECENTLY SIGNED US FOREST
SERVICE CALIFORNIA ANIMAL YOU.
WHILE THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS MODEST
THE INVESTMENT PROVIDE
SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH AND
SAFETY BENEFITS AND COST
SAVINGS A PRESCRIBED FIRE HEADS
OFF THE SIGNIFICANT CRITERION
TOXIC EMISSIONS. ASSOCIATED
WITH WILDFIRES WHICH OF COURSE
INCLUDES INCINERATION OF
PLASTICS PESTICIDES AND OTHER
CHEMICALS THAT ARE CONTAINED
WITHIN BUILDINGS VEHICLES AND
HOMES- WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE. AND LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM
AND OF COURSE WITH YOU MISTER
CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS- REGARDING
FUNDING FOR THIS ITEM THANK
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELCOME GOOD AFTERNOON
CHAIRPERSON BLOOM AND MEMBERS
STAND SILVER ENDANGERED
HABITATS LEAGUE. THE ELEPHANT
IN THE ROOM IS LOCAL LAND USE
EXPANSION OF NEW DEVELOPMENT
INTO THE FIRE ZONE IS ONGOING
MASSIVE AND RECKLESS STRUCTURES
BUILT TWO NEW CODES BURN ANYWAY
AND EVACUATION ROUTES ARE
GRIDLOCK EVEN BEFORE THE FIRE
STARTS. THE LEGISLATURE MUST
SUMMON THE COURAGE TO LIMIT.
LOCAL DISCRETION FOR NEW
CONSTRUCTION IN THE FIRESTONE
IT SHOULD DO THIS DIRECTLY. IT
COULD DO IT INDIRECTLY IF THE
STATE WOULD STOP SUBSIDIZING SO
MUCH THE STATE RESPONSIBILITY
AREAS WHICH ALLOW LOCAL
GOVERNMENT TO AVOID THE
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR
RECKLESS DECISIONS. AND WHY IS
THE STATE CONTINUING TO ISSUE
SUBSIDIZE FAIR PLAN INSURANCE
FOR NEW HOMES IN FIRE ZONES. MY
SECOND POINT IS THAT CALIFORNIA
MUST BRING ITS VEGETATION
TREATMENT PROGRAM IN SHRUBLANDS
INTO THE MODERN ERA. ITS
VEGETATION TREATMENT PROGRAM
WILL SPEND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
ON ACTIVE ON ACTIVITIES IT METS
ARE INEFFECTIVE IN WIND DRIVEN
FIRES IT IS THE WIND DRIVEN
FIRES THAT CAUSE LOSS OF LIFE
AND PROPERTY. A SIMPLE STEP IS
TO MAKE CAL FIRE FOLLOW
EXISTING LAW AND ACTUALLY
ENFORCE PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE
FOUR FOUR EIGHT THREE WHOSE
INTENT IS TO STOP TYPE
CONVERSION OF CHAPARRAL TO
FLAMMABLE WEEDS. THE VTP OF CAL
FIRE SHOWS NO INTENTION OF
FOLLOWINGSTATE LAW RATHER IT
CALLS FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF ACRES TO BE CRITICALLY
INJURED AND CONVERTED TO MORE
FLAMMABLE VEGETATION. IF
CALIFORNIA WOULD LIMIT
TREATMENTS TO TIMES BEYOND THE
NORMAL FIRE RETURN INTERVAL WE
COULD GET A HANDLE ON THE
DAMAGE. BUT CAL FIRE WON'T TALK
WITH US. ANOTHER APPROACH IS TO
LIMIT FUND EXPENDITURES TO
WHERE IT IS EFFECTIVE.
DEFENSIBLE SPACE AROUND
STRUCTURES AND FUEL BREAKS
ADJACENT TO COMMUNITIES. THE
LEGISLATURE SHOULD CONVENE A
SCIENTIFIC PANEL ON VEGETATION
TREATMENT AND IT SHOULD ENFORCE
THE LAWS ON THE BOOKS THAT
CALIFORNIA IS BRAZENLY
CIRCUMVENTING THANK YOU. THANK
YOU VERY MUCH. DO WE HAVE ANY
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
WAITING TO SPEAK. WHO HAS THE
ANSWER.
OKAY I'M BEING TOLD
THAT OTHER NO OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC OR WAITED TO SPEAK
AND SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS
HEARING I ESPECIALLY WANT TO
THANK SUSAN CHAN FROM- THE
BUDGET- OFFICE ASSEMBLY BUDGET
OFFICE WHO IS DONE- JUST AN
AMAZING JOB PUTTING THIS ABOUT
PROGRAM TOGETHER TODAY SO I
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON.