The CALIFORNIA COUNCIL ON SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (CCST) has released a report for download (https://ccst.us/reports/the-costs-of-wildfire-in-california-2/) funded by partners at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. This report summarizes the state of knowledge regarding wildfire losses and their associated costs across key sectors. It challenges the assumptions underlying current fire management policies and proposes a novel framework for understanding the total cost of wildfire in California. The results of this study suggest opportunities for policy makers to improve the effectiveness of wildfire management in California by enabling regional approaches, increasing investments in mitigation and resilience strategies, and accounting for the cumulative public health impacts of exposure to multiple fire events.

This report includes several recommendations, including ES.6 - “California should create and manage a systematic, comprehensive data clearinghouse for wildfire events including wildfire smoke, prevention and mitigation, losses including health, societal and ecological impacts, and associated costs. Models exist for this type of clearinghouse in the CalEnviroScreen and the California Open and Transparent Water Data Platform. Such a clearinghouse could be established via an extension and expansion of the recently established Wildfire Forecast and Threat Integration Center.“

Senate Bil No. 209 Chapter 405 (http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB209) was recently amended relating to Wildfires. Excerpts are provided herein.

8586.7. (a)

(1) The office and the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection shall jointly establish and lead the Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center.

(2) The Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center’s primary mission shall be to collect, assess, and analyze fire weather data, atmospheric conditions, and other threat indicators that could lead to catastrophic wildfire and to reduce the likelihood and severity of wildfire incidents that could endanger the safety of persons, property, and the environment by developing and sharing intelligence products related to fire weather and fire threat conditions for government decisionmakers.

(3) The Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center shall serve as the state’s integrated central organizing hub for wildfire forecasting, weather information, and threat intelligence gathering, analysis, and dissemination, and shall also coordinate wildfire threat intelligence and data sharing among federal, state, and local agencies, tribal governments, utilities, and other service providers, academic institutions, and nongovernmental organizations.

8586.7. (b)

(1) The Wildfire Forecast and Threat Intelligence Integration Center shall be comprised of representatives from the following organizations:

(A) The Office of Emergency Services.

(B) The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

(D) The Military Department.

(E) The University of California.

(F) The California State University.

(G) The California Utilities Emergency Association.

(H) At least one representative of investor-owned utility companies, appointed by the President of the Public Utilities Commission.

(I) At least one representative of publicly owned utilities, appointed jointly by the Director of Emergency Services and the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection.

(J) Other members as designated jointly by the Director of Emergency Services and the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Costs of Wildfire in California report released!