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AB 2513

Wildfire: Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program: local assistance grant program: regional landscape grants.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Cottie Petrie-Norris

Funds and directs regional landscape grants to local entities to implement region-wide wildfire risk reduction and resilience projects aligned with the state action plan.

In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
#regionalforestandfirecapacityprogram #wildfire #localassistancegrantprogram #regionallandscapegrants
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · AB 2513

Summary of AB 2513 (2025-2026) – Wildfire: Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program; local assistance grant program; regional landscape grants

Note: This summary outlines the bill’s main purpose, key provisions, affected parties, and timeline considerations. It reflects the text as amended in the 2025-2026 session.

1) Purpose and intent

  • Establish and empower a regional framework to reduce wildfire risk by building local and regional capacity for fire-adapted communities and landscapes.
  • Align funding and grantmaking with California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan.
  • Expand and streamline authority to directly award regional landscape grants and to extend advance payment provisions for grants.

2) Key provisions and changes

A. Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program enhancements (Public Resources Code)

  • Create/authorize direct award of regional landscape grants to regional entities (e.g., regional conservancies, local governments, tribal governments, RC Districts, NGOs) to implement regional priority strategies.
  • Require the Department of Conservation (DOC) Director, with the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force (W&FRTF), to establish guidelines for funding regional landscape grants to support the state plan goals.
  • Extend the authorization for advance payments of regional grants indefinitely (previously time-limited).

B. Regional landscape grants (new and expanded authority)

  • The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) may award regional landscape grants to local entities to implement regional priority strategies.
  • Prior guidelines must be established before grant issuance; guidelines must align with the January 2021 Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan and updates.
  • Similar to other grant programs, Government Code Chapter 3.5 flexibility for guideline development is preserved (i.e., guidelines may be developed outside that Chapter’s typical constraints).

C. Landscape-scale funding and regional priorities (Public Resources Code)

  • Amounts appropriated for landscape-scale projects must also cover regional landscape grants directed to regional priority strategies.
  • Funds may support:
    • Projects improving ecosystem health and regional resilience.
    • Subgrants or direct awards to regional entities to carry out priority strategies.
    • Forest health, wildfire risk reduction, and multiple-benefit projects (e.g., watershed health, biodiversity).

D. Local assistance grant program – expansion of eligible activities (Public Resources Code § 4124.5)

  • Expand eligible activities for fire prevention and home hardening outreach to include:
    • Vegetation modification and ignition risk reduction along roadways and driveways (in addition to vegetation management).
    • Ignition prevention activities (as defined in the bill).
  • Update definitions:
    • Clarify what constitutes “fire prevention activities,” “ignition prevention,” and “nonnative flashy fuels.”
  • Prioritize: local entities qualified to perform defensible space assessments in high/very high fire hazard zones.

E. Local assistance grant program details (Public Resources Code § 4799.05)

  • Similar advance payment provisions as in other programs (e.g., up to 25% or up to 50% in certain cases for equipment).
  • Reporting and accountability requirements for advance payments (quarterly/biannual reporting and timelines).
  • Clear pipeline for landscape-scale funding categories:
    • Removal of small-diameter material and dead trees.
    • Multiple-benefit projects (thinning, carbon sequestration, ecosystem restoration).
    • Projects on chaparral, shrubland, grassland, coastal sage scrub, and native vegetation replacements toward ignition risk reduction.

F. Interagency collaboration and reporting

  • Routine collaboration among DOC, Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), and W&FRTF.
  • Public reporting on program outcomes, regional coverage, and progress toward the action plan goals.

3) Who is affected

  • Regional entities (state conservancies, local governments, tribal governments, RC districts, joint powers authorities, NGOs) that would participate as grant recipients and fiscal administrators.
  • Local governmental entities and organizations eligible for the local assistance grant program (cities, counties, fire safe councils, nonprofits, Native tribes, CNCS partners, etc.).
  • Wildlife Conservation Board and DOC staff implementing and overseeing grants.
  • CalFire and related state agencies involved in forest health and wildfire prevention funding.

4) Timeline and procedural aspects

  • The bill relies on appropriation by the Legislature to fund the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program and related grants.
  • Establishment of guidelines is a precondition to issuing regional landscape grants; guidance emphasizes alignment with the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan (2021 update path).
  • Advance payment provisions exist across multiple sections; some previously time-limited authorities are extended indefinitely under this bill.
  • Administrative and reporting requirements (accountability reports every six months, standard grant reporting timelines) are retained or clarified.

5) Overall impact

  • Increases state capacity to fund and administer regional strategies aimed at wildfire risk reduction and ecosystem health.
  • Enables direct award of regional landscape grants to regional entities, potentially accelerating implementation of region-specific resilience projects.
  • Expands the scope of local assistance activities to address ignition risk and roadway/driveway vegetation management.
  • Strengthens alignment of funding with California’s wildfire resilience goals and reporting requirements to track progress and outcomes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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