Wildfire legislation passed in Sacramento

State Sen. Christine Kehoe’s wildfire prevention legislation passed the State Senate recently. Her three bills are designed to help local governments purchase fire trucks, firefighting helicopters, and better protect families and homes in high-risk fire areas.

Senate Bill 1500 would require county governments to submit any new development plans proposed within State Responsibility Areas to CalFire for review.

SB 1537 would reimburse local governments for response and recovery costs which were incurred while fighting the October 2007 wildfires.

SB 1617 would require property owners in State Responsibility Areas to pay an annual $50 fee for each occupied structure to fund wildfire prevention efforts such as the removal of dead or dying trees, fuels management on public lands, annual fire inspections, and emergency preparedness.

To view the bills, visit

www.senate.ca.gov/kehoe

and click on “legislation.”