Political Watch: March 6, 2025

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• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) joined congressmen from Washington state, Texas, and New Mexico in introducing the Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act to improve the nation’s aerial firefighting capabilities through expanded use of excess military aircrafts and parts, according to a Feb. 20 press release from Carbajal’s office. The bipartisan legislation would reauthorize military aircraft to be sold for use in aerial firefighting operations. The Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 created the program, which Carbajal’s office said played a crucial role in modernizing the nation’s aerial firefighting fleet. It expired in 2005 and was reauthorized from 2012 to 2017. “As Southern California recovers from a devastating cluster of wildfires, I’m committed in Congress to implementing the policy solutions needed to improve our response to these devastating disasters on a bipartisan basis,” Carbajal said in the release. “I’m proud to join my colleagues on this common-sense bill to strengthen the fleet of aircraft we have available to battle these blazes and ensure our first responders have all the air support they can get when defending our communities.” The bill would authorize the secretary of defense to sell excess Department of Defense aircrafts and parts to individuals or entities contracted with the government for aerial delivery of fire retardants or water to fight wildfires. 

• In February, State Sen. John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) joined Sen. John Becker (D-San Mateo) in introducing legislation to streamline how wildfire mitigation investments are evaluated and coordinated across California, according to an announcement from his office. The Wildfire Mitigation and Strategic Planning Act would establish a framework to align state, federal, industry, and wildfire prevention efforts to ensure that “every dollar spent delivers maximum protection for communities,” the announcement said. “The growing frequency and intensity of wildfires continue to pose a serious threat to communities along the Central Coast, from past devastation in Santa Cruz and Big Sur to the most recent fires in Los Angeles. SB 326 represents a crucial advancement in wildfire management by establishing a Wildfire Risk Mitigation Planning Framework through the Office of the State Fire Marshal, strengthening our ability to coordinate disaster response and enhance cost-effectiveness,” Laird said in the announcement. “A comprehensive approach across all levels of government is essential to accurately assess and forecast wildfire risks, allowing us to take proactive measures that safeguard lives, property, and California’s natural resources.” Cal Fire has spent $2.5 billion on wildfire resilience since 2020 with an additional $1.5 billion to be committed for proactive projects that protect communities from wildfires and promote natural landscapes, Laird’s office said. The bill would evaluate the effectiveness of that work and what’s been done by federal, utility, and private actors; improve coordination between the stakeholders; and use data to ensure wildfire mitigation dollars deliver “maximum protection.”

• On March 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency “to fast-track critical projects protecting communities from wildfire, ahead of peak season.” The emergency proclamation will suspend the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the Coastal Act, which Newsom’s office said is slowing down forest management projects. “This year has already seen some of the most destructive wildfires in California history, and we’re only in March. Building on unprecedented work cutting red tape and making historic investments—we’re taking action with a state of emergency to fast-track critical wildfire projects even more,” Newsom said in a press release. “These are the forest management projects we need to protect our communities most vulnerable to wildfire, and we’re going to get them done.” The proclamation suspends environmental regulations as needed to expedite vegetation and tree removal, add fuel breaks, and conduct prescribed burns. It also directs state agencies to submit recommendations to increase the pace and scale of prescribed fire. 

This article appears in Mar 6-16, 2025.