Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel, as specified. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and update a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with prescribed regulations regarding building in a wildland-urban interface area. Existing law authorizes the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to establish the State Fire Marshals Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the State Fire Marshals Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with state building standards for wildland-urban interface areas. The bill would authorize the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.

This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 13159.5 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by SB 514 to be operative only if this bill and SB 514 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel, as specified. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and update a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with prescribed regulations regarding building in a wildland-urban interface area. Existing law authorizes the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to establish the State Fire Marshals Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the State Fire Marshals Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with state building standards for wildland-urban interface areas. The bill would authorize the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.

Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel, as specified. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and update a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with prescribed regulations regarding building in a wildland-urban interface area. Existing law authorizes the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to establish the State Fire Marshals Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal State Fire Marshals Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with state building standards for wildland-urban interface areas. The bill would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with the California Building Standards Commission, for the purpose of developing the home hardening certification program, to convene and facilitate a workgroup, as specified. The bill would authorize the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program and convening and facilitating the workgroup. program.

Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel, as specified. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and update a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with prescribed regulations regarding building in a wildland-urban interface area. Existing law authorizes the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies the best appropriate combination of those listed products and construction assemblies, and other home hardening techniques, measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire. fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with state building standards for wildland-urban interface areas. The bill would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal, in consultation with the California Building Standards Commission, for the purpose of developing the home hardening certification program, to convene and facilitate a workgroup, as specified. The bill would authorize the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program and convening and facilitating the workgroup.

Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel, as specified. Existing law requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop and update a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with prescribed regulations regarding building in a wildland-urban interface area. Existing law authorizes the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions.

This bill would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies the best appropriate combination of those listed products and construction assemblies, and other home hardening techniques, including defensible space, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire. The bill would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal, for the purpose of developing the home hardening certification program, to convene and facilitate a workgroup, as specified. The bill would authorize the Office of the State Fire Marshal to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program and convening and facilitating the workgroup.

GOVERNOR'S VETO

GV Bill Id:AB 1143

Author:(Bennett)

As Enrolled Ver:September 16, 2025

2/3 vote

SUMMARY

1. Requires, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal's (SFM's) Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with provisions adopted in the California Building Code, as specified.
2. Authorizes the SFM to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund (BSA Fund), upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.
3. Incorporate additional changes to Section 13159.5 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by SB 514 to be operative only if this bill and SB 514 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

Governor's Veto Message

This bill would require the Office of the State Fire Marshal's Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee within the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to develop a home-hardening certification program by January 1, 2027.

At a time when Californians are grappling with rising insurance costs due to natural disasters exacerbated by climate change, the state has launched multiple efforts to expedite proven and cost-effective home-hardening practices, aiming to improve insurability for millions of homeowners. CAL FIRE currently administers California's Wildfire Mitigation Program, established in 2019 to strengthen community-wide resilience against wildfires. The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and CAL FIRE, working side-by-side with counties and cities, have launched a statewide wildfire home-hardening playbook that at-risk communities can lift straight off the shelf. In 2022, CDI introduced its "Safer from Wildfires" framework, a first-of-its-kind regulation that requires insurance companies to offer discounts to homeowners and businesses that take specific wildfire mitigation steps. These are just a few examples that demonstrate the state's commitment to tackling this important issue.

This year, the Legislature sent me multiple bills with the intention of building upon this ongoing work. Unfortunately, rather than providing a coordinated approach, these measures are in conflict with one another, tasking different state entities with similar objectives. The lack of harmony between these efforts will not only result in conflicting outcomes but also confusion for consumers, insurance companies, local governments, and emergency responders.

I encourage the Legislature to revisit this important issue next year and work collaboratively to navigate the different approaches to setting hardening standards, including determining the responsible state entity. In the meantime, California will continue to aggressively implement the multiple initiatives underway to mitigate wildfire risk, encourage cost-effective structure hardening and retrofitting, facilitate vegetation management, and address the availability and cost of insurance.

COMMENTS

California Wildfire Mitigation Program: In 2019, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law AB 38 to create the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP). The law authorized a joint exercise of powers agreement between Cal OES and Cal FIRE to strengthen community-wide resilience against wildfires. This included developing a state home hardening initiative to retrofit, harden, and create defensible space for homes at high risk of wildfires, focusing on high socially-vulnerable communities, and providing financial assistance for low- and moderate-income households. The effort is meant to encourage cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings, and public spaces. This includes a community hardening approach to achieve wildfire resilience, low-cost retrofits with ignition-resistant materials to bring homes up to the standard of the California Building Code Chapter 7A, community and homeowner wildfire education on defensible space and home retrofitting, and providing financial assistance to support home hardening work for qualifying homeowners.

In coordination with state and local partners, Cal OES and Cal FIRE also established a state wildfire home hardening framework that can be modeled throughout vulnerable California communities. The framework provides the opportunity for California communities to leverage state and federal resources and develop local wildfire home hardening programs that address community resiliency needs. To help expedite local wildfire home hardening program development and inform the build-out of the state's framework, Cal OES and Cal FIRE will provide state funding, resources, and support for demonstration communities to implement community wildfire home hardening projects in areas with high social vulnerability and wildfire risk.

According to the Author

California's wildfire destruction has reached a tipping point. As the wildfires in Southern California have shown fires are now sweeping into urban areas in new, more intense and uncontrollable ways. We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the State Fire Marshal's Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach.

Arguments in Support

The League of California Cities write, "The League of California Cities (Cal Cities) is pleased to support AB 1143 (Bennett), which would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop a home hardening certification program identifying the best home hardening measures that can be taken during property renovations or improvement projects to reduce fire risk. California has the highest wildfire risk in the US. In recent years, the state has experienced a growing number of highly destructive wildfires due to climate change and over a century of logging and fire suppression. The devastating impacts of these wildfires has unfortunately resulted in the destruction of over 57,000 structures in the last decade."

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, Inc. write, "While California has made important strides in fire prevention through building codes, defensible space requirements, and educational resources, these efforts have largely functioned as individual components rather than a cohesive approach. Research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in collaboration with CalFire, clearly demonstrates that effective home hardening requires addressing multiple vulnerabilities simultaneously. No single measure alone can adequately protect a structure from the complex threats posed by wind-driven embers, direct flame contact, and radiant heat. AB 1143 addresses this critical gap by creating a certification program that identifies appropriate combinations of home hardening products, construction techniques, and defensible space measures. By establishing a comprehensive framework, this legislation will provide homeowners with clear guidance on how to effectively protect their properties from wildfire."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, "CAL FIRE reports costs of approximately $2.31 million in year one and $2.22 million in year two and ongoing to develop and implement the certification program (Building Standards Administration Special Revolving (BSA) Fund and General Fund)."

VOTES

ASM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: 7-0-0

YES: Ransom, Hadwick, Arambula, Bains, Bennett, Calderon, DeMaio

ASM NATURAL RESOURCES: 14-0-0

YES: Bryan, Alanis, Connolly, Ellis, Flora, Garcia, Haney, Hoover, Kalra, Muratsuchi, Pellerin, Schultz, Wicks, Zbur

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-4

YES: Wicks, Arambula, Calderon, Caloza, Elhawary, Fong, Mark González, Hart, Pacheco, Pellerin, Solache

ABS, ABST OR NV: Sanchez, Dixon, Ta, Tangipa

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0-0

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

SENATE FLOOR: 38-0-2

YES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Arreguín, Ashby, Becker, Blakespear, Cabaldon, Caballero, Cervantes, Cortese, Dahle, Durazo, Grayson, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, McNerney, Menjivar, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Pérez, Reyes, Richardson, Rubio, Seyarto, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Strickland, Umberg, Valladares, Wahab, Weber Pierson, Wiener

ABS, ABST OR NV: Choi, Gonzalez

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0-1

YES:  Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Johnson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

ABS, ABST OR NV: McKinnor

UPDATED

VERSION: September 16, 2025

CONSULTANT: Mike Dayton / E.M. / (916) 319-3802 FN: 0002206

CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS

CSA1 Bill Id:AB 1143

Author:(Bennett)

As Amended Ver:September 5, 2025

Majority vote

SUMMARY

1. Requires, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal's (SFM's) Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with provisions adopted in the California Building Code, as specified.
2. Authorizes the SFM to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund (BSA Fund), upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.

Senate Amendments

Incorporate additional changes to Section 13159.5 of the Health and Safety Code proposed by SB 514 to be operative only if this bill and SB 514 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.

COMMENTS

California Wildfire Mitigation Program: In 2019, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law AB 38 to create the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP). The law authorized a joint exercise of powers agreement between Cal OES and Cal FIRE to strengthen community-wide resilience against wildfires. This included developing a state home hardening initiative to retrofit, harden, and create defensible space for homes at high risk of wildfires, focusing on high socially-vulnerable communities, and providing financial assistance for low- and moderate-income households. The effort is meant to encourage cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings, and public spaces. This includes a community hardening approach to achieve wildfire resilience, low-cost retrofits with ignition-resistant materials to bring homes up to the standard of the California Building Code Chapter 7A, community and homeowner wildfire education on defensible space and home retrofitting, and providing financial assistance to support home hardening work for qualifying homeowners.

In coordination with state and local partners, Cal OES and Cal FIRE also established a state wildfire home hardening framework that can be modeled throughout vulnerable California communities. The framework provides the opportunity for California communities to leverage state and federal resources and develop local wildfire home hardening programs that address community resiliency needs. To help expedite local wildfire home hardening program development and inform the build-out of the state's framework, Cal OES and Cal FIRE will provide state funding, resources, and support for demonstration communities to implement community wildfire home hardening projects in areas with high social vulnerability and wildfire risk.

According to the Author

California's wildfire destruction has reached a tipping point. As the wildfires in Southern California have shown fires are now sweeping into urban areas in new, more intense and uncontrollable ways. We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the State Fire Marshal's Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach.

Arguments in Support

The League of California Cities write, "The League of California Cities (Cal Cities) is pleased to support AB 1143 (Bennett), which would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop a home hardening certification program identifying the best home hardening measures that can be taken during property renovations or improvement projects to reduce fire risk. California has the highest wildfire risk in the US. In recent years, the state has experienced a growing number of highly destructive wildfires due to climate change and over a century of logging and fire suppression. The devastating impacts of these wildfires has unfortunately resulted in the destruction of over 57,000 structures in the last decade."

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, Inc. write, "While California has made important strides in fire prevention through building codes, defensible space requirements, and educational resources, these efforts have largely functioned as individual components rather than a cohesive approach. Research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in collaboration with CalFire, clearly demonstrates that effective home hardening requires addressing multiple vulnerabilities simultaneously. No single measure alone can adequately protect a structure from the complex threats posed by wind-driven embers, direct flame contact, and radiant heat. AB 1143 addresses this critical gap by creating a certification program that identifies appropriate combinations of home hardening products, construction techniques, and defensible space measures. By establishing a comprehensive framework, this legislation will provide homeowners with clear guidance on how to effectively protect their properties from wildfire."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Senate Committee on Appropriations, "CAL FIRE reports costs of approximately $2.31 million in year one and $2.22 million in year two and ongoing to develop and implement the certification program (Building Standards Administration Special Revolving (BSA) Fund and General Fund)."

VOTES:

ASM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: 7-0-0

YES: Ransom, Hadwick, Arambula, Bains, Bennett, Calderon, DeMaio

ASM NATURAL RESOURCES: 14-0-0

YES: Bryan, Alanis, Connolly, Ellis, Flora, Garcia, Haney, Hoover, Kalra, Muratsuchi, Pellerin, Schultz, Wicks, Zbur

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-4

YES: Wicks, Arambula, Calderon, Caloza, Elhawary, Fong, Mark González, Hart, Pacheco, Pellerin, Solache

ABS, ABST OR NV: Sanchez, Dixon, Ta, Tangipa

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0-0

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

UPDATED

VERSION: September 5, 2025

CONSULTANT: Mike Dayton / E.M. / (916) 319-3802 FN: 0002117

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 1143

Author: Bennett (D)

Amended: 9/5/25 in Senate

Vote: 21

SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE: 15-0, 6/24/25

AYES: Padilla, Archuleta, Ashby, Blakespear, Cervantes, Choi, Dahle, Hurtado, Jones, Ochoa Bogh, Richardson, Rubio, Smallwood-Cuevas, Wahab, Weber Pierson

SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE: 7-0, 7/8/25

AYES: Limón, Seyarto, Allen, Grove, Hurtado, Laird, Stern

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 8/29/25

AYES: Caballero, Seyarto, Cabaldon, Dahle, Grayson, Richardson, Wahab

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 6/2/25 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: State Fire Marshal: home hardening certification program

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill requires the State Fire Marshal’s (SFM) Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program, as specified.

Senate Amendments of 9/5/25 address a chaptering conflict with SB 514 (Cabaldon).

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Requires the SFM to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel, as specified.
2. Requires the SFM to develop and update a WUI Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with prescribed regulations regarding building in a WUI area.

This bill:

1. Requires, on or before January 1, 2027, the SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with provisions adopted in the California Building Code, as specified.
2. Authorizes the SFM to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund (BSA Fund), upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.

Background

Author Statement. According to the Author’s office, “California’s wildfire destruction has reached a tipping point. As the wildfires in Southern California have shown fires are now sweeping into urban areas in new, more intense and uncontrollable ways. We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach.”

California’s Wildfire Mitigation Program. AB 38 (Wood, Chapter 391, Statutes of 2019) requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to enter into a joint powers agreement with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to develop and administer a comprehensive wildfire mitigation program to encourage cost-effective structure hardening and retrofitting and to facilitate vegetation management, as specified. Known as the CWMP, this effort encourages cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings, and public spaces. Mitigation measures such as home hardening, vegetation management, defensible space, and other fuel modification activities provide neighborhood and community-wide benefits against wildfire.

SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee. The SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee (WMAC) provides a means of communication between the SFM, representatives of industry, state agencies, the fire service, and other stakeholders. WMAC provides a forum for addressing wildfire preparedness and mitigation issues of statewide concern, share best practices, seek comments and specific input on programs and technical issues, and inform local agencies and the public of applicable new laws and regulations. WMAC acts in an advisory capacity on the programs and activities of the Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation Division and is chaired by the SFM.

This bill requires the WMAC to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, which can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with the provisions adopted in the California Building Code, as specified.

Defensible Space and Home Hardening. Defensible space is the front line for defending a property against wildfire. Creating and maintaining defensible space around your home can dramatically increase a home's chance of surviving a wildfire and improves the safety of firefighters defending a property. Defensible space, in combination with home hardening, will make a home ignition resistant from embers, radiant heat, and flame impingement. Existing law requires occupied structures within a high fire hazard severity zone to maintain a firebreak of at least 30 feet from the structure and additional vegetation management for fire protection for up to 100 feet from the structure.

Chapter 7A of the California Building Standards Code. Chapter 7A is California’s WUI building code. As such, this chapter of the building code establishes the minimum standards applicable to building materials, systems and/or assemblies used in the exterior design and construction of new buildings located within a WUI Fire Area for the protection of life and property. Chapter 7A was initially adopted in 2008 and has undergone multiple revisions as part of the iterative code development process, integrating the most recent insights and scientific advancements from technical experts in the field.

The SFM’s Building Materials Listing (BML) Program. The BML Program started out as a way to make sure fire alarms were tested and approved before hitting the California market. But over the years, it’s grown into a much broader safety check, now covering everything from roof coverings and wall assemblies to hardware and other building materials. To get listed, products must undergo rigorous testing in labs accredited by the SFM. The listings themselves are a vital resource for local building departments, architects, engineers, contractors, and fire professionals. To make things easier, the SFM also puts out a detailed handbook highlighting which products meet Chapter 7A’s wildfire safety standards.

Safer From Wildfires. In 2022, the California Department of Insurance (CDI) rolled out its “Safer from Wildfires” framework, a first-of-its-kind regulation requiring insurance companies to offer discounts to homeowners and businesses that take specific wildfire mitigation steps. The framework was developed in coordination with Cal FIRE, OES, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, and the California Public Utility Commission.

Insurance companies must update their rate filings to reflect these new safety standards and offer transparent risk information. That includes sharing a property’s wildfire risk score with consumers and giving them the rights to appeal that score if they believe it is inaccurate. Under the regulation, the more “Safer from Wildfires” steps a consumer takes, the more likely they may be able to save on their insurance.

Once fully implemented, this approach should help shift the insurance market toward rewarding resilience, giving homeowners a clearer path to both lower premiums and safer homes. Some of the steps property owners can take under the “Safer from Wildfires” framework include:

• Class-A fire rated roof.
• Five-foot ember resistant zones.
• Ember- and fire-resistant vents.
• Non-combustible six inches at the bottom of exterior walls.
• Enclosed eaves.
• Upgraded windows.
• Cleared vegetation, weeds, and debris from under decks.
• Removal of combustible sheds and other buildings to a distance of 30 feet.
• Defensible space compliance.

Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund. The BSA Fund is intended for use by the Building Standards Commission, HCD, and/or the SFM – upon appropriation by the Legislature – in the development of building standards, with an emphasis on the development, adoption, publication, updating, and educational efforts associated with green building standards. Each city and county in the state is required to collect a fee on permit applicants, in the amount of $4 per every $100,000 in valuation to be deposited into the BSA Fund.

This bill authorizes the SFM to expend funds from the BSA Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.

Related/Prior Legislation

SB 514 (Cabaldon, 2025) repeals the sunset provisions related to CAL FIRE’s statewide program to support its defensible space inspection and home hardening assessment and education efforts, including its training pilot program for qualified organizations and individual volunteers, as provided. This bill also requires the CAL FIRE to create a standardized framework to accredit local governments, fire safe councils, and neighborhoods for following wildfire prevention practices, and to publish certain information, including a list of all accredited entities, on its website. (Pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1457 (Bryan, 2025) requires CAL FIRE’s defensible space and home hardening training program to additionally provide training consistent with the “Home Ignition Zone/Defensible Space Inspector” course plan, established by the SFM, and deletes the January 1, 2026, sunset date on that program. This bill is referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. (Pending on the Senate Floor)

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, CAL FIRE reports costs of approximately $2.31 million in year one and $2.22 million in year two and ongoing to develop and implement the certification program (Building Standards Administration Special Revolving (BSA) Fund and General Fund).

SUPPORT: (Verified 9/5/25)

American Wood Council

California Apartment Association

California Central Coast Caucus

California Fire Chiefs Association

California Legislative Central Coast Caucus

California Professional Firefighters

California Special Districts Association

City of Arcadia

City of Goleta

City of Los Alamitos

City of Thousand Oaks

City of Ventura

East Bay Wildfire Coalition of Governments

Fire Districts Association of California

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, INC.

James Hardie

League of California Cities

Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers

NV5

OPPOSITION: (Verified 9/5/25)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: In support of this bill, the California Professional Firefighters write that, “[d]efensible space and home hardening measures are critically important tools in wildfire preparedness for areas that are at high risk of fire. By keeping the areas immediately surrounding structures free of combustible materials such as dead plants, debris, wooden furniture, and other items, as well as keeping trees and shrubs separated both from each other and the structure, a fire can be significantly slowed or even stopped. Following major wildfires, it is often the case that homes that had properly implemented defensible space were left untouched by the fire while others around them had burned. This not only protects the property and the safety of the people living there, but also reduces the burden on firefighters who are responding to the disaster.”

Further, “AB 1143 would direct the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to create a home hardening certification program with defined home hardening measures, allowing homeowners and developers to implement approved techniques during construction or renovation. A set and recognized set of standards to follow would greatly streamline the process of implementing home hardening standards in home construction and renovation, encouraging their adoption at a much higher rate throughout the state.”

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 6/2/25

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

Prepared by: Brian Duke / G.O. / (916) 651-1530

9/8/25 21:38:00

**** END ****

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 1143

Author: Bennett (D)

Amended: 4/23/25 in Assembly

Vote: 21

SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE: 15-0, 6/24/25

AYES: Padilla, Archuleta, Ashby, Blakespear, Cervantes, Choi, Dahle, Hurtado, Jones, Ochoa Bogh, Richardson, Rubio, Smallwood-Cuevas, Wahab, Weber Pierson

SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE: 7-0, 7/8/25

AYES: Limón, Seyarto, Allen, Grove, Hurtado, Laird, Stern

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 8/29/25

AYES: Caballero, Seyarto, Cabaldon, Dahle, Grayson, Richardson, Wahab

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 6/2/25 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: State Fire Marshal: home hardening certification program

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill requires the State Fire Marshal’s (SFM) Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program, as specified.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Requires the SFM to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel, as specified.
2. Requires the SFM to develop and update a WUI Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with prescribed regulations regarding building in a WUI area.

This bill:

1. Requires, on or before January 1, 2027, the SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with provisions adopted in the California Building Code, as specified.
2. Authorizes the SFM to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund (BSA Fund), upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.

Background

Author Statement. According to the Author’s office, “California’s wildfire destruction has reached a tipping point. As the wildfires in Southern California have shown fires are now sweeping into urban areas in new, more intense and uncontrollable ways. We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach.”

California’s Wildfire Mitigation Program. AB 38 (Wood, Chapter 391, Statutes of 2019) requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to enter into a joint powers agreement with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to develop and administer a comprehensive wildfire mitigation program to encourage cost-effective structure hardening and retrofitting and to facilitate vegetation management, as specified. Known as the CWMP, this effort encourages cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings, and public spaces. Mitigation measures such as home hardening, vegetation management, defensible space, and other fuel modification activities provide neighborhood and community-wide benefits against wildfire.

SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee. The SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee (WMAC) provides a means of communication between the SFM, representatives of industry, state agencies, the fire service, and other stakeholders. WMAC provides a forum for addressing wildfire preparedness and mitigation issues of statewide concern, share best practices, seek comments and specific input on programs and technical issues, and inform local agencies and the public of applicable new laws and regulations. WMAC acts in an advisory capacity on the programs and activities of the Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation Division and is chaired by the SFM.

This bill requires the WMAC to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, which can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with the provisions adopted in the California Building Code, as specified.

Defensible Space and Home Hardening. Defensible space is the front line for defending a property against wildfire. Creating and maintaining defensible space around your home can dramatically increase a home's chance of surviving a wildfire and improves the safety of firefighters defending a property. Defensible space, in combination with home hardening, will make a home ignition resistant from embers, radiant heat, and flame impingement. Existing law requires occupied structures within a high fire hazard severity zone to maintain a firebreak of at least 30 feet from the structure and additional vegetation management for fire protection for up to 100 feet from the structure.

Chapter 7A of the California Building Standards Code. Chapter 7A is California’s WUI building code. As such, this chapter of the building code establishes the minimum standards applicable to building materials, systems and/or assemblies used in the exterior design and construction of new buildings located within a WUI Fire Area for the protection of life and property. Chapter 7A was initially adopted in 2008 and has undergone multiple revisions as part of the iterative code development process, integrating the most recent insights and scientific advancements from technical experts in the field.

The SFM’s Building Materials Listing (BML) Program. The BML Program started out as a way to make sure fire alarms were tested and approved before hitting the California market. But over the years, it’s grown into a much broader safety check, now covering everything from roof coverings and wall assemblies to hardware and other building materials. To get listed, products must undergo rigorous testing in labs accredited by the SFM. The listings themselves are a vital resource for local building departments, architects, engineers, contractors, and fire professionals. To make things easier, the SFM also puts out a detailed handbook highlighting which products meet Chapter 7A’s wildfire safety standards.

Safer From Wildfires. In 2022, the California Department of Insurance (CDI) rolled out its “Safer from Wildfires” framework, a first-of-its-kind regulation requiring insurance companies to offer discounts to homeowners and businesses that take specific wildfire mitigation steps. The framework was developed in coordination with Cal FIRE, OES, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, and the California Public Utility Commission.

Insurance companies must update their rate filings to reflect these new safety standards and offer transparent risk information. That includes sharing a property’s wildfire risk score with consumers and giving them the rights to appeal that score if they believe it is inaccurate. Under the regulation, the more “Safer from Wildfires” steps a consumer takes, the more likely they may be able to save on their insurance.

Once fully implemented, this approach should help shift the insurance market toward rewarding resilience, giving homeowners a clearer path to both lower premiums and safer homes. Some of the steps property owners can take under the “Safer from Wildfires” framework include:

a. Class-A fire rated roof.

b. Five-foot ember resistant zones.

c. Ember- and fire-resistant vents.

d. Non-combustible six inches at the bottom of exterior walls.

e. Enclosed eaves.

f. Upgraded windows.

g. Cleared vegetation, weeds, and debris from under decks.

h. Removal of combustible sheds and other buildings to a distance of 30 feet.

i. Defensible space compliance.

Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund. The BSA Fund is intended for use by the Building Standards Commission, HCD, and/or the SFM – upon appropriation by the Legislature – in the development of building standards, with an emphasis on the development, adoption, publication, updating, and educational efforts associated with green building standards. Each city and county in the state is required to collect a fee on permit applicants, in the amount of $4 per every $100,000 in valuation to be deposited into the BSA Fund.

This bill authorizes the SFM to expend funds from the BSA Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.

Related/Prior Legislation

SB 514 (Cabaldon, 2025) repeals the sunset provisions related to CAL FIRE’s statewide program to support its defensible space inspection and home hardening assessment and education efforts, including its training pilot program for qualified organizations and individual volunteers, as provided. This bill also requires the CAL FIRE to create a standardized framework to accredit local governments, fire safe councils, and neighborhoods for following wildfire prevention practices, and to publish certain information, including a list of all accredited entities, on its website. (Pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 1457 (Bryan, 2025) requires CAL FIRE’s defensible space and home hardening training program to additionally provide training consistent with the “Home Ignition Zone/Defensible Space Inspector” course plan, established by the SFM, and deletes the January 1, 2026, sunset date on that program. This bill is referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. (Pending on the Senate Floor)

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, CAL FIRE reports costs of approximately $2.31 million in year one and $2.22 million in year two and ongoing to develop and implement the certification program (Building Standards Administration Special Revolving (BSA) Fund and General Fund).

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/29/25)

American Wood Council

California Apartment Association

California Fire Chiefs Association

California Legislative Central Coast Caucus

California Professional Firefighters

California Special Districts Association

City of Arcadia

City of Goleta

City of Los Alamitos

City of Thousand Oaks

City of Ventura

East Bay Wildfire Coalition of Governments

Fire Districts Association of California

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, INC.

James Hardie

League of California Cities

Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers

NV5

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/29/25)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: In support of the bill, the California Professional Firefighters write that, “[d]efensible space and home hardening measures are critically important tools in wildfire preparedness for areas that are at high risk of fire. By keeping the areas immediately surrounding structures free of combustible materials such as dead plants, debris, wooden furniture, and other items, as well as keeping trees and shrubs separated both from each other and the structure, a fire can be significantly slowed or even stopped. Following major wildfires, it is often the case that homes that had properly implemented defensible space were left untouched by the fire while others around them had burned. This not only protects the property and the safety of the people living there, but also reduces the burden on firefighters who are responding to the disaster.”

Further, “AB 1143 would direct the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to create a home hardening certification program with defined home hardening measures, allowing homeowners and developers to implement approved techniques during construction or renovation. A set and recognized set of standards to follow would greatly streamline the process of implementing home hardening standards in home construction and renovation, encouraging their adoption at a much higher rate throughout the state.”

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 6/2/25

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

Prepared by: Brian Duke / G.O. / (916) 651-1530

8/30/25 15:27:32

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Anna Caballero, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular Session

AB 1143 (Bennett) - State Fire Marshal: home hardening certification program

Bill Summary:

AB 1143 requires, by January 1, 2027, the State Fire Marshal’s (SFM) Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee (WMAC) to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures that be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, as specified.

Fiscal Impact:

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) reports costs of approximately $2.31 million in year one and $2.22 million in year two and ongoing to develop and implement the certification program (Building Standards Administration Special Revolving (BSA) Fund and General Fund).

Background:

The SFM’s WMAC provides a means of communication between the SFM, representatives of industry, state agencies, the fire service, and other stakeholders. WMAC provides a forum for addressing wildfire preparedness and mitigation issues of statewide concern, share best practices, seek comments and specific input on programs and technical issues, and inform local agencies and the public of applicable new laws and regulations. WMAC acts in an advisory capacity on the programs and activities of the Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation Division and is chaired by the SFM.

Proposed Law:

By January 1, 2027, requires the SFM’s WMAC to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with the provisions adopted in the California Building Code.

Staff Comments:

CAL FIRE notes that the BSA Fund currently has a structural deficit. Any additional cost pressures to this fund will require additional funding support.

The BSA Fund is intended for use by the Building Standards Commission, Department of Housing and Community Development, and the SFM—upon appropriation by the Legislature—in the development of building standards, with an emphasis on the development, adoption, publication, updating, and educational efforts associated with green building standards. Each city and county in the state is required to collect a fee on permit applicants, in the amount of $4 per every $100,000 in valuation to be deposited into the BSA Fund.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

Senator Steve Padilla

Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No: 1143 Hearing Date: 6/24/2025

SUBJECT: State Fire Marshal: home hardening certification program

DIGEST: This bill requires the State Fire Marshal’s (SFM) Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program, as specified.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Requires the SFM to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel, as specified.
2. Requires the SFM to develop and update a WUI Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with prescribed regulations regarding building in a WUI area.
3. Authorizes the SFM to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions.
4. Requires the SFM to establish the SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee.

This bill:

1. Requires, on or before January 1, 2027, the SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with provisions adopted in the California Building Code, as specified.
2. Authorizes the SFM to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund (BSA Fund), upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.

Background

Author Statement. According to the Author’s office, “California’s wildfire destruction has reached a tipping point. As the wildfires in Southern California have shown fires are now sweeping into urban areas in new, more intense and uncontrollable ways. We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach.”

California’s Worsening Wildfire Reality. The State of California has the main responsibility for wildfire response activities on about one-third of California’s land area. With over 39 million residents, the State of California is the most populous state in the nation and has the third largest land area among the states (163,695 square miles). OES serves as the state’s leadership hub during all major emergencies and disasters. This includes responding, directing, and coordinating state and federal resources and mutual aid assets across all regions to support the diverse communities across the state.

A series of 14 destructive wildfire’s tore through the Los Angeles area of Southern California in January, 2025, placing an estimated 330,000 people on an evacuation advisory, with approximately 190,000 individuals facing mandatory evacuation. The fires damaged or destroyed over 18,000 structures and claimed the lives of 30 Californians. The Palisades fire and Eaton fire now rank among the deadliest and most destructive fires in California history. These fires ignited amid an extreme weather event, fueled by unusually severe fire weather conditions including Santa Ana winds of nearly 100 miles per hour across the State’s southern region, and following an extended period of drought in the area. These fires were, at least in part, a product of what UCLA and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources scientist Daniel Swain calls a sort of “hydroclimate whiplash.”

According to the report Whiplash: How Big Swings in Precipitation Fueled the L.A. Fires published at the Yale School of the Environment, “[i]n 2023 and 2024, the city experienced unusually wet winters, which spurred the growth of grasses and shrubs. Then the rain stopped. Since July, the city has received a mere three-hundredths of an inch of precipitation. The result has been acre after acre of desiccated brush – the perfect kindling for wildfires.” The causes of the fires are still under investigation.

California’s Wildfire Mitigation Program. AB 38 (Wood, Chapter 391, Statutes of 2019) requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) to enter into a joint powers agreement with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to develop and administer a comprehensive wildfire mitigation program to encourage cost-effective structure hardening and retrofitting and to facilitate vegetation management, as specified. Known as the CWMP, this effort encourages cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings, and public spaces. Mitigation measures such as home hardening, vegetation management, defensible space, and other fuel modification activities provide neighborhood and community-wide benefits against wildfire.

OES and CAL FIRE, working side-by-side with counties and cities, have launched a statewide wildfire home-hardening playbook that at-risk communities can lift straight off the shelf. The goal: pair state and federal dollars with local know-how to build programs that actually toughens homes and neighborhoods against the next big burn.

SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee. The SFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee (WMAC) provides a means of communication between the SFM, representatives of industry, state agencies, the fire service, and other stakeholders. WMAC provides a forum for addressing wildfire preparedness and mitigation issues of statewide concern, share best practices, seek comments and specific input on programs and technical issues, and inform local agencies and the public of applicable new laws and regulations. WMAC acts in an advisory capacity on the programs and activities of the Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation Division and is chaired by the SFM.

This bill requires the WMAC to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, which can be implemented during renovation or property improvement projects, or both, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with the provisions adopted in the California Building Code, as specified.

Defensible Space and Home Hardening. Defensible space is the front line for defending a property against wildfire. Creating and maintaining defensible space around your home can dramatically increase a home's chance of surviving a wildfire and improves the safety of firefighters defending a property. Defensible space, in combination with home hardening, will make a home ignition resistant from embers, radiant heat, and flame impingement. Existing law requires occupied structures within a high fire hazard severity zone to maintain a firebreak of at least 30 feet from the structure and additional vegetation management for fire protection for up to 100 feet from the structure.

Chapter 7A of the California Building Standards Code. Chapter 7A is California’s WUI building code. As such, this chapter of the building code establishes the minimum standards applicable to building materials, systems and/or assemblies used in the exterior design and construction of new buildings located within a WUI Fire Area for the protection of life and property. Chapter 7A was initially adopted in 2008 and has undergone multiple revisions as part of the iterative code development process, integrating the most recent insights and scientific advancements from technical experts in the field.

The SFM’s Building Materials Listing (BML) Program. The BML Program started out as a way to make sure fire alarms were tested and approved before hitting the California market. But over the years, it’s grown into a much broader safety check, now covering everything from roof coverings and wall assemblies to hardware and other building materials. To get listed, products must undergo rigorous testing in labs accredited by the SFM. The listings themselves are a vital resource for local building departments, architects, engineers, contractors, and fire professionals. To make things easier, the SFM also puts out a detailed handbook highlighting which products meet Chapter 7A’s wildfire safety standards.

Safer From Wildfires. In 2022, the California Department of Insurance (CDI) rolled out its “Safer from Wildfires” framework, a first-of-its-kind regulation requiring insurance companies to offer discounts to homeowners and businesses that take specific wildfire mitigation steps. The framework was developed in coordination with Cal FIRE, OES, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, and the California Public Utility Commission.

Insurance companies must update their rate filings to reflect these new safety standards and offer transparent risk information. That includes sharing a property’s wildfire risk score with consumers and giving them the rights to appeal that score if they believe it is inaccurate. Under the regulation, the more “Safer from Wildfires” steps a consumer takes, the more likely they may be able to save on their insurance.

Once fully implemented, this approach should help shift the insurance market toward rewarding resilience, giving homeowners a clearer path to both lower premiums and safer homes. Some of the steps property owners can take under the “Safer from Wildfires” framework include:

a. Class-A fire rated roof.

b. Five-foot ember resistant zones.

c. Ember- and fire-resistant vents.

d. Non-combustible six inches at the bottom of exterior walls.

e. Enclosed eaves.

f. Upgraded windows.

g. Cleared vegetation, weeds, and debris from under decks.

h. Removal of combustible sheds and other buildings to a distance of 30 feet.

i. Defensible space compliance.

Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund. The BSA Fund is intended for use by the Building Standards Commission, HCD, and/or the SFM – upon appropriation by the Legislature – in the development of building standards, with an emphasis on the development, adoption, publication, updating, and educational efforts associated with green building standards. Each city and county in the state is required to collect a fee on permit applicants, in the amount of $4 per every $100,000 in valuation to be deposited into the BSA Fund.

This bill authorizes the SFM to expend funds from the BSA Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes of developing the home hardening certification program.

Prior/Related Legislation

SB 514 (Cabaldon, 2025) repeals the sunset provisions related to CAL FIRE’s statewide program to support its defensible space inspection and home hardening assessment and education efforts, including its training pilot program for qualified organizations and individual volunteers, as provided. This bill also requires the CAL FIRE to create a standardized framework to accredit local governments, fire safe councils, and neighborhoods for following wildfire prevention practices, and to publish certain information, including a list of all accredited entities, on its website. (Pending in the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources)

AB 1457 (Bryan, 2025) requires CAL FIRE’s defensible space and home hardening training program to additionally provide training consistent with the “Home Ignition Zone/Defensible Space Inspector” course plan, established by the SFM, and deletes the January 1, 2026, sunset date on that program. This bill is referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. (Pending in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Water)

AB 109 (Wood, Chapter 225, Statutes of 2021) among other things, directed the SFM to establish the SFM’s Wildfire Advisory Committee, with specified members, to provide a public forum to solicit and consider public input on specified programs and activities and to advise the deputy director, as specified.

SB 109 (Dodd, Chapter 404, Statutes of 2019) requires the SFM to develop a model defensible space program, as specified; requires the SFM to develop and make available a WUI Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training; and, requires the SFM to develop a WUI Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with the WUI Fire Safety building standards, as specified.

AB 38 (Wood, Chapter 391, Statutes of 2019) among other things, required OES to enter into a joint powers agreement with CAL FIRE to administer a comprehensive wildfire mitigation and assistance program to encourage cost-effective structure hardening and facilitate vegetation management, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:

SUPPORT:

American Wood Council

California Apartment Association

California Fire Chiefs Association

California Legislative Central Coast Caucus

California Professional Firefighters

California Special Districts Association

City of Arcadia

City of Los Alamitos

City of Thousand Oaks

Fire Districts Association of California

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, INC.

League of California Cities

Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers

OPPOSITION:

None Received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: In support of the bill, the California Professional Firefighters write that, “[d]efensible space and home hardening measures are critically important tools in wildfire preparedness for areas that are at high risk of fire. By keeping the areas immediately surrounding structures free of combustible materials such as dead plants, debris, wooden furniture, and other items, as well as keeping trees and shrubs separated both from each other and the structure, a fire can be significantly slowed or even stopped. Following major wildfires, it is often the case that homes that had properly implemented defensible space were left untouched by the fire while others around them had burned. This not only protects the property and the safety of the people living there, but also reduces the burden on firefighters who are responding to the disaster.”

Further, “AB 1143 would direct the State Fire Marshal’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to create a home hardening certification program with defined home hardening measures, allowing homeowners and developers to implement approved techniques during construction or renovation. A set and recognized set of standards to follow would greatly streamline the process of implementing home hardening standards in home construction and renovation, encouraging their adoption at a much higher rate throughout the state.”

DUAL-REFERRAL: Senate Committee on Governmental Organization and Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Water

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 1143

Author:(Bennett)

As Amended Ver:April 23, 2025

Majority vote

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Office of the State Fire Marshal's (OSFM's) Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee (WMAC) to develop a home hardening certification program.

Major Provisions

1. Requires, by January 1, 2027, the WMAC to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during property improvement projects to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing housing stock into alignment with state building standards.
2. Authorizes the SFM to expend funds, upon appropriation, from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund (BSASRF) to develop the program.

COMMENTS

California Wildfire Mitigation Program: In 2019, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law AB 38 to create the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP). The law authorized a joint exercise of powers agreement between Cal OES and Cal FIRE to strengthen community-wide resilience against wildfires. This included developing a state home hardening initiative to retrofit, harden, and create defensible space for homes at high risk of wildfires, focusing on high socially-vulnerable communities, and providing financial assistance for low- and moderate-income households. The effort is meant to encourage cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings, and public spaces. This includes a community hardening approach to achieve wildfire resilience, low-cost retrofits with ignition-resistant materials to bring homes up to the standard of the California Building Code Chapter 7A, community and homeowner wildfire education on defensible space and home retrofitting, and providing financial assistance to support home hardening work for qualifying homeowners.

In coordination with state and local partners, Cal OES and Cal FIRE also established a state wildfire home hardening framework that can be modeled throughout vulnerable California communities. The framework provides the opportunity for California communities to leverage state and federal resources and develop local wildfire home hardening programs that address community resiliency needs. To help expedite local wildfire home hardening program development and inform the build-out of the state's framework, Cal OES and Cal FIRE will provide state funding, resources, and support for demonstration communities to implement community wildfire home hardening projects in areas with high social vulnerability and wildfire risk.

California Department of Insurance's Safer from Wildfires: In 2022, CDI announced the "Safer from Wildfires" framework, which directs insurers to provide discounts to consumers and businesses if they take specified mitigation measures. In crafting this regulation, CDI worked with emergency preparedness agencies in the Governor's Administration, including CAL FIRE, Cal OES, the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, and the California Public Utilities Commission.

The framework provides a list of home and community wildfire mitigation measures that consumers and businesses can take to provide protection for the structure, the immediate surroundings, and the community. Under the regulation, the more "Safer from Wildfires" steps a consumer takes, the more they may be able to save on their insurance. Steps a consumer can take to help mitigate their property under this framework include: class-A fire rated roofs; 5-foot ember resistant zone; ember and fire-resistant vents; non-combustible 6 inches at the bottom of exterior walls; enclosed eaves; upgraded windows; cleared vegetation; removal of combustible sheds and other outbuildings; and defensible space compliance.

Chapter 7A of the California Building Standards Code: Chapter 7A is California's Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building code. As such, this chapter of the building code establishes the minimum standards applicable to building materials, systems and/or assemblies used in the exterior design and construction of new buildings located within a WUI Fire Area for the protection of life and property. Chapter 7A was initially adopted in 2008 and has undergone multiple revisions as part of the iterative code development process, integrating the most recent insights and scientific advancements from technical experts in the field.

State Fire Marshal's Building Materials Listing Program: The OSFM's BML Program was initially established to mandate approval and listing of fire alarm systems and devices before their sale or marketing in the state. Over time, it expanded to include various materials, such as roof coverings, wall assemblies, hardware, and more. Product approval involves rigorous testing, and companies must utilize SFM accredited laboratories for testing to list products in California. The SFM listing service provides essential information to building authorities, architects, engineers, contractors, and the fire service. In addition, the SFM publishes a complementary handbook to the BML that specifically details products that have been assessed and validated by the SFM to meet the requirements of Chapter 7A.

According to the Author

"California's wildfire destruction has reached a tipping point. As the wildfires in Southern California have shown fires are now sweeping into urban areas in new, more intense and uncontrollable ways. We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the State Fire Marshal to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach."

Arguments in Support

The League of California Cities write, "The League of California Cities (Cal Cities) is pleased to support AB 1143 (Bennett), which would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop a home hardening certification program identifying the best home hardening measures that can be taken during property renovations or improvement projects to reduce fire risk. California has the highest wildfire risk in the US. In recent years, the state has experienced a growing number of highly destructive wildfires due to climate change and over a century of logging and fire suppression. The devastating impacts of these wildfires has unfortunately resulted in the destruction of over 57,000 structures in the last decade."

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, Inc. write, "While California has made important strides in fire prevention through building codes, defensible space requirements, and educational resources, these efforts have largely functioned as individual components rather than a cohesive approach. Research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in collaboration with CalFire, clearly demonstrates that effective home hardening requires addressing multiple vulnerabilities simultaneously. No single measure alone can adequately protect a structure from the complex threats posed by wind-driven embers, direct flame contact, and radiant heat. AB 1143 addresses this critical gap by creating a certification program that identifies appropriate combinations of home hardening products, construction techniques, and defensible space measures. By establishing a comprehensive framework, this legislation will provide homeowners with clear guidance on how to effectively protect their properties from wildfire."

Arguments in Opposition

None on file.

FISCAL COMMENTS

Costs of an unknown, but potentially significant amount, in excess of $150,000, to the SFM to develop and administer a home hardening certification program (BSASRF or General Fund). Additionally, the WMAC is comprised of representatives from various state agencies, such as the Office of Emergency Services (OES) and the Department of Insurance (CDI), among others. Thus, these other state agencies may also incur costs to help develop the program.

VOTES

ASM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: 7-0-0

YES: Ransom, Hadwick, Arambula, Bains, Bennett, Calderon, DeMaio

ASM NATURAL RESOURCES: 14-0-0

YES: Bryan, Alanis, Connolly, Ellis, Flora, Garcia, Haney, Hoover, Kalra, Muratsuchi, Pellerin, Schultz, Wicks, Zbur

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-4

YES: Wicks, Arambula, Calderon, Caloza, Elhawary, Fong, Mark González, Hart, Pacheco, Pellerin, Solache

ABS, ABST OR NV: Sanchez, Dixon, Ta, Tangipa

UPDATED

VERSION: April 23, 2025

CONSULTANT: Mike Dayton / E.M. / (916) 319-3802 FN: 0000622

Date of Hearing: May 7, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1143

Author:(Bennett) – As Amended Ver:April 23, 2025

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill requires the State Fire Marshal’s (SFM’s) Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee (WMAC) to develop a home hardening certification program.

Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires, by January 1, 2027, the WMAC to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during property improvement projects to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing housing stock into alignment with state building standards.
2. Authorizes the SFM to expend funds, upon appropriation, from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund (BSASRF) to develop the program.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Costs of an unknown, but potentially significant amount, in excess of $150,000, to the SFM to develop and administer a home hardening certification program (BSASRF or General Fund). Additionally, the WMAC is comprised of representatives from various state agencies, such as the Office of Emergency Services (OES) and the Department of Insurance (CDI), among others. Thus, these other state agencies may also incur costs to help develop the program.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author:

We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the [SFM] to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach.

This bill is supported by firefighter groups, local government entities, and an insurance association.

1. Background. Home Hardening. Home hardening includes vegetation management compliance and building materials used to resist the intrusion of flames or embers projected by a wildland fire. Such measures may be applied to new construction or when retrofitting an older home. California Building Standards Code Chapter 7A, developed with the SFM, provides for ignition resistant construction standards, such as fire-resistant siding, tempered glass, and ignition-resistant roofs, in the wildland urban interface.

SB 190 (Dodd), Chapter 404, Statutes of 2019, required the SFM to develop a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training for local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel and a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing that complies with Chapter 7A building standards. The SFM may expend funds, upon appropriation, from the BSASRF to develop the training and products listing. This bill requires the SFM’s WMAC to develop a home hardening certification program to bring housing stock into alignment with Chapter 7A building standards and similarly authorizes the use of BSASRF funds, upon appropriation, for this purpose. As noted in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee’s analysis of this bill, “Certifying a home that it meets various standards will not guarantee the provision of insurance, nor will it guarantee that the structure is fire-proof.” Aside from the direct benefits to the property by undertaking home hardening measures, the purpose of certification is unclear.

Safer from Wildfires. The Safer from Wildfires framework (Framework) was created in February 2022 in partnership between CDI, OES, Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and other agencies. The Framework provides a list of home and community wildfire mitigation measures that a consumer may take to protect a structure, immediate surroundings, and community, such as adopting a Class-A fire-rated roof, a five-foot ember resistant zone, ember- and fire-resistant vents, or upgraded windows. Under subsequent regulations proposed by Insurance Commissioner (IC) Ricardo Lara, which took effect on October 14, 2022, a consumer who adopts more Framework mitigation steps may save more money on insurance costs.

California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP). AB 38 (Wood), Chapter 391, Statutes of 2019, created the CWMP, a joint powers authority between OES and CAL FIRE to develop and administer a comprehensive wildfire mitigation program to encourage cost-effective structure hardening and retrofitting in high-risk, socially vulnerable communities and provide financial assistance for low- and moderate-income households.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office’s (LAO’s) April 23, 2025, presentation to the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy and Transportation notes that “CWMP has been slow to launch. Despite receiving funding starting in 2020-21, recent reports indicate that roughly 20 homes have completed retrofits. The average cost per home has been roughly $50,000.” The LAO adds:

The state lacks clear cost-effectiveness data both on how pursuing defensible space and home hardening efforts compares to other risk-reduction activities, as well as on the relative performance of different programs designed to improve defensible space compliance and home hardening adoption. [AB 38], as subsequently modified, requires CalFire and [OES] to submit a report evaluating the cost-effectiveness of the [CWMP] compared to other programs by July 2028, which may help provide insights.

1. Related Legislation. AB 1 (Connolly) requires CDI to consider whether to update the Safer from Wildfires regulations to include certain building hardening measures. AB 1 is pending on this committee’s suspense file.

AB 888 (Calderon) establishes the California Safe Homes grant program, administered by CDI, to achieve home hardening of insurable properties to mitigate wildfire risk, among other goals. AB 888 is pending hearing by this committee.

SB 616 (Rubio) establishes the Community Hardening Commission, chaired by the IC, to develop new wildfire community hardening standards to reduce fire risk and improve access to fire insurance. SB 616 is pending on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s suspense file.

Analysis Prepared by: Irene Ho / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 21, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Isaac G. Bryan, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1143 (

Author:Bennett) – As Amended Ver:April 1, 2025

SUBJECT: State Fire Marshal: home hardening certification program

SUMMARY: Requires the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies the best appropriate combination of products and construction assemblies and convene and facilitate a workgroup for such purposes, as specified.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires the OSFM to develop and make available a Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel. (Health & Safety Code (HSC) 13159.5)
2. Requires the OSFM to develop and update on a regular basis a WUI Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with Chapter 7A (commencing with Section 701A.1) of Part 2 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations, or any appropriate successor regulatory code, for various products. (HSC 13159.5)
3. Requires the OSFM to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones (FHSZs) based on consistent statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas. Requires FHSZs to be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, and other relevant factors including areas where winds have been identified by the Office of the SFM as a major cause of wildfire spread. (Government Code (GC) 51178)
4. Requires a person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains an occupied dwelling or occupied structure in, upon, or adjoining a mountainous area, forest-covered land, shrub-covered land, grass-covered land, or land that is covered with flammable material, which area or land is within a very high FHSZ designated by the local agency to, at all times, maintain a defensible space of 100 feet from each side and from the front and rear of the structure, as provided. Requires the Board to adopt regulations for an ember-resistant zone for the elimination of materials that would likely be ignited by embers. (GC 51182)
5. Requires the OSFM to establish the Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee to provide a public forum to solicit and consider public input on programs and activities and to advise the Deputy Director of Community Wildfire Preparedness and Mitigation in developing and implementing programs and activities. (Public Resources Code 4209.4)

THIS BILL:

1. Authorizes the OSFM, in researching and developing the products listing, the educational and training provisions, and developing the home hardening certification program and convening and facilitating the workgroup, to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature.
2. Requires, on or before January 1, 2027, the OSFM to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies home hardening measures, including defensible space, that can be implemented during renovation and/or property improvement projects to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire and bring existing building stock into alignment with the provisions of Part 7 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations.
3. Requires the OSFM, in consultation with the California Building Standards Commission, to convene and facilitate a workgroup that includes, but is not limited to, the following representatives:
   1. A representative from the insurance industry;
   2. A representative from a nonprofit scientific research and communications organization;
   3. A representative from a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization;
   4. A representative from a county in a high or very high FHSZ;
   5. A representative from a city in a high or very high FHSZ;
   6. A representative from a homebuilder in California; and,
   7. A representative who serves as a building official.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

1. Author’s statement:

California’s wildfire destruction has reached a tipping point. As the wildfires in Southern California have shown fires are now sweeping into urban areas in new, more intense and uncontrollable ways. We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the State Fire Marshal to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach.

1. Fire risk. The 2020 fire season broke numerous records. Five of California’s six largest fires in modern history burned at the same time, with more than 4.3 million acres burned across the state, double the previous record. The Los Angeles (LA) fires this year burned an area nearly the size of Washington, D.C., killed 28 people, and damaged or destroyed nearly 16,000 structures, according to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).

The LA Fires were fanned by the Santa Ana Winds blowing at hurricane force speeds, spreading embers and igniting structure fires miles beyond the limits of the active fires. Ember casts were flying in several directions, sometimes switching course throughout the day. During intense windstorms, embers become fiery invaders of homes. Embers driven by raging winds through small openings or against exposed wood can be responsible for igniting a majority of fires in homes.

The ember-driven nature of the wildfire can help explain why, in some neighborhoods, some homes remain standing next to homes that have burned to the ground. A home that is more fire resistant — with diligence paid to sealing up openings that can let embers in — can stand a better chance of surviving a cloud of embers. According to the LA Fire Department, the embers could also get caught up in the “eves of a house, get in through the attic vent or gather up under an exposed wooden deck – and then the house is burning and another potential ember cast is created.” Maintaining defensible space in conjunction with home hardening can significantly reduce the risk of structure fire ignition.

1. California WUI Code. The purpose of the California WUI Code establishes minimum standards to increase the ability of a building to resist the intrusion of flames or burning embers projected by a vegetation fire and contributes to a systematic reduction in conflagration losses. The WUI code applies to all new buildings for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after July 1, 2008. The WUI code requires prior to a building permit final approval that the property must be in compliance with required vegetation management requirements.
2. Defensible space. The defensible space requirements for all structures within the state responsibility area (SRA) and very high FHSZ is 100 feet. CAL FIRE additionally requires the removal of all dead plants, grass, and weeds, and the removal of dry leaves and pine needles within 30 feet of a structure. In addition, tree branches must be 10 feet away from a chimney and other trees within that same 30 feet surrounding a structure. Pursuant to AB 3074 (Friedman), Chapter 259, Statutes of 2020, the Board of Forestry will adopt regulations for an ember-resistant zone (Zone 0).

Statistics show that during the 2022 Oak fire in Mariposa County, homes which were compliant with defensible space standards were six times more likely to survive an advancing wildfire. Home owners are responsible for maintaining defensible space around their property, but research shows barriers homeowners typically face related to completing defensible space work include prohibitive costs and/or time constraints, inadequate motivation to comply, and incomplete understanding of the nature of the risk to their home.

For the last 60 years, CAL FIRE has employed 95 defensible space instructors under its Defensible Space Inspection Program to enforce defensible space rules and work with residents to help them understand what specific steps they need to take to create defensible space for their home. In 2023, CAL FIRE inspected 299,273 homes. By working the seasonal Defensible Space Inspectors for a full 9-months and adding more permanent staff, CAL FIRE more than doubled the properties previously inspected. Inspections also allow a property owner to ask a fire professional directly about other wildfire preparedness measures to take.

The impending Zone 0 regulations will require a significant paradigm shift for homeowners and tenants regarding defensible space standards. CAL FIRE estimates that very few properties will initially be compliant with the new zero to five-foot ember-resistant zone, once the regulations are adopted. CAL FIRE inspectors will likely be required to spend additional time at each property explaining the requirements of the Zone 0 requirements, which will likely lead to an increase in workload and the inability to inspect as many properties within the same time frame.

1. Home hardening. Applicable to all new developments located in the SRA and the VHFHSZs in local responsibility areas (LRA), California’s Building Code Chapter 7A is intended to reduce the vulnerability of homes to wildfire. Home hardening includes vegetation management compliance and building materials used to resist the intrusion of flames or embers projected by a wildland fire. It can be applied to new construction or for retrofitting an older home. Home hardening considers the relationship between a structure and its exposure to nearby combustible features such as vegetation, vehicles, accessory buildings, or even miscellaneous structures like a fence.

California’s wildfire building code went into effect in 2008 and mandates fire-resistant siding, tempered glass, vegetation management, and ignition-resistant roofs, standards for vents, decks, under eves, siding, windows, gutters, vents for attics and crawlspaces designed to resist embers and flames. These standards, which are periodically updated, have been shown to work. An analysis by the Sacramento Bee showed that approximately 51% of the 350 single-family homes built after 2008 in the path of the Camp Fire were undamaged. By contrast, only 18% of the 12,100 homes built prior to 2008 escaped damage. Existing structures are not mandated to be retrofitted to the Chapter 7A standard. Property owners and tenants are highly encouraged to adopt best management practices to harden a home from wildfire. CAL FIRE recently created a low cost retrofit list with a number of home retrofits that can be completed at relatively minimal cost.

1. SFM inspector program. SB 190 (Dodd), Chapter 404, Statutes of 2019, required the SFM to develop a model defensible space program and various manuals, guidance documents and handbooks related to fire safety building standards, and defensible space. The course goals include:

• Provide local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel online training on how to access, interpret, and comply with the California Building Code Chapter 7A Materials and Construction Methods for Exterior Wildfire Exposure.
• Provide local building officials, builders, and fire service personnel online training on how to access and utilize the OSFM Building Materials Listing Program (BML), Building Materials Listing Search Tool and OSFM Listed WUI Handbook.
• Provide a building officials, builders, and fire service personnel documentation for completion of the online training. 

1. This bill. Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-4-25 issued January 7, 2025 states that “efforts to rebuild should include measures to increase community resilience, harden homes, and ensure defensible space to build resilience to future wildfires, to the greatest extent practicable.”

AB 1143 creates a certification program to certify homes that are hardened and maintain defensible space. Overwhelming majorities of LA County voters support strengthening building codes and imposing greater restrictions on home construction in high-risk areas following January’s devastating Palisades and Eaton fires, according to a new poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies. Eighty percent of those polled backed tougher building codes to make homes more fire resistant even if doing so added to costs. Seven out of 10 wanted more regulations to curb homebuilding in wildfire-prone neighborhoods.

The National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) released the results of a study in 2018 in which it determined that hazard mitigation funding saves six dollars in future disaster costs for every dollar invested.

1. Certification: what does it get you? Certifying a home that it meets various standards will not guarantee the provision of insurance, nor will it guarantee that the structure is fire-proof. Certification may provide some peace of mind that the property owner has taken the required steps to substantially reduce risk of a fire, but the state shouldn’t be in the position of certifying something without an assurance backing up that certification. Instead of certification, the author may wish to work with the OSFM to identify potential alternatives to certification.
2. Double referral. This bill was heard in the Assembly Emergency Management Committee on April 7 and approved 7-0.
3. Committee amendments. In lieu of developing a new workgroup, the committee may wish to consider instead directing the OSFM’s Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee develop the certification program.
4. Related legislation. AB 1457 (Bryan) requires CAL FIRE’s defensible space and home hardening training program to additionally provide training consistent with the “Home Ignition Zone/Defensible Space Inspector” course plan, established by the OSFM, and deletes the January 1, 2026, sunset date on that program. This bill is referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Apartment Association
California Fire Chiefs Association
California Professional Firefighters
Fire Districts Association of California
Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, INC.
League of California Cities

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Paige Brokaw / NAT. RES. /

Date of Hearing: April 7, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Rhodesia Ransom, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1143 (

Author:Bennett) – As Amended Ver:April 1, 2025

SUBJECT: State Fire Marshal: home hardening certification program

SUMMARY: Requires the Office of State Fire Marshal to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies the best appropriate combination of products and construction assemblies and convene and facilitate a workgroup for such purposes, as specified. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the OSFM to, on or before January 1, 2027, to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies the best appropriate combination of products and construction assemblies listed in the Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing and other home hardening techniques, including defensible space, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire.
2. Requires the OSFM, for purposes of developing the home hardening certification program, to convene and facilitate a workgroup that includes, but is not limited to, the following representative:
3. A representative from the insurance industry;
4. A nonprofit scientific research and communications organization;
5. A representative from a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization;
6. A representative from a county in a high or very high risk fire zone; and
7. A representative from a city in a high or very high fire risk fire zone.
8. Authorizes the OSFM, in developing the home hardening certification program and convening and facilitating the workgroup, to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders and the fire service. (Health and Safety Code Section 13159.5)
2. Requires this training to be updated as changes are made to Chapter 7A, as specified, and include any pertinent mandates for emergency power backup, including, but not limited to, battery backup requirements for automatic garage door openers. (Health and Safety Code Section 13159.5)
3. Requires the OFSM to develop and update a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with Chapter 7A for the following:
4. Exterior wall siding and sheathing;
5. Exterior windows, skylights, and doors;
6. Vents, including eave and cornice vents;
7. Decking;
8. Treated lumber and ignition-resistant materials;
9. Roofing materials; and
10. Emergency battery power backup for automatic garage door openers.
11. Authorizes the OSFM, in researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature. (Health and Safety Code Section 13159.5)
12. Establishes the “Safer from Wildfires” Framework. (Section 2644.9 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations)
13. Requires the State Fire Marshal to biennially prepare and publish listings of construction materials and equipment and methods of construction and of installation of equipment, together with the name of any person, firm, corporation, association, or similar organization designated as the manufacturer, representative, or supplier, which are in conformity with building standards relating to fire and panic safety adopted and published in the State Building Standards Code. (Health and Safety Code, Section 13144.1)
14. Under the California Emergency Services Act, establishes the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) within the office of the Governor for the purpose of mitigating the effects of natural, manmade, or war-caused emergencies. (Government Code 8550)
15. Requires the Office of Emergency Services to enter into a joint powers agreement with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, until July 1, 2025, to develop and administer a comprehensive wildfire mitigation program to, among other things, encourage cost-effective structure hardening and retrofitting to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, and public buildings. (Government Code 8654.4)
16. Requires the joint powers authority to develop eligibility criteria for property owners, community organizations, and local governments that may receive financial assistance under the wildfire mitigation program. (Government Code 8654.4)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. This bill has not been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

COMMENTS:

Purpose of the bill: According to the author, “California’s wildfire destruction has reached a tipping point. As the wildfires in Southern California have shown fires are now sweeping into urban areas in new, more intense and uncontrollable ways. We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the State Fire Marshal to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach.”

Equity impact: According to the author’s staff, “California fires disproportionately put at risk vulnerable communities, especially given the lack of insurance coverage in many parts of the state. Of particular concern is when conflagrations destroy major parts of communities. Media coverage of the Southern California fires often focused attention at the destruction of Pacific Palisades however the Eaton Canyon fire razed a historically Black community, harming decades of built up generational wealth for many California residents. 61% of homes lost in Altadena were Black households. A University of California Los Angeles data brief highlighted the disproportionate impact that the Eaton Canyon fire had on Black residents. Of particular concern is that lack of insurance coverage and rising home prices, mean that unless these residents are able to rebuild and keep their homes, it is unlikely that their children will be able to inherit these properties, or otherwise keep this generational wealth – further exacerbating a growing income divide. Given the loss of structures in Altadena, it seems like moving towards a policy where home owners and communities take comprehensive measures to harden their homes could have reduce both the loss of lives and the loss of property. AB 1143 would give residents in communities like Altadena a state home hardening certification program. Households would still face challenges in affording all the potential renovations necessary to harden their structure, but creating a public pathway to meaningful hardening efforts could also result in more voluntary hardening – reducing the risk of loss, and reducing insurance rates.”

California Wildfire Mitigation Program: In 2019, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law AB 38 to create the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP). The law authorized a joint exercise of powers agreement between Cal OES and Cal FIRE to strengthen community-wide resilience against wildfires. This included developing a state home hardening initiative to retrofit, harden, and create defensible space for homes at high risk of wildfires, focusing on high socially-vulnerable communities, and providing financial assistance for low- and moderate-income households. The effort is meant to encourage cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings, and public spaces. This includes a community hardening approach to achieve wildfire resilience, low-cost retrofits with ignition-resistant materials to bring homes up to the standard of the California Building Code Chapter 7A, community and homeowner wildfire education on defensible space and home retrofitting, and providing financial assistance to support home hardening work for qualifying homeowners.

In coordination with state and local partners, Cal OES and Cal FIRE also established a state wildfire home hardening framework that can be modeled throughout vulnerable California communities. The framework provides the opportunity for California communities to leverage state and federal resources and develop local wildfire home hardening programs that address community resiliency needs. To help expedite local wildfire home hardening program development and inform the build-out of the state’s framework, Cal OES and Cal FIRE will provide state funding, resources, and support for demonstration communities to implement community wildfire home hardening projects in areas with high social vulnerability and wildfire risk.

California Department of Insurance’s Safer from Wildfires: In 2022, CDI announced the “Safer from Wildfires” framework, which directs insurers to provide discounts to consumers and businesses if they take specified mitigation measures. In crafting this regulation, CDI worked with emergency preparedness agencies in the Governor’s Administration, including CAL FIRE, Cal OES, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, and the California Public Utilities Commission.

The framework provides a list of home and community wildfire mitigation measures that consumers and businesses can take to provide protection for the structure, the immediate surroundings, and the community. Under the regulation, the more “Safer from Wildfires” steps a consumer takes, the more they may be able to save on their insurance. Steps a consumer can take to help mitigate their property under this framework include: class-A fire rated roofs; 5-foot ember resistant zone; ember and fire-resistant vents; non-combustible 6 inches at the bottom of exterior walls; enclosed eaves; upgraded windows; cleared vegetation; removal of combustible sheds and other outbuildings; and defensible space compliance.

Chapter 7A of the California Building Standards Code: Chapter 7A is California’s Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building code. As such, this chapter of the building code establishes the minimum standards applicable to building materials, systems and/or assemblies used in the exterior design and construction of new buildings located within a WUI Fire Area for the protection of life and property. Chapter 7A was initially adopted in 2008 and has undergone multiple revisions as part of the iterative code development process, integrating the most recent insights and scientific advancements from technical experts in the field.

State Fire Marshal's Building Materials Listing Program: The OSFM's BML Program was initially established to mandate approval and listing of fire alarm systems and devices before their sale or marketing in the state. Over time, it expanded to include various materials, such as roof coverings, wall assemblies, hardware, and more. Product approval involves rigorous testing, and companies must utilize SFM accredited laboratories for testing to list products in California. The SFM listing service provides essential information to building authorities, architects, engineers, contractors, and the fire service. In addition, the SFM publishes a complementary handbook to the BML that specifically details products that have been assessed and validated by the SFM to meet the requirements of Chapter 7A.

Arguments in support: The League of California Cities write, “The League of California Cities (Cal Cities) is pleased to support AB 1143 (Bennett), which would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop a home hardening certification program identifying the best home hardening measures that can be taken during property renovations or improvement projects to reduce fire risk. California has the highest wildfire risk in the US. In recent years, the state has experienced a growing number of highly destructive wildfires due to climate change and over a century of logging and fire suppression. The devastating impacts of these wildfires has unfortunately resulted in the destruction of over 57,000 structures in the last decade.”

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, Inc. write, “While California has made important strides in fire prevention through building codes, defensible space requirements, and educational resources, these efforts have largely functioned as individual components rather than a cohesive approach. Research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in collaboration with CalFire, clearly demonstrates that effective home hardening requires addressing multiple vulnerabilities simultaneously. No single measure alone can adequately protect a structure from the complex threats posed by wind-driven embers, direct flame contact, and radiant heat. AB 1143 addresses this critical gap by creating a certification program that identifies appropriate combinations of home hardening products, construction techniques, and defensible space measures. By establishing a comprehensive framework, this legislation will provide homeowners with clear guidance on how to effectively protect their properties from wildfire.”

Double referral: Should the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management approve this bill on April 7, 2025, it will be referred to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources.

Related legislation: AB 1 (Connolly) would require the Department of Insurance to consider whether or not to update its regulations to include additional building hardening measures for property-level mitigation efforts and communitywide wildfire mitigation programs. (Pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 888 (Calderon) of this Session. Establishes the California Safe Homes grant program to be developed by CDI to reduce local and statewide wildfire losses by encouraging mitigation. (Pending before the Assembly Insurance Committee)

SB 514 (Cabaldon) Extends the operative date of Cal FIRE’s program for individuals to support and augment the department in its defensible and home hardening assessment and public education efforts. (Set to be heard in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water on April 8, 2025)

SB 616 (Rubio) would establish the Community Hardening Commission as an independent unit within the Department of Insurance and require the Insurance Commissioner, beginning January 1, 2026, and at least quarterly thereafter, to convene the commission to perform specified duties, including developing new wildfire community hardening standards to reduce fire risk and improve access to fire insurance. (Set to be heard in the Senate Insurance Committee on April 9, 2025)

Prior legislation: SB 190 (Dodd) from 2019 required the Office of the State Fire Marshal (SFM) to develop a model defensible space program, online training related to building standards in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), and a listing of products and construction assemblies that are in compliance with fire safety building standards.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Fire Chiefs Association

California Professional Firefighters

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, Inc.

League of California Cities

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Mike Dayton / E.M. / (916) 319-3802

Date of Hearing: April 7, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Rhodesia Ransom, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1143 (

Author:Bennett) – As Amended Ver:April 1, 2025

SUBJECT: State Fire Marshal: home hardening certification program

SUMMARY: Requires the Office of State Fire Marshal to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies the best appropriate combination of products and construction assemblies and convene and facilitate a workgroup for such purposes, as specified. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the OSFM to, on or before January 1, 2027, to develop a home hardening certification program that identifies the best appropriate combination of products and construction assemblies listed in the Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing and other home hardening techniques, including defensible space, to substantially reduce the risk of loss during a fire.
2. Requires the OSFM, for purposes of developing the home hardening certification program, to convene and facilitate a workgroup that includes, but is not limited to, the following representative:
3. A representative from the insurance industry;
4. A nonprofit scientific research and communications organization;
5. A representative from a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization;
6. A representative from a county in a high or very high risk fire zone; and
7. A representative from a city in a high or very high fire risk fire zone.
8. Authorizes the OSFM, in developing the home hardening certification program and convening and facilitating the workgroup, to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires the Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to develop and make available on its internet website a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Safety Building Standards Compliance training intended for use in the training of local building officials, builders and the fire service. (Health and Safety Code Section 13159.5)
2. Requires this training to be updated as changes are made to Chapter 7A, as specified, and include any pertinent mandates for emergency power backup, including, but not limited to, battery backup requirements for automatic garage door openers. (Health and Safety Code Section 13159.5)
3. Requires the OFSM to develop and update a Wildland-Urban Interface Products listing of products and construction assemblies that comply with Chapter 7A for the following:
4. Exterior wall siding and sheathing;
5. Exterior windows, skylights, and doors;
6. Vents, including eave and cornice vents;
7. Decking;
8. Treated lumber and ignition-resistant materials;
9. Roofing materials; and
10. Emergency battery power backup for automatic garage door openers.
11. Authorizes the OSFM, in researching and developing the products listing and the educational and training provisions to expend funds from the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature. (Health and Safety Code Section 13159.5)
12. Establishes the “Safer from Wildfires” Framework. (Section 2644.9 of Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations)
13. Requires the State Fire Marshal to biennially prepare and publish listings of construction materials and equipment and methods of construction and of installation of equipment, together with the name of any person, firm, corporation, association, or similar organization designated as the manufacturer, representative, or supplier, which are in conformity with building standards relating to fire and panic safety adopted and published in the State Building Standards Code. (Health and Safety Code, Section 13144.1)
14. Under the California Emergency Services Act, establishes the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) within the office of the Governor for the purpose of mitigating the effects of natural, manmade, or war-caused emergencies. (Government Code 8550)
15. Requires the Office of Emergency Services to enter into a joint powers agreement with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, until July 1, 2025, to develop and administer a comprehensive wildfire mitigation program to, among other things, encourage cost-effective structure hardening and retrofitting to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, and public buildings. (Government Code 8654.4)
16. Requires the joint powers authority to develop eligibility criteria for property owners, community organizations, and local governments that may receive financial assistance under the wildfire mitigation program. (Government Code 8654.4)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. This bill has not been analyzed by a fiscal committee.

COMMENTS:

Purpose of the bill: According to the author, “California’s wildfire destruction has reached a tipping point. As the wildfires in Southern California have shown fires are now sweeping into urban areas in new, more intense and uncontrollable ways. We must do more to ensure that homes are more than just superficially hardened, and take a holistic, science-based, approach. AB 1143 moves us towards an evidence based approach by directing the State Fire Marshal to develop a certification program that provides homeowners a voluntary option for a holistic home hardening approach.”

Equity impact: According to the author’s staff, “California fires disproportionately put at risk vulnerable communities, especially given the lack of insurance coverage in many parts of the state. Of particular concern is when conflagrations destroy major parts of communities. Media coverage of the Southern California fires often focused attention at the destruction of Pacific Palisades however the Eaton Canyon fire razed a historically Black community, harming decades of built up generational wealth for many California residents. 61% of homes lost in Altadena were Black households. A University of California Los Angeles data brief highlighted the disproportionate impact that the Eaton Canyon fire had on Black residents. Of particular concern is that lack of insurance coverage and rising home prices, mean that unless these residents are able to rebuild and keep their homes, it is unlikely that their children will be able to inherit these properties, or otherwise keep this generational wealth – further exacerbating a growing income divide. Given the loss of structures in Altadena, it seems like moving towards a policy where home owners and communities take comprehensive measures to harden their homes could have reduce both the loss of lives and the loss of property. AB 1143 would give residents in communities like Altadena a state home hardening certification program. Households would still face challenges in affording all the potential renovations necessary to harden their structure, but creating a public pathway to meaningful hardening efforts could also result in more voluntary hardening – reducing the risk of loss, and reducing insurance rates.”

California Wildfire Mitigation Program: In 2019, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law AB 38 to create the California Wildfire Mitigation Program (CWMP). The law authorized a joint exercise of powers agreement between Cal OES and Cal FIRE to strengthen community-wide resilience against wildfires. This included developing a state home hardening initiative to retrofit, harden, and create defensible space for homes at high risk of wildfires, focusing on high socially-vulnerable communities, and providing financial assistance for low- and moderate-income households. The effort is meant to encourage cost-effective wildfire resilience measures to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings, and public spaces. This includes a community hardening approach to achieve wildfire resilience, low-cost retrofits with ignition-resistant materials to bring homes up to the standard of the California Building Code Chapter 7A, community and homeowner wildfire education on defensible space and home retrofitting, and providing financial assistance to support home hardening work for qualifying homeowners.

In coordination with state and local partners, Cal OES and Cal FIRE also established a state wildfire home hardening framework that can be modeled throughout vulnerable California communities. The framework provides the opportunity for California communities to leverage state and federal resources and develop local wildfire home hardening programs that address community resiliency needs. To help expedite local wildfire home hardening program development and inform the build-out of the state’s framework, Cal OES and Cal FIRE will provide state funding, resources, and support for demonstration communities to implement community wildfire home hardening projects in areas with high social vulnerability and wildfire risk.

California Department of Insurance’s Safer from Wildfires: In 2022, CDI announced the “Safer from Wildfires” framework, which directs insurers to provide discounts to consumers and businesses if they take specified mitigation measures. In crafting this regulation, CDI worked with emergency preparedness agencies in the Governor’s Administration, including CAL FIRE, Cal OES, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, and the California Public Utilities Commission.

The framework provides a list of home and community wildfire mitigation measures that consumers and businesses can take to provide protection for the structure, the immediate surroundings, and the community. Under the regulation, the more “Safer from Wildfires” steps a consumer takes, the more they may be able to save on their insurance. Steps a consumer can take to help mitigate their property under this framework include: class-A fire rated roofs; 5-foot ember resistant zone; ember and fire-resistant vents; non-combustible 6 inches at the bottom of exterior walls; enclosed eaves; upgraded windows; cleared vegetation; removal of combustible sheds and other outbuildings; and defensible space compliance.

Chapter 7A of the California Building Standards Code: Chapter 7A is California’s Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) building code. As such, this chapter of the building code establishes the minimum standards applicable to building materials, systems and/or assemblies used in the exterior design and construction of new buildings located within a WUI Fire Area for the protection of life and property. Chapter 7A was initially adopted in 2008 and has undergone multiple revisions as part of the iterative code development process, integrating the most recent insights and scientific advancements from technical experts in the field.

State Fire Marshal's Building Materials Listing Program: The OSFM's BML Program was initially established to mandate approval and listing of fire alarm systems and devices before their sale or marketing in the state. Over time, it expanded to include various materials, such as roof coverings, wall assemblies, hardware, and more. Product approval involves rigorous testing, and companies must utilize SFM accredited laboratories for testing to list products in California. The SFM listing service provides essential information to building authorities, architects, engineers, contractors, and the fire service. In addition, the SFM publishes a complementary handbook to the BML that specifically details products that have been assessed and validated by the SFM to meet the requirements of Chapter 7A.

Arguments in support: The League of California Cities write, “The League of California Cities (Cal Cities) is pleased to support AB 1143 (Bennett), which would require, on or before January 1, 2027, the Office of the State Fire Marshal to develop a home hardening certification program identifying the best home hardening measures that can be taken during property renovations or improvement projects to reduce fire risk. California has the highest wildfire risk in the US. In recent years, the state has experienced a growing number of highly destructive wildfires due to climate change and over a century of logging and fire suppression. The devastating impacts of these wildfires has unfortunately resulted in the destruction of over 57,000 structures in the last decade.”

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, Inc. write, “While California has made important strides in fire prevention through building codes, defensible space requirements, and educational resources, these efforts have largely functioned as individual components rather than a cohesive approach. Research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in collaboration with CalFire, clearly demonstrates that effective home hardening requires addressing multiple vulnerabilities simultaneously. No single measure alone can adequately protect a structure from the complex threats posed by wind-driven embers, direct flame contact, and radiant heat. AB 1143 addresses this critical gap by creating a certification program that identifies appropriate combinations of home hardening products, construction techniques, and defensible space measures. By establishing a comprehensive framework, this legislation will provide homeowners with clear guidance on how to effectively protect their properties from wildfire.”

Double referral: Should the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management approve this bill on April 7, 2025, it will be referred to the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources.

Related legislation: AB 1 (Connolly) would require the Department of Insurance to consider whether or not to update its regulations to include additional building hardening measures for property-level mitigation efforts and communitywide wildfire mitigation programs. (Pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee)

AB 888 (Calderon) of this Session. Establishes the California Safe Homes grant program to be developed by CDI to reduce local and statewide wildfire losses by encouraging mitigation. (Pending before the Assembly Insurance Committee)

SB 514 (Cabaldon) Extends the operative date of Cal FIRE’s program for individuals to support and augment the department in its defensible and home hardening assessment and public education efforts. (Set to be heard in the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water on April 8, 2025)

SB 616 (Rubio) would establish the Community Hardening Commission as an independent unit within the Department of Insurance and require the Insurance Commissioner, beginning January 1, 2026, and at least quarterly thereafter, to convene the commission to perform specified duties, including developing new wildfire community hardening standards to reduce fire risk and improve access to fire insurance. (Set to be heard in the Senate Insurance Committee on April 9, 2025)

Prior legislation: SB 190 (Dodd) from 2019 required the Office of the State Fire Marshal (SFM) to develop a model defensible space program, online training related to building standards in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), and a listing of products and construction assemblies that are in compliance with fire safety building standards.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California, Inc.

League of California Cities

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Mike Dayton / E.M. / (916) 319-3802