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AB 1699CALIFORNIASession 20252026
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Good Fire Act indefinitely extends prescribed fire liability program and expands burn boss certification

Original title: Good Fire Act: Prescribed Fire Liability Pilot Program: burn bosses: California Environmental Quality Act.

August 30, 2026

Wildfire PreventionPrescribed FireEnvironmental PolicyState BudgetLiability InsuranceCalifornia Environmental Quality ActCaliforniaEnvironmentalQualityActGoodFireActPrescribedFireLiabilityPilotProgramburnbosses

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Where This Stands

Currently Unknown. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Introduced.

Version history & redline

3 versions on file

Official version history is partial: 3 linked texts are unavailable or incomplete. Source links remain available below.

Comparing 02/03/26 - Introduced → 05/18/26 - Amended Assembly
removed addedOfficial text

The text diff for this stage has not been computed yet.

pdf extract failed: Invalid PDF structure.

Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →

The Frame

What this does

This bill changes the financial risk and regulatory requirements for landowners, cultural practitioners, and local agencies conducting prescribed burns, potentially increasing the scale of fire prevention efforts across the state.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Cultural fire practitioners

They gain expanded eligibility for coverage from the Prescribed Fire Claims Fund.

Burn bosses

They are subject to new recertification requirements and changes to the burn plan submission process.

California Native American tribes

They receive priority status for claims if the Prescribed Fire Claims Fund becomes oversubscribed.

What changed

Last recorded activity August 30, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Background

  • The Prescribed Fire Liability Pilot Program was originally created to address the high cost of insurance for private landowners and cultural practitioners conducting controlled burns. context
  • Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-35-25 to temporarily waive certain regulatory and inspection requirements to accelerate wildfire risk reduction projects. context

Summary

The Good Fire Act makes the Liability Pilot Program permanent, expands eligibility for fire loss coverage to more individuals and entities, and streamlines the approval process for prescribed and cultural burns. It also exempts certain department-assisted fire projects from the California Environmental Quality Act () and mandates that state wildfire grants cover overtime pay for fire project implementation.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

This bill changes the financial risk and regulatory requirements for landowners, cultural practitioners, and local agencies conducting prescribed burns, potentially increasing the scale of fire prevention efforts across the state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this bill change who can get insurance coverage for prescribed burns?
Yes, it expands eligibility from only nonpublic entities to include individuals and entities other than the state department or the federal government.
Do I still need department approval before starting a prescribed burn?
No, the bill replaces the requirement for department approval with a requirement to submit a burn plan to the claims fund portal before ignition.
How often do burn bosses need to be recertified?
The bill requires the State Fire Marshal to mandate recertification no sooner than every 3 years.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Connected Entities

otherPrescribed Fire Claims Fund“Fund used to support coverage for losses from prescribed fires.”Map →
organizationDepartment of Forestry and Fire Protection“Administers the Prescribed Fire Liability Pilot Program and the Prescribed Fire ”Map →
organizationState Fire Marshal“Responsible for developing burn boss certification curricula.”Map →
organizationState Treasury“Holds the Prescribed Fire Claims Fund.”Map →
organizationStatewide Training and Education Advisory Committee“Consults on burn boss certification and training.”Map →
organizationDepartment of Finance“Authorized to order transfers into the Prescribed Fire Claims Fund.”Map →
personGavin Newsom“Governor who issued Executive Order N-35-25 regarding burn permits and CEQA.”Map →
personGovernor Gavin Newsom“Issued Executive Order N-35-25 regarding fire program enrollment and CEQA suspen”Map →

Sources

Open source document

openstates.org

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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