Feb 12, 2026
Advocacy | Public Safety and Emergency Management After Deadly Wildfires, California Utility Regulator Suggests Exploring Avenues to Limit Utility Liability and Shift Mitigation Costs to the StateOn January 30, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) released recommendations on wildfire mitigation and victim compensation. The document makes sweeping and transformative recommendations
Feb 06, 2026
Advocacy | Public Safety and Emergency Management Interior Announces $20M Available to Strengthen Local Wildfire ResponseOn February 2, the Department of the Interior announced that up to $20 million is available to strengthen local governments’ wildfire response capacity in another round of funding for the Slip-on Tanker Pilot Program.
Jan 30, 2026
Advocacy | Public Safety and Emergency Management Bill of the Week: Senate Bill 899 (Grove) – Wildfire Smoke Health AssessmentRCRC is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 899, authored by Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield). This measure seeks to require the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force to create a wildfire smoke health assessment, intended to provide important data that would better align public health and wildfire resilience efforts
Dec 19, 2025
Advocacy | Public Safety and Emergency Management Joint Local Governments Submit Comments on Wildfire Liability, Insurance Accessibility, and Strategies to Reduce Wildfire RiskOn December 12, RCRC, CSAC, and the League of Cities jointly responded to a solicitation from California Earthquake Authority seeking stakeholder input on a variety of topics related to the accessibility and affordability of
Dec 19, 2025
Advocacy | Public Safety and Emergency Management Bipartisan Wildfire Bill Would Expand Federal Support for Post-Fire CleanupOn December 16, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Post-Wildfire Environmental Assistance Act, bipartisan legislation that would allow the federal government to help pay for hazardous debris cleanup following wildfires, even when damage does not meet the threshold for a major disaster declaration
Dec 12, 2025
Public Safety and Emergency Management U.S. Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Extend Tax Relief for Wildfire VictimsOn December 5, Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) introduced the Protect Innocent Victims of Taxation After Fire Extension Act, to permanently ensure wildfire survivors are not taxed on compensation they receive for losses and damages suffered during a fire
Oct 10, 2025
Advocacy | Public Safety and Emergency Management CPUC Proposes to End Crucial Wildfire Risk Reduction Program at the End of 2025On September 18, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a Proposed Decision that would effectively end the state’s BioMAT program on December 31, 2025. RCRC has long-supported biomass energy generation and extension of the BioMAT program’s sunset date
Jul 25, 2025
Advocacy | Public Safety and Emergency Management CDI Approves First California Forward-Looking Wildfire Risk ModelOn Thursday, the California Department of Insurance (CDI) announced that they have completed their review of the first forward-looking wildfire risk model for use by insurers
Jul 25, 2025
Advocacy | Public Safety and Emergency Management U.S. Senator Schiff Urges USDA to Deliver Disaster Relief for Farmers in CaliforniaIn a letter of July 22, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) urged U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to ensure the agency delivers disaster assistance
Jun 06, 2025
Advocacy | Public Safety and Emergency Management CalAssist Mortgage Fund Established to Provide Grants to Homeowners Impacted by Recent DisastersOn June 5th, Governor Newsom announced the CalAssist Mortgage Fund, which will be launching on June 12th to provide grants up to $20,000 to homeowners whose homes were destroyed or left uninhabitable in recent fires, floods, and other disasters. This new disaster mortgage relief program