On September 7th, the nonprofit environmental organization sent a letter to Governor Newsom’s office requesting his signature. AB642 includes a number of critical actions around prescribed fire and fire prevention, including (but not limited to) the following:

●  Requires development of a proposal for a prescribed fire training center in California, in collaboration with a wide range of partners;

●  Requires CAL FIRE to consider availability of non-departmental contingency resources when making decisions on whether to issue prescribed fire permits;

●  Takes steps to improve retention on dedicated fuels crews, and requires outreach to tribal communities for employment on those crews;

●  Requires creation of a Cultural Burning Liaison at CAL FIRE;

●  Requires CAL FIRE to respect tribal sovereignty, customs, and culture when engaging with tribes, tribalorganizations, and cultural practitioners;

●  Requires CAL FIRE to improve and update wildfire severity maps