AB 1455: State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection: defensible space requirements: ember-resistant zones: emergency regulations: California Environmental Quality Act.

This bill aims to amend state fire prevention laws to create ember-resistant zones around buildings and structures in high fire hazard areas. The state board of forestry and fire protection is required to adopt regulations for these zones, which would eliminate materials that could be ignited by embers. Local agencies can designate their own defensible space requirements, considering local fire hazards and conditions. Property owners who follow these local regulations would not be deemed to have violated the state board's regulations. The bill also addresses the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and provides for the adoption of emergency regulations if necessary to meet a state-mandated deadline. Reimbursement for costs mandated by the state will be made to local agencies and school districts. The bill takes effect immediately as an urgency statute.