ACR 179: Wildland-Urban Interface Preparedness and Resilience Day.

WHEREAS, As California continues to rebuild in the wake of devastating wildfires, it has become unmistakably clear that our state’s fire season no longer resembles what it was even at the turn of the century — fire season is now a year-round reality; and

WHEREAS, California’s Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) represents an area where homes, communities, and critical infrastructure intermingle with fire-prone wildland vegetation, creating conditions for rapid fire spread, structure-to-structure ignition, and large-loss events across vast areas that are severely at risk for catastrophic wildfire; and

WHEREAS, The scale and consequences of wildfire disasters in California have demonstrated that legacy assumptions regarding fire season, risk, and preparedness are no longer valid, requiring a fundamental shift toward continuous readiness and mitigation; and

WHEREAS, This year-round threat has placed an increased premium on wildfire resilience measures, including home hardening practices, vegetation management, defensible space maintenance, and community preparedness, all aimed at reducing property loss and preventing civilian and firefighter fatalities; and

WHEREAS, The frequency, intensity, and duration of wildfires in California have increased significantly in recent decades, placing WUI communities at heightened risk and underscoring the need for year-round preparedness and coordinated resilience strategies; and

WHEREAS, In 2025, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection responded to over 8,000 wildfires that burned over 525,000 acres, resulting in 31 combined civilian and firefighter fatalities; and

WHEREAS, WUI areas span more than 7,000,000 acres, represent nearly 14,000,000 people — approximately 1 in 3 California residents — and account for the majority of buildings destroyed in California wildfires, making proactive planning, defensible space maintenance, home hardening, and communitywide mitigation efforts essential to protecting lives, property, and natural resources; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate to establish a Wildland-Urban Interface Preparedness and Resilience Day, which will raise public awareness of the unique wildfire risks faced by communities in WUI areas and promote practical actions that reduce the loss of life and property; and

WHEREAS, Ensuring fire-resilient communities requires a shared and enforceable commitment among residents, fire agencies, policymakers, and all levels of government to advance coordinated mitigation, planning, and education efforts across the state; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That May 1, 2026, and the same date annually thereafter, shall be declared “Wildland-Urban Interface Preparedness and Resilience Day” to mark the start of National Wildfire Awareness Month; and be it further

Resolved, That, with the support of the Wildfire Conservancy — a nonprofit organization serving California and the nation in addressing critical issues related to wildfires and the Wildland-Urban Interface — the State of California shall commemorate this day with the goal of fostering a more prepared and resilient California and encourage education, collaboration, and proactive risk-reduction efforts; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.