Wildfires: Wildland Urban Interface Fire Research Center.

Existing law establishes various programs for the prevention, detection, and mitigation of wildfires. Existing law establishes in state government a Natural Resources Agency. This bill would require the agency, on or before June 1, 2023, to develop and fund, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, a Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Research Center that addresses the wildland-urban interface fire problem and the need for wildfire prevention, detection, and mitigation planning, building, and response, and related economic, insurance, and modeling practices in the state. The bill would require the center to act as a think tank for purposes of discussing policy, exchanging information, and training fire personnel in best practices.