FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2026
California Fire Safe Council, Megafire Action Celebrate Gov. Newsom Signing SB 973, the Wildfire County Coordinator Program, Into Law
The Wildfire County Coordinator Program Will Help Local Leaders Turn State Wildfire Funding And Priorities Into Projects On The Ground
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today, Gov. Newsom signed SB 973, the Wildfire County Coordinator Program, into law. Co-sponsored by the California Fire Safe Council and Megafire Action, SB 973 is part of the Joint Megafire Prevention Package, the most comprehensive state-level legislative package aimed at mitigating destructive megafires in U.S. history. As Gov. Newsom noted, “The goal has always been bigger than responding to the next fire; it’s about leaving California safer, stronger, and better prepared for the generations that follow.”
“SB 973 recognizes that effective wildfire preparedness and mitigation depend on strong connections between statewide strategy and local action,” said Dr. Jacy Hyde, Executive Director of the California Fire Safe Council. “By securing and strengthening the Wildfire County Coordinator Program, California is investing in the local capacity needed to translate statewide priorities into action that reflects the unique risks, resources, and needs of communities across the state.”
“Today is a big win for communities across California,” said Eric Horne, California Director at Megafire Action. “By signing SB 973, Governor Newsom is giving local leaders the lasting capacity they need to turn wildfire investments into action, get more resilience projects off the ground, and help more Californians protect their homes. This is exactly the kind of long-term capacity and investment we need to better protect communities from catastrophic megafires and we’re extremely grateful to Senator Josh Becker and the California Fire Safe Council for championing this legislation.”
“Preventing and responding to California’s megafires demands better coordination between the state and the communities on the front lines,” said Senator Josh Becker (D-Menlo Park). “Wildfire County Coordinators connect statewide strategy with local action and bring together agencies, fire safe councils, community organizations, and residents to better prevent and prepare for catastrophic wildfires. SB 973 makes this successful program permanent so we can better target resources, reduce wildfire risk, and build more resilient communities across California. I thank Governor Newsom for signing this important legislation and for recognizing the critical role local coordination plays in protecting our communities.”
SB 973 ensures that California’s investments in wildfire resilience are backed by durable capacity in the communities where that work actually happens. By codifying the Wildfire County Coordinator Program, which has been delivered in partnership between CAL FIRE and the California Fire Safe Council since 2021, the law creates more predictable, long-term local infrastructure to connect fire agencies, local governments, community organizations, and residents and turn statewide wildfire strategies into projects on the ground.
The new law also expands the program to support home hardening and defensible space, giving communities more tools to help homeowners navigate projects, build local workforce capacity, coordinate procurement, and make wildfire resilience easier and more affordable. Combined with standardized, state-led guidance for assessing wildfire risk and prioritizing mitigation, that local capacity can help translate California’s significant wildfire investments into measurable risk reduction for communities.
SB 973 was authored by Sen. Josh Becker, co-authored by Senators Stern and Allen, and co-sponsored by California Fire Safe Council and Megafire Action. The legislation earned support from dozens of local fire safe councils and organizations including California Forward, FireWERX, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, The Nature Conservancy, and others.
###
About California Fire Safe Council
The California Fire Safe Council brings people, resources, and expertise together to help communities across California take action to reduce wildfire risk. CFSC supports a network of over 300 local fire safe councils across the state in their wildfire mitigation and preparedness efforts.CFSC envisions a California where people and communities are prepared to live safely with wildfire. For more information, please visit cafiresafecouncil.org.
About Megafire Action
Megafire Action is the leading non-profit organization dedicated to developing and securing policy solutions to solve the megafire crisis. We advocate for systemic change at the national and state level, with a focus on landscape management, community resilience, and better use of innovative technology solutions.
