First-of-its-kind fund provides support and protection for prescribed fire and cultural burning

SACRAMENTO – The State of California rolled out June 19 a first-of-its-kind approach to curbing the state’s catastrophic wildfire problem by providing new protections for prescribed fire and cultural burning practitioners.

The $20 million allocated for the “Prescribed Fire Liability Claims Fund Pilot” will cover losses in the rare instance a prescribed or cultural burn escapes control. California Senator Bill Dodd authored the 2022 Senate Bill 926 that made this fund possible, continuing his many years of leadership on wildfire and prescribed fire-related legislation.

“Prescribed fire is a cos...