CA SB973

Establishes the Wildfire County Coordinator Program in statute, requiring the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to contract with the California Fire Safe Council to administer county-level wildfire mitigation, prevention, preparedness, and recovery coordination

Requires CAL FIRE to develop standardized wildfire risk modeling tools, county-level risk assessment guidance, and templates for county wildfire resilience plans in coordination with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation

Directs county coordinators to support home hardening and defensible space implementation through cost-reduction strategies, bulk-purchasing agreements, standardized scopes of work, contractor development, and coordination with the California Wildfire Mitigation Program Joint Powers Authority

Mandates coordination with the State Air Resources Board and air districts on smoke resilience activities, including clean air spaces, HEPA filter distribution, and communication about prescribed burns

Requires data collection on local mitigation activities, outcomes, and costs, with coordinators serving as liaisons between state strategy and local execution under the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan