3540 Department of Forestry & Fire Protection
Program Descriptions

10 - STATE FIRE MARSHAL

The State Fire Marshal is responsible for the statewide protection of life and property through the development and application of fire protection engineering, education and enforcement. Activities include the following:
  • Code Development and Analysis: Objectives include the development and adoption of codes relating to fire/life safety used statewide by local fire and building authorities. The program also operates the California All-Incident Reporting System (CAIRS), which collects and analyzes incident response data provided by local fire departments.
  • Fire and Life Safety: Objectives include the enforcement of fire/life safety standards in state-owned and state-occupied facilities, institutions, jails and areas not covered by a local fire department. The program also assists local fire and building authorities in the interpretation and enforcement of fire/life safety regulations within their respective jurisdictions.
  • Fire Engineering: This program uses a multi-pronged approach to reduce or eliminate fire risks/hazards and change the fire environment. Consumer services and product evaluations are conducted on portable fire extinguishers, fire sprinkler/extinguishing systems, dangerous and consumer fireworks, flame retardant fabrics/chemicals, vapor recovery devices and building materials listing services. Other activities include coordination of hazardous materials and California Unified Program Account services to local fire officials as well as serving as a liaison between the fire service and film/entertainment industry for fire/life safety standards.
  • Pipeline Safety: This program regulates approximately 6,400 miles of critical pipelines that transport crude oil and refined products (e.g., gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, etc.). Regulated pipelines do not include those within production fields, marine terminals, refineries or bulk loading facilities. The program has been designated as a federal agent for the enforcement of pipeline safety standards for interstate pipelines since 1987.
  • State Fire Training: The program provides a comprehensive training and certification service to local fire agencies. Activities include the California Fire Service Training and Education System and Fire Service Training and Education Program.

11 - FIRE PROTECTION

CAL FIRE provides for a system of basic fire protection to keep damages to life, property and natural resources at or below a level acceptable within social, political and economic constraints. The objective is to quickly and aggressively attack all fires in areas where CAL FIRE has assumed primary direct protection responsibility by virtue of law, contract or mutual understanding and to continue aggressive suppression operations until the fire is under control. The level of initial attack and follow-up action is relative to values threatened and control difficulty with the intent to control all unwanted fires within the first burning period.

11.10 - Fire Prevention:
This program focuses on the most effective methods, materials and procedures to remove or mitigate physical risks and hazards and to enforce pertinent laws for the reduction of fire incidents. More specifically, efforts focus on what needs to be done before a wildland fire starts in order to reduce the costs of fire fighting, property loss, injury to fire fighters and damage to the environment.

11.30 - Fire Control:
The objective of this program is to detect, respond and suppress wildland fires in or threatening State Responsibility Areas. The heart of the effort is an aggressive initial attack strategy. CAL FIRE's goal is to contain 95 percent of all wildfires to 10 acres or less. This is achieved through detection, ground attack, air attack and mutual aid using fire engines, fire crews, bulldozers, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.

11.40 - Cooperative Fire Protection:
CAL FIRE provides a full range of fire protection to local, county, state and federal agencies throughout California through the administration of 146 cooperative agreements in 35 of the state's 58 counties, 25 cities, 31 fire districts and 34 other special districts and service areas. Additionally, there are agreements with six counties that provide wildland fire protection on behalf of the Department.

11.60 - Conservation Camps:
CAL FIRE, in cooperation with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Divisions of Adult Operations and Juvenile Justice, operates 39 conservation camps throughout the state which house 196 fire crews. These crews provide one of the primary labor forces for firefighting, emergency response, and conservation related work projects.

11.80 - Emergency Fire Suppression:
CAL FIRE incurs additional emergency fire suppression expenditures when budgeted initial attack forces are unable to cope with a wildland fire within the initial attack period, when extreme fire conditions exist, and when mutual aid requests from other government authorities are fulfilled.

12 - RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

California's state and private forest, range, watershed lands and urban forests provide multiple human, climate and environmental benefits. The objective of this program is to maintain and enhance those benefits and to minimize damage to these resources from natural catastrophes and human development. Objectives are met by regulation of timber harvesting, coordination of climate related activities for the forest sector, technical assistance to non-industrial landowners, operation of state demonstration forests and forest nurseries, vegetation management projects, and administration of federal forestry assistance programs.

12.10 - Resources Protection and Improvement:
The objective of this program is to improve forest lands. Activities include the detection, evaluation, and control of forest pests; growing and selling tree seedlings from two nurseries for reforestation and soil erosion control; genetic tree improvement; advice and assistance to non-industrial forest landowners on management of forests and improved harvesting practices; the demonstration of sustainable forestry in state forests; implementation of the California Forest Improvement Act of 1978; and demonstration of the use of wood waste and forest growth for increased use of forest products. In the area of vegetation management, assistance is provided to public and private landowners to achieve land use objectives by reducing damage from wildland fires, increase wildlife habitat, increase productivity of forest and rangelands, improve water yields and air quality, and maintain desirable ecosystems. CAL FIRE cooperates with federal, state and local agencies, and private property owners to develop and achieve land use objectives. Activities include removal, rearrangement, conversion, or improvement of vegetation using various treatment measures such as prescribed fire and mechanical, manual, biological, and chemical methods.

12.30 - Forest Practice Regulations:
The objective of this program is to maximize sustained production of high-quality timber while protecting soil, water, wildlife, recreation and other values associated with forest land. Activities include regulating timber harvesting operations on nonfederal timberlands, carrying out studies of causes and effects of soil erosion, issuing licenses to timber operators, and assisting taxing agencies in their administration of taxes on timber and timberland.

12.40 - Forest Resource Inventory and Assessment:
This program provides information to assist in the formulation and analysis of resource policies and practices regarding fire protection, watershed protection, and resource management. Activities include assessing forest and range land conditions; developing and maintaining the data and tools used in the California Fire Plan; identifying policy options for improving conditions across all wildland resources; publishing forest and range assessments; designing and conducting inventories to gather forest and range land data; developing a data storage; producing maps displaying soil and vegetation types; and providing comment on the U.S. Forest Service Resources Planning Act, National Forest Management Act and Soil Conservation Service Resource Conservation Act processes.

12.60 - CalFED Distributed Administration:
The Budget Act of 2006 transferred the administrative function for the CALFED Bay-Delta Program to CAL FIRE. This program continues to provide administrative services for the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, which is under the Resources Agency.

13 - BOARD OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION

The California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (Board) is a Governor-appointed body within CAL FIRE. The Board is responsible for developing the general forest policy of the State, for determining the guidance policies of the CAL FIRE, and representing the state's interest in federal land in California. Together, the Board and CAL FIRE work to carry out the California Legislature's mandate to protect and enhance the state's unique forest and wildland resources. The Board's statutory responsibilities are to:

  • Establish and administer forest and rangeland policy for the state;
  • Protect and represent the state's interest in all forestry and rangeland matters;
  • Provide direction and guidance to the Director and CAL FIRE on fire protection and resource management;
  • Deliver a comprehensive regulatory program for forestry and fire protection;
  • Conduct its duties to inform and respond to the people of California.

20 - ADMINISTRATION

Departmental administration provides executive leadership, policy direction, and a variety of program support services necessary for the successful completion of the Department's mission. CAL FIRE headquarters provides leadership through the executive office and through central services in accounting, budgeting, business services, legal, human resources, information technology, program accountability, and program and systems analysis. CAL FIRE field units provide localized general support services in a variety of locations throughout in the state.