Frequently Asked Questions About Wildfires in California

Jan 28, 2025 - These fires played an important role in keeping the state ’s forests and landscapes healthy by periodically clearing underbrush and contributing to regrowth of native plant species. Because of the change in fire prevalence, when wildfires do occur now, they often burn at higher severity than would naturally be the case.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4952

The 2025-26 Budget: Various California Air Resources Board Proposals

Feb 24, 2025 - CARB Also Plays a Key Role in the State ’s Efforts to Reduce GHG Emissions. In addition to helping regulate pollutants that affect air quality, CARB is the lead state agency responsible for directing the state ’s efforts to meet the GHG reduction targets established in the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Chapter  488 of 2006, [A B  32 , N ú ñez ]) and subsequent legislation (such as Chapter 249 of 2016 [SB 32, Pavley] and Chapter 337 of 2022 [AB 1279, Muratsuchi]).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4980

Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Residential Electricity Rates in California

Jan 7, 2025 - However, when taken together, the state’s policies likely have played an important role in achieving the observed reductions. Ratepayers Pay Additional Costs Associated With Transitioning to Cleaner Sources of Electricity.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4950

The 2024-25 Budget: Salton Sea Management Program

Feb 26, 2024 - Many Agencies Have a Role to Play at the Salton Sea. Numerous agencies at all levels of government are involved in responding to conditions at the Salton Sea. The principal agencies and their major roles are described in   Figure  1 .
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4859

Assessing California's Climate Policies—The 2022 Scoping Plan Update

Jan 4, 2023 - As part of this report, CARB should identify new or expanded policies that would be used to meet both the statutory goal and the Scoping Plan goal, including the role that it expects cap ‑and ‑trade to play.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4656

The 2023-24 Budget: Improving Legislative Oversight of CalFire’s Emergency Fire Protection Budget

May 1, 2023 - This is a significant departure from the oversight role the Legislature typically plays in considering whether to approve the costs associated with new firefighting positions through the traditional budget process.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4765

The 2023-24 Budget: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Major Capital Outlay Proposals

Feb 21, 2023 - That CCC has a facility within close proximity and is playing an increasingly important role in meeting the needs once filled by conservation camp crews makes the continued need for Growlersburg even less certain.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4693

Reducing the Destructiveness of Wildfires: Promoting Defensible Space in California

Sep 30, 2021 - Defensible Space Plays Important Role in Reducing Home Ignitability. Researchers generally agree that it is important for homeowners to maintain an area free of excess or dead vegetation around their homes, known as defensible space.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4457

Living Under Smoky Skies—Understanding the Challenges Posed by Wildfire Smoke in California

Nov 14, 2022 - CARB also plays an important role in monitoring air quality, including during smoke events, by operating a network of permanent and portable air quality monitors in collaboration with local and federal partners.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4644

The 2023-24 Budget: Proposed Energy Policy Changes

Mar 10, 2023 - IOUs Sometimes Play Centralized Procurement Role. LSEs generally are required to procure new energy resources themselves, but IOUs are legally authorized —and , in some cases, required —to procure resources on behalf of other LSEs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4735