Committee advances bill to raise CAL FIRE pay comparability with local fire departments

Assemblymember Flora presented AB 1309 to the Assembly Committee on Public Employment and Retirement on March 28, saying the bill would improve compensation for CAL FIRE firefighters by aligning their pay more closely with comparable local fire departments.

Terry McHale, representing CAL FIRE Local 2881, testified in support and described CAL FIRE as “the most diverse fire department in the United States” and the largest fire department in the Americas. McHale said the bill would direct an HR comparison among a set of comparable departments and set salaries within 15 percent of the average of a specified group to make CAL FIRE more competitive without making it the highest paid.

Supporters including the California Professional Firefighters said better pay is needed to recruit and retain personnel for increasingly active wildfire seasons. Committee discussion was supportive; members praised firefighters’ work and several members said they would back the bill.

The committee approved AB 1309 and re‑referred it to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion to advance the bill was made by Assemblymember Alawari and seconded by Assemblymember Alanis; the roll call showed unanimous support among members present and the item was placed on hold for add‑ons. Committee documents record the vote as passing by sufficient margin.

Supporters framed the measure as a targeted effort to make CAL FIRE salaries competitive with selected local departments while retaining fiscal discipline; no opposition witnesses testified at the hearing. AB 1309 will next be considered by the Appropriations Committee.