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CAL FIRE outlines year‑round staffing needs, nursery shortfalls and requests for permanent defensible‑space inspectors
Summary
CAL FIRE officials told a Senate subcommittee the department has expanded into year‑round operations, faces seedling shortages, and seeks $6.1 million and 31 permanent positions to stabilize defensible‑space inspections as temporary wildfire‑resilience funds expire.
Annalie Berlou, Chief Deputy Director of Operations for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), briefed the subcommittee on the agency’s statewide responsibilities and the budget implications of a changing fire environment. Berlou said CAL FIRE employs roughly 13,000 people, stewards about 31 million acres of State Responsibility Area and has already responded to hundreds of thousands of emergencies; she told the committee that 2026 is “set up to be a very concerning fire season.”
CAL FIRE officials described a planned multi‑year transition to a 66‑hour workweek intended to sustain peak staffing longer through the year. Matt Sully (deputy director for…
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