San Bernardino fire chief backs Trump’s wildfire agency plan while blasting California’s ‘bifurcated’ system that’s ‘burdened by the regulatory process’

California’s tech companies are making headway in Washington, D.C. with their wildfire-fighting technologies, including drones, artificial intelligence, and forest-mapping systems. The industry, which largely started in California, is now expanding across the nation as policymakers recognize its potential and necessity.

According to Politico, while these California-based companies are finding success in the nation’s capital, their progress in their home state has been limited. Recent Los Angeles fires led to state legislative proposals mainly focused on immediate financial aid for victims and increasing Cal Fire staffing, with minimal input from the tech sector.

During Thursday’s hearing, San Bernardino County Fire Chief Dan Munsey expressed his views on the current situation. “The answer to this isn’t the technology that is broadly available. The answer is leadership,” Munsey said. “We lack interagency department collaboration. It’s very bifurcated. I fully support President Trump’s creation of the U.S. wildfire agency. We have to break down the barriers. We’re slowly innovating. We are burdened by the regulatory process.”

California’s recent efforts in wildfire management show mixed results

The state has been addressing wildfire issues piece by piece over the past seven years, as wildfires have repeatedly broken records. California has allocated billions of dollars to strengthen its firefighting capabilities, including more than $4 billion in this year’s budget for Cal Fire.

Recent legislative attempts to advance technological solutions have faced obstacles. A notable example is the stalling of Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris’s bill, which aimed to establish an autonomous firefighting helicopter pilot program. The bill failed to progress in the appropriations committee due to the broader budget deficit.

While Munsey acknowledged his approval of the spending on Cal Fire, he pointed out that local agencies like his are more advanced in adopting new technologies, particularly firefighting drones. This suggests a gap between local and state-level approaches to wildfire management.

The contrast between D.C. and Sacramento’s approaches is particularly notable. While California has focused on incremental changes and immediate responses, such as improving prescribed burning and forest management, Washington D.C. is considering more comprehensive reforms. The only significant tech-related development in California’s recent legislation has been Vibrant Planet’s support for state Senator Josh Becker’s SB 326, which aims to improve wildfire planning and coordination among state agencies and utilities.