Existing law requires the State Fire Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas. Existing law requires a local agency to designate, by ordinance, moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones in its jurisdiction within 120 days of receiving recommendations from the State Fire Marshal, as provided.

This bill would require a water supplier that services more than 100 customers that are located in a moderate, high, or very high fire hazard severity zone, as specified, to establish an emergency preparedness plan for response to red flag warnings, extreme weather events, and other major power outages or emergencies that pose a potential threat to providing adequate water service. The bill would require the plan to contain several things, including, among others, an assessment that identifies the minimum number of and type of water pumps that are necessary to maintain water service for customers while providing an adequate water supply for fire fighting activities.