California may boost rules for homes at high wildfire risk

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

Years of increasingly deadly wildfires that ripped through California communities are spurring measures that would toughen requirements for approving homes in high risk areas.

Developers would have to increase fire protections, plan for evacuations, or prepare for residents who may need to ride out fires in safe areas.

A Senate committee on Monday expected to advance the legislation, which would also require local governments to try to make existing structures less likely to burn.

The building industry says the regulations would make housing production more costly, resulting in fewer homes being built just as California struggles with a persistent affordable housing and homelessness problem.

Democratic Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson of Santa Barbara says her measure is needed after wildfires devastated communities including the Sierra foothills city of Paradise last year.