Submitted By: Community Development
Prepared By: Adam Atamian, Community Development Director
Subject:
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RESPONSE TO 2025-2026 ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY REPORT “WILDFIRES HIT HOME”
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Summary:
On May 13, 2026, the City received the Orange County Grand Jury report entitled "Wildfires Hit Home." The report examines wildfire risk reduction through home hardening, defensible space, community outreach, and related preparedness efforts. It also discusses the relationship between those efforts and insurance availability and affordability challenges affecting Orange County residents. Responses to the report are required to be submitted to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court by August 18, 2026.
Background:
The 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury report, "Wildfires Hit Home," is provided as Attachment 1. The report was transmitted to the City on May 13, 2026 and was marked "Confidential" pending its public release on May 19, 2026. It is now public.
The Grand Jury report identified six Findings (p. 31 of Attachment 1) and four Recommendations (p. 32 of Attachment 1). The City is required to respond to Findings 1 through 6 and Recommendations 2 through 4. California Penal Code Sections 933 and 933.05 require the City to respond to applicable Findings and Recommendations and establish the requirements for those responses. The applicable California Penal Code sections are included as Attachment 2. Responses must be submitted to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court by August 18, 2026.
Discussion:
Staff has prepared proposed responses to the applicable Findings and Recommendations for the City Council's consideration. The proposed responses are presented below, and included in the draft response letter provided as Exhibit A of Attachment 3.
Findings
Based on its investigation entitled "Wildfires Hit Home," the 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury identified six findings requiring a response from the City. Below are the findings and proposed responses.
F1 More frequent and severe wildfires driven by increasingly hotter, drier, and windier conditions in the Orange County wildland-urban interface are escalating impacts on financial and non-financial resources. Among the financial costs are dramatic increases in homeowners’ insurance premiums, nonrenewals, and inabilities to obtain insurance.
Staff Recommended Response: Agree in part. The City agrees that more frequent and severe wildfires are occurring in the Orange County wildland-urban interface. However, the City lacks the insurance-market expertise to independently confirm that this finding establishes the cause of increased insurance premiums, nonrenewals, and inability to obtain coverage, as the City is not an expert in insurance markets.
F2 Actions that address conditions in the home ignition zone to significantly reduce ignition potential can prevent a community wildland-urban interface fire disaster or suburban conflagration.
Staff Recommended Response: Agree.
F3 Expanded engagement with the community to raise awareness and provide support regarding home hardening and defensible space will increase effectiveness of wildfire risk mitigation and insurance risk reduction efforts.
Staff Recommended Response: Agree.
F4 Achievement of community-level and property-level wildfire risk mitigation designations (such as Firewise USA Site, Fire Risk Reduction Community or Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety certification) lessens wildfire risk and helps reduce insurance premium costs.
Staff Recommended Response: Agree in part. The City agrees that achievement of community-level and property-level wildfire risk mitigation designations (such as Firewise USA Site, Fire Risk Reduction Community or Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety certification) lessens wildfire risk, however, the City lacks the insurance-market expertise to independently confirm that achievement of community-level and property-level wildfire risk mitigation designations helps reduce insurance premium costs.
F5 All county residents should be made aware that Safer from Wildfire regulation requires insurers to provide discounts to homeowners and communities that implement home hardening and defensible space measures regardless of whether a property is located within a Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
Staff Recommended Response: Agree.
F6 AB 888, California Safe Homes Grant Program, provides financial assistance to eligible homeowners, cities, counties, and special districts for home hardening and defensible space measures. Applying for and using these grant funds will reduce wildfire losses and improve insurability and resilience of vulnerable communities.
Staff Recommended Response: Agree in part. The City agrees that AB 888 provides financial assistance to eligible homeowners, cities, counties, and special districts for home hardening and defensible space measures and that applying for and using these grant funds will reduce wildfire losses and improve resilience of vulnerable communities. However, the City lacks the insurance-market expertise to independently confirm that applying for and using these grant funds will improve insurability of vulnerable communities.
Recommendations
The following recommendations applicable to the City of San Clemente require a response. Each recommendation lists the associated finding(s) in brackets “[ ]”.
Based on its investigation titled "Wildfires Hit Home," the 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury makes the following recommendations applicable to the City of San Clemente:
R2 By December 31, 2026, cities and fire service agencies, including Orange County Fire Authority should commit to participation in a county-wide annual wildfire prevention fair planned by the Orange County Board of Supervisors to showcase wildfire prevention outreach programs. [F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6]
Staff Recommended Response: The Recommendation has been implemented. The City commits to participating in a county-wide annual wildfire prevention fair if such an event is established by the Orange County Board of Supervisors.
R3 By December 31, 2026, cities, unincorporated areas, special districts, and fire service agencies in High and Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zones should initiate planning activities to achieve community-level wildfire risk mitigation designations and/or establish a local Fire Safe Council within one year. [F4, F5, F6]
Staff Recommended Response: The Recommendation has been implemented. The City's adopted Emergency Management Strategic Plan includes planning activities for community-level wildfire risk reduction, including participation in the Fire Risk Reduction Community program and other wildfire preparedness initiatives.
R4 By December 31, 2026, to ensure city residents are engaged and aware of wildfire risk reduction resources, OCFA member and non-member cities should provide information, develop their own outreach program, and establish a direct contact person(s) for their residents. This is in addition to whatever referrals or references made to OCFA outreach programs. [F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6]
Staff Recommended Response: The Recommendation has been implemented. The City provides wildfire preparedness information and resources to residents through its website and public outreach efforts. The City also maintains a designated staff contact to assist residents with wildfire preparedness information and resources.
Council Options:
• Adopt Resolution No. 26-132, approving the staff-recommended responses to the 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury report, “Wildfires Hit Home.”
• Modify and adopt Resolution No. 26-132 by making modifications to the staff-recommended responses to the 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury report, “Wildfires Hit Home,” and approve such responses as modified.
• Continue the item and provide staff with alternative direction. Should the City Council desire to continue this item, a request for an extension of time to provide responses may be necessary as the City’s response is due prior to the next City Council meeting.
Environmental Review/Analysis:
The proposed action is not a “project” pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines Sections 15378. (14 CCR § 15378.)
Fiscal Impact:
None.
Potential Action(s):
recommendation
STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT the City Council Adopt Resolution No. 26-132, entitled, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING RESPONSE TO FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT OF THE ORANGE COUNTY GRAND JURY - ‘WILDFIRES HIT HOME’”, authorizing the Mayor to respond to the findings and recommendations noted in the report by submitting a letter to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court by August 18, 2026.
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Attachment:
1. 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury report, “Wildfires Hit Home”
2. Copy of California Penal Code Sections 933 and 933.05
3. Proposed Resolution No. 26-132.
Exhibit A - City of San Clemente’s Response to Findings and Recommendations of the 2025-2026 Orange County Grand Jury report, “Wildfires Hit Home”.
Notification:
None.