The "Wildfire Prepared Act" aims to enhance forest conservation and wildfire preparedness in New Mexico by establishing a comprehensive framework for assessing and improving the wildfire resilience of structures and properties. The act creates the "wildfire prepared program," which will provide technical assistance, training, assessments, certifications, and grants to political subdivisions and qualified entities to help eligible property owners make their residences more resistant to wildfires. The act also establishes the "wildfire prepared fund" to finance these initiatives, which will be administered by the relevant department.
Additionally, the act expands the Fire Planning Task Force by adding new members and outlining their duties, including identifying high-risk areas, developing building codes and standards for wildfire preparedness, and reporting progress to the governor and legislature annually. The act repeals conflicting laws from 2003 to streamline the legal framework and declares an emergency for immediate implementation, emphasizing the urgency of addressing wildfire risks in the state.