Amid the devastation of January wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an order on Thursday to expedite long-delayed regulations aimed at requiring homeowners in high-risk fire areas to remove combustible materials from around their homes.

Newsom instructed the state to release draft regulations next month, with a goal of having them adopted by the end of the year. These rules were passed by lawmakers in 2020 but were initially set to take effect by January 1, 2023. Newsom issued the order after returning from Washington, where he had been advocating for disaster aid.

The regulations will require homeowners in fire-prone areas to clear items like dead plants and wooden furniture within 5 feet (1.5 meters) of their homes. However, the rules have not been finalized as wildfires continued to burn through Los Angeles neighborhoods in January, and the state’s Board of Forestry and Fire Protection told The Associated Press it had no set timeline for completion.

State officials indicated that the draft regulations might not be reviewed until late this year, although they have already advised homeowners to start clearing these materials from around their properties.

Lawmakers who originally sponsored the 2020 legislation expressed frustration over the delays, noting that the stricter measures could have helped prevent damage from the Palisades Fire, which became the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history.

Many of the neighborhoods affected by the fire, including Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Topanga Canyon, fall under the state’s fire risk criteria and would be subject to the new regulations. Driven by strong winds, the fire destroyed at least 5,000 structures.

Under the proposed rules, existing homes would have three years to comply, though experts agree that clearing combustible materials around homes could have made a difference in mitigating damage.

“These steps will encourage proactive measures to protect the most vulnerable homes and reduce the risk of igniting during ember-driven fires,” said Wade Crowfoot, Secretary of California’s Natural Resources Agency, which oversees the board in charge of the regulations.

The executive order also directs CalFire to expand fire-prone areas by adding about 1.4 million acres to the map, extending the fire mitigation rules to homeowners in these areas. Some cities and homeowners have already started clearing these materials voluntarily.

Governor Newsom emphasized that these initiatives are part of a broader state strategy to improve wildfire resilience, which includes forest management, increased firefighting resources, community hardening, and adopting new response technologies.

State officials also confirmed that Newsom is proposing a $25 million investment to ensure homeowners comply with these fire prevention measures.

While some neighborhoods affected by the Eaton fire, like parts of Pasadena and Altadena, are not included in the state’s fire-prone map, the new rules do not apply to them.

Roy Wright, CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, expressed optimism about the governor’s push to move these regulations forward after years of delay, stating that it reflects a strong commitment to addressing fire risks in California.

California already enforces some of the strictest defensible space laws in the U.S., requiring homeowners in fire-prone areas to maintain clearance zones around their properties. These rules have been expanded over the years, with the latest measure creating a new “ember-resistant” zone, which aims to eliminate any materials that could catch fire from flying embers.

This new law follows bipartisan support after catastrophic fires in 2017 and 2018, including the fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, causing significant loss of life and property.