1. As used in the Wildfire Prepared Act:
2. A. "assessment" means an assessment of a structure or property for compliance with wildfire preparedness standards;
3. B. "buffer" means an area treated to reduce wildfire fuel in order to act as a barrier between properties to limit and halt the spread of wildfire and provide a safe zone for firefighters to engage with wildfires;
4. C. "certification" means a certificate provided pursuant to the wildfire prepared program indicating that a structure or property meets wildfire preparedness standards;
5. D. "department" means the energy, minerals and natural resources department;
6. E. "division" means the forestry division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department;
7. F. "eligible property owner" means a New Mexico resident who owns a residence in New Mexico and meets all requirements developed by the task force to be eligible for a wildfire prepared program grant;
8. G. "high-risk area" means an area identified by the task force as having a high probability of wildfire that is likely to spread to structures or property;
9. H. "noncombustible" means made from material of which no part will ignite and burn when subjected to fire;
10. I. "property" means the land adjacent to a structure;
11. J. "qualified entity" means a political subdivision of the state or an entity contracted with for the hardening of structures to be wildfire prepared;
12. K. "residence" means a dwelling structure designed for long-term habitation and its property;
13. L. "structure" means a constructed object, including residences or commercial buildings and outbuildings such as barns and sheds;
14. M. "task force" means the fire planning task force;
15. N. "wildfire" means a fire originating from an unplanned ignition, such as lightning, volcanoes, an unauthorized or accidental human-caused fire or a prescribed fire that is declared a wildfire;
16. O. "wildfire prepared" means being resistant to wildfire through actions to harden and make noncombustible structures and property to reduce the risk of structure ignition and building-to-building fire spread, including the use of noncombustible and ignition-proof building materials and landscaping property to reduce hazardous fuels; and
17. P. "wildfire preparedness standards" means the standards developed by the task force for structures and property to be wildfire prepared.

History: Laws 2025, ch. 55, § 2.

ANNOTATIONS

Emergency clauses. — Laws 2025, ch. 55, § 7 contained an emergency clause and was approved April 7, 2025.