Hmm, wonder what impact California Senate Bill 571 will have on media/photographers in wildfire zones.

Hmm, wonder what impact California Senate Bill 571 will have on media/photographers in wildfire zones. (esp. independent folks). I guess, make sure your PPE gear is stripped of old insignias and is marked with "MEDIA" in bright reflective letters, I would suppose.

"...5) Defines “impersonating” as the willful wearing, exhibiting, or using of an authorized uniform, insignia, emblem, device, label, certificate, card, or writing of emergency personnel with the intent of fraudulently inducing the belief that they are a member of emergency
personnel"

https://apsf.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2025-07/sb-571-final-with-proposed-amends_public_0.pdf

#wildfires #journalism

@ai6yr hmm so does this mean I can't wear nomex in a wildfire zone? Or a hard hat?

@douglasvb Yes, this is what i was wondering about.

@ai6yr maybe reflective tape saying "LANDOWNER" is the key

@douglasvb I was thinking the same thing for the Nomex I have, in case I wanted to stay here and put out spot fires.

@ai6yr or

Southern Sierra Prescribed Fire Council

(Or whatever your local burn cooperative is)

@douglasvb I was thinking putting black tape over all the old agency markings on the gear here, then think of the right reflective mark over that. Given I sometimes do photography I could just default to "MEDIA"

@ai6yr I would think you'd go with

AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR

@douglasvb @ai6yr then you would just need one of those Ham Radio badges to go with it. I'm sure that would keep you safe and above board

@bud_t @douglasvb @ai6yr If nothing else, at least it's effective birth control

@W6KME @bud_t @douglasvb